Rochester Rhinos News Release - www.rhinossoccer.com
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
ROCHESTER, NY -- It took some late-game heroics and 30 additional minutes, but the Rochester Raging Rhinos managed to down Western Mass Pioneers of the USL Second Division 2-1 in overtime at PAETEC Park.
The win propels the Rhinos into the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. With the victory, Rochester has earned the right to host the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer on Tuesday, July 10th in third round action for the second straight year.
Rochester dominated the extremely physical affair, outshooting the Pioneers 40-5. The Rhino's 31 shots in regulation set a franchise record for most shots in a U.S. Open Cup game. The team's 40 total shots sets an all-time franchise record. In addition, Western Mass committed 27 fouls (a Rhinos U.S. Open Cup record for an opponent) and was shown six yellow cards while the Rhinos committed 25 fouls and were shown three yellow cards.
"I don't think there was any question who deserved to win," said Rhinos Head Coach Laurie Calloway. "We just didn't win as healthy as we would have liked to. I don't think I've ever seen a team at this level get 40 shots in a game, but you've got to put them in the net."
Rhinos midfielder Aaron Lines led the Rochester offense, scoring the game winner in the 105th minute. After a ball was crossed into the top of the box, a large scramble ensued until finally the ball popped loose to just outside the box where Lines was waiting. He ripped a low hard shot into the lower left side of the net to give the Rhinos their first and final lead of the game at 2-1.
Lines also assisted in Matthew Delicâte's goal in the 83rd minute that tied the game at one.
After receiving a beautiful thread pass from Rey Martinez, who entered the game only a minute earlier, Lines raced down to the goalline to the left side of the goal where he got off a low cross that found Delicâte who finally put Rochester on the board with his second U.S. Open Cup goal in as many matches. Although he didn't score, Rhino forward Hamed Diallo managed to get off a Rochester U.S. Open Cup-record nine shots in the match, eclipsing the previous record held by Rochester's beloved Doug Miller.
The first half was an extremely frustrating affair for Rochester, seeing them get off 13 shots and not coming away with any goals. Their best chance in the first came in the 16th minute when Rhino defender Chris Aloisi streaked down the right side of the field and managed to cross the ball over everyone's head and right onto the right foot of Diallo who was all alone on the back post. Diallo got off a shot that Western Mass goalkeeper Kevin Trapp managed to stop but in doing so gave the ball right to Delicâte standing on the six yard box. Like Diallo before him, Delicâte was somehow stopped and the game remained scoreless.
Rochester continued to pour it on but just could not put one in. the Pioneers didn't even sniff the Rochester net and produced nothing offensively, that is until the 43rd minute. On what appeared initially to be a harmless play, a ball was sent into the box between two Rhinos defenders and charging goaltender Chase Harrison. Right behind the two defenders was Pioneer forward Jeff Deren who was being blocked out but somehow managed to sneak his foot in between the defenders and altered the course of the ball which eluded Harrison and trickled into the net to give his team a 1-0 lead. It would end up being the only shot Western Mass would manage to get off in regulation play.
"I said to Jukka (Masalin) 'we don't want them to get a break and score,' and that's exactly what they did," said Calloway.
In the second half the Pioneers recognized they were clearly overmatched and went into a defensive shell, intent on escaping Rochester with a 1-0 victory. The Rhinos responded by putting forth 18 second half shots. They were able to produce chance after chance but just could not solve the Western Mass defense. The Rhinos finally broke through in the 83rd minute on Delicâte's marker which tied the game at one. Following the goal things got ugly with a series of yellow cards handed out and several players falling to the pitch in pain as the teams prepared for overtime.
In overtime, Rochester outshot the Pioneers, 9-4.
Finally, in the 105th Lines was able to find the back of the net to put the Rhinos on top for good. Martinez almost put the Rhinos up 3-1 in the 117th minute when he earned a one-on-one break against a Pioneer defender who he burned to the outside and managed to chip a left-footed shot over Trapp only to be stopped by the crossbar.
The Rhinos will continue thier USL First Division play on Friday, June 29th, as they play host to the Atlanta Silverbacks at PAETEC Park. Kickoff is slated for 8:00 p.m. and the match will be broadcast live on WYSL 1040AM, wysl1040.com. It will also be televised live on the Fox Soccer Channel.
