Rochester Rhinos News Release - www.rhinossoccer.com

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

ROCHESTER, NY -- The Rhinos continued U.S. Open Cup play Tuesday night at Marina Auto Stadium when they hosted the Cleveland City Stars in a Second Round match. Rochester came from behind and would need overtime again to put away the Stars 2-1 to advance to the Third Round of the tournament and a date with the Columbus Crew.

The Rhinos first chance came after three minutes, when forward Jonny Menyongar dribbled through the middle of the Cleveland defense and played a ball through to midfielder Danny Earls. Earls would play midfielder Mike Ambersley down the right to the end-line, only to draw back to Earls who fired his volley over the top of the goal.

In the 27th minute, forward Mauricio Salles laid out for a bicycle-kick off of a cross by Menyongar but his acrobatic shot bounced off the ground and hit the crossbar. Salles would have another shot two minutes later but put it high and wide. The Rhinos weren’t able to find any other quality chances and the teams would go into the half-time break scoreless.

Just a minute into the second half, defender Nano Short gave the ball away in the back to Cleveland forward Joshua Boateng, who was given a wide-open look at the goal. But Rhinos goalkeeper Scott Vallow made a great save, diving to his left to punch the ball out for a corner.

In the 57th minute Ambersley played a free-kick into the box and found the head of midfielder Chris Nurse. Nurse had a good look but rose late for the header, putting it wide of the net. Two minutes later, defender Darren Kenton was called for a foul in the penalty area on Cleveland midfielder Ryan Stewart. Stewart would step up for the penalty kick and put it in, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Menyongar won the ball from a Cleveland defender and then played a cross into the box to Salles in the 69th. Salles laid the ball off to Nurse but his half-volley sailed over the mark. The Rhinos would find their break-through in the 82nd minute when substitute midfielder Ryan Heins ripped a shot from 20 yards to put the ball in the back of the net and tie the game. The goal was his first of the year and Gregor was credited with the assist. The two teams would end regulation time knotted at one goal a piece, sending them into overtime.

Rochester’s first good chance in the first overtime interval came in the 104th minute, when Gregor played a free-kick into the penalty area but his ball was just out of reach of Short at the back post. Substitute defender Kwame Sarkodie found another chance when he hit a shot from 30 yards out but it would go wide right.

Six minutes into the second overtime interval, Menyongar fired over the top of the bar inside the Cleveland penalty area. But just two minutes later, the Rhinos went up 2-1. Ambersley played a corner kick into the box and defender Kenney Bertz beat his defender in front of the net to head the ball home and give him his first goal of the season.

The Rhinos held off Cleveland for the rest of overtime, advancing into the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. They will host the defending MLS Cup Champion Columbus Crew at Marina Auto Stadium on June 30th at 7 p.m.

Vallow finished with two saves. The win makes Vallow the all-time wins leader in the U.S. Open Cup for the Rhinos. The Rhinos have advanced past the first round of play every year except for 2001 when they lost a 1-0 result to the league rival Hershey Wildcats at Frontier Field.

Rochester will continue league play this weekend, as they travel to face the Austin Aztex Sunday night at 7 p.m.