April 17, 2016 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds (from uslsoccer.com)
Toronto Disappointed as Late Lead Slips Away 04/17/2016, 8:19pm EDT By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com Sellout crowd provided great backdrop for draw with Riverhounds VAUGHN, Ontario – On the verge of two wins from three to start the 2016 season, Toronto FC II and a sellout crowd at the Ontario Soccer Centre was left disappointed as a stoppage-time goal by the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ Conor Branson saw the game end in a 2-2 draw on Sunday afternoon. While last weekend it had been Raheem Edwards whose late heroics had earned Toronto all three points against Montreal, on Sunday the host saw its role reversed as Pittsburgh earned its first point of the season. “We feel like it was two points dropped for sure,” said Toronto Head Coach Jason Bent, “but on the other side of things when you put things in perspective they could have on it at the end, when we put one on the line they countered on us quickly and could have won the game.” If there was a silver lining to the result, it was that for the first time Toronto took a point from the Riverhounds. Pittsburgh swept last season’s three-game series between the teams, outscoring TFC II 10-2. Sunday’s result illustrated the measure of growth the side has achieved since then, as it now sits undefeated through three games of the season. “Thought I did well, the team did well as well,” said Edwards, who scored his second goal in as many games early in the second half. “We feel pretty disappointed that we lost two points, but at the end of the day we are still undefeated so we can take a positive from this game.” Toronto took the lead in the 12th minute when Nick Hagglund powered home a header from a corner kick off Edwards’ delivery, but the Riverhounds answered four minutes before the break when Romeo Parkes leveled things for the first time. Eleven minutes into the second half, however, Toronto was awarded a penalty kick as Edwards turned his defender and was brought down in the area. The 20-year-old converted comfortably from the spot. “I just knew where I was going to go,” he said. “I put my head down, went through the ball, and just got a goal.” After a hectic ending to the contest, Edwards wasn’t able to claim his second game-winner in as many weeks, but he and his side took away another lesson learned, and more work to be done by Bent and his team. “I think we created more of the chances,” Bent said. “The two goals that we gave up, from our perspective we feel were quite soft and that hasn't been us this season. We will get on the training ground and try to address those things.”
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