Rochester Rhinos News Release - www.rhinossoccer.com

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

ROCHESTER, NY -- After an hour weather delay due to thunder and lightning, the Rhinos finally took the field to face off against the defending MLS Champion Columbus Crew in a third round U.S. Open Cup match Tuesday night at Marina Auto Stadium. They needed overtime and penalty kicks to overcome the Crew, winning 5-3 on penalty kicks with the score tied 1-1 after 120 minutes.

The Rhinos are now 2-1 against Columbus in Open Cup play, having also previously defeated the Crew in the Semifinals of their famous 1999 championship run.

Rochester did not take long to find its first chance of the night. Just five minutes from kick-off, forward Tai Atieno found himself with a chance straight on goal. Going in alone on Columbus goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum, he was a second too late to the ball as Gruenebaum beat him to it and slid to kick the ball out-of-bounds.

Only a minute later, Gruenebaum came off his line and Rhinos forward Jonny Menyongar had a wide-open look from the top of the box. Gruenebaum tipped the dipping shot just wide, surviving another close look by Rochester.

In the 20th minute, Atieno was played a ball down the right sideline. After dribbling his defender one on one, he found Menyongar making a streaking run towards him. Menyongar hit a great shot on goal but Gruenebaum made the save again to knock the ball out-of-bounds.

Just 10 minutes later, defender Ty Harden would put the Rhinos in front. After a free kick from midfielder Andrew Gregor was taken and the ball would end up at the feet of Menyongar, the cross dropped to Harden who took a touch to turn and fire the ball into the net. Harden’s goal is his first for the Rhinos in just his second appearance for the team.

The Crew would tie the game in the 37th minute though, when forward Duncan Oughton put in a volley through a couple of Rhinos defenders. The teams went into the halftime break level at one goal apiece.

Rochester was given a golden opportunity in the 55th minute, when midfielder Ryan Heins was fouled in the penalty area awarding the Rhinos a penalty-kick. Gregor stepped up to the spot, but Gruenebaum continued his strong game by saving the kick to his left. Crew midfielder Alex Grendi received his second yellow card of the game after the foul, forcing Columbus to play with 10 players for the rest of the match.

In the 78th minute, the Rhinos found another very good chance when Menyongar played Atieno through for a break-away but Atieno fired high and wide of the goal. The score stayed tied and the teams headed to two 15 minute overtime periods.

In the first overtime interval, Rochester was awarded a free-kick 10 minutes in where Gregor laid a pass off to forward Mauricio Salles but his shot was blocked by a Crew defender. Goalkeeper Tim Melia was forced into a save in the 105th minute and had to cover up his rebound right after to keep the game tied.

After a Rochester corner-kick five minutes into the second overtime interval, Gregor was open at the top of the box but hit his shot high over the goal.

The teams headed into penalty kicks where the Rhinos made their first three kicks through defender Darren Kenton, Salles, and Gregor. The Crew made their first two but Melia stepped up to make a play on their third against Oughton, saving the shot off the line after punching it out on the attempt. Rhinos defender Kenney Bertz slotted his home and the Crew followed up with a goal on their fourth kick. With a chance to put the Rhinos into the next round, Heins took Rochester’s fifth and final kick and put the ball into the back of the net, advancing the Rhinos on penalty kicks 5-3.

Rochester will host the next round, a quarterfinal U.S. Open Cup game next Tuesday July 7th at 7 p.m. at Marina Auto Stadium. They will face the Wilmington Hammerheads of USL-2.

The Rhinos return to USL-1 action Sunday afternoon in a 3 p.m. contest where they will host the Austin Aztex. Rochester looks to improve on its two victories in its last two league games.