This was just what the doctor ordered. Right
before the Riders (3-3-2) head up to Rochester, they closed out
their home stand with a 3-0 win over the last place Toronto Lynx
(2-7-0).
Although Toronto is in last place, the Rough Riders did manage to
avoid the cellar with the win, as well as pick up a bonus point.
For a while in the first half, the game was ready to swing in
either direction as both teams had opportunities to put the ball
away. This time, for a change, the Riders scored the first goal of
the night.
In the 36th minute, Fernando Fernandes scored his first goal of
the season off a beautiful pass from Mersim Beskovic. That would be
all the offense in the first half as Long Island took a 1-0 lead
into the locker room.
The Rough Riders began to dominate more as they worked the ball
around the field. Long Island was moving too quickly for the Lynx as
they caught them off guard for the second goal of the match.
In the 73rd minute, Joe Ragusa took a quick thrown in, hitting
Stephen Franzke at the top of the box. In one motion, Franzke turned
and hit a cutting Shane Watkins with a lead pass. Watkins carried
the ball towards the 6-yard box and then buried the ball in the
upper ninety over a diving Theo Zagar.
Long Island wasted little time going after the bonus point. Four
minutes later, in the 77th minute, Mick McDermott and Ragusa
connected for the third goal. After stretching the Lynx defense all
night, McDermott hit a perfect cross to the back post, where Ragusa
was waiting to head it home.
In his short time with the Riders, Oscar "Junior" Mejia posted
his second shutout in six games, making two saves, as well as
lowering his all ready miniscule 0.91 GAA, which ranks him fifth in
the league. Now, with the win, the Riders move two points ahead of
the Riverhounds and stand one point out of fourth behind the Rhinos.
If the Riders beat the Raging Rhinos they would move into second
place over the Montreal Impact, as well as put some distance between
them and the pack.
Winning in Rochester might be a tall order to ask, as the Rough
Riders will be without the services of Michael Butler, Cordt
Weinstein, Fausto Klinger, and Beskovic. Add to that the fact that
the Rider split their only other back-to-back games this season.
After this road trip, Long Island will play Connecticut twice,
Toronto and Rochester again and the Hershey Wildcats in the next 15
days.
[Opinion pieces written by fans do not represent the
views of a-league.com, but rather that of the writer.]
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