USSF D-2: A Look Back at Week 21

4941663085_1ce659439b

By TRAVIS CLARK

Two of the top teams in USSF Division 2 squared off Sunday evening, as the Austin Aztex concluded a swing to the Northwest to take on Vancouver. An entertaining 2-2 draw showed how little their was between two the league's finest.

The host Whitecaps have to feel the worse off after this one, failing to hold on to two separate leads -- going ahead through Cornelius Stewart's 14th minute strike, then again thanks to new signing Ridge Mobulu in the 52nd minute. But lax defending on a set piece gave Eddie Johnson a chance to tie the game in the 80th minute, and Austin a second road point in the span of four days.

Austin's tie narrows the margin with Rochester for top spot in the league, now just two points off the Rhinos' pace with three games in hand. Vancouver still has control of the NASL Conference, with a six-point cushion over the Railhawks.

Here's a look at the rest of this weekend's USSF D-2 action:

DIKE STARS AS PORTLAND DOMINATE BALTIMORE

Rookie forward Bright Dike continues to emerge as a foil to Ryan Pore in the Portland attack, scoring twice en route to a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace Baltimore at PGE Park. It was Pore who opened the scoring, netting his 14th goal of the season in the first half, before Dike iced the game with goals on each side of halftime. The win is another positive step forward for Portland, giving themselves a bit of room over Carolina in fourth place. Baltimore, meanwhile, seems to have hit a wall offensively, getting shutout for the fifth time in six games.

MONTREAL SNAPS ROCHESTER WIN STREAK

Every winning streak sees an end at some point, and Rochester's trip to Montreal this weekend signaled the end of the Rhinos' six-game run. The Impact's 2-0 win was lead by Toronto F! C castof f Ali Gerba, who netted a brace against one of the league's best sides -- this just one game after scoring a hat trick. Gerba's ascension for Montreal seems to be atypical of the career behind him, one that has seen him play for 11 teams, including two previous stints with the Impact. Could he help them make the playoffs? Early indications are positive.

ST. LOUIS TIES IN TAMPA

The Rowdies got a point, but they had to have hoped for more heading into their 2-2 draw against A.C. St. Louis. A poor first half saw Tampa ship in two goals -- the first an own goal by Rob Valentino, and just under 15 minutes later Mike Ambersley doubled St. Louis' lead. Jonny Steele pulled one back for the Rowdies before the half, and it was a Yendry Diaz stoppage time goal that snatched a point for Tampa Bay. The result keeps them level on points for the eighth and final playoff spot with idle NSC Minnesota.

RAILHAWKS COME UP SHORT AT HOME AGAIN

Carolina's coach needs to tell his team to treat every game like a road game. After winning their seventh road game of the season last week, the Railhawks failed to deliver the goods in front of a home crowd once again, losing 3-2 to the Puerto Rico Islanders. Nicholas Addlery's goal for the Islanders proved to be the difference, as Daniel Paladini netted a brace in a losing effort. It was a missed chance for Carolina to close the gap on Vancouver in the race for top spot in the NASL Conference, while the win injects more hope into Puerto Rico's playoff aspirations.


World Soccer News | Video | Podcast | Gallery | Live Streaming

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Hottest Tour de France 2010 Podium Girls

Image
The annual Tour de France is among the most grueling races in all of sports. But every summer, hundreds of cyclists brave the plains, the mountains, the sun and the rain of France (and often the surrounding countries) to complete the 3,500-plus kilometer trek. But why? Fame? Sure, names like Lance Armstrong, Greg LeMond and defending champion Alberto Contador will go down in the annals of cycling history. Money? Certainly, the winners make some dough from winning and from the sponsorship deals that can result. The challenge of it all? No doubt, there are some competitors just looking to see where they rank among the top athletes in the sport. But there's another reason to race. If you win, you get to stand on the podium with some of the world's most beautiful women. Whether they're delivering handshakes, kisses or the radiant yellow jersey , these ladies serve as serious motivation t
Keep reading

The 25 Hottest NFL Cheerleaders

Image
No matter what the situation, you can bet that there will be some sexy ladies on the sidelines cheering them on, just as they have been all season. Cheerleaders are a wonderful part of the game, but it's hard to see all of them during brief appearances during games, and it's way too time consuming to check all of them out online. That's why you have me. I personally looked through each cheerleader in the National Football League and picked out the hottest ones. So for your viewing enjoyment, here are the 25 Hottest NFL Cheerleaders. No. 25: Chiefs—Suzie Kansas City has it rough in professional sports. The Royals are the biggest punchline in baseball and the Chiefs have bombed what looks to be a promising season. KC is lo
Keep reading

The 30 Hottest WAGs in Major League Baseball

Image
Baseball is finally back! With the Yankees and Red Sox kicking things off Sunday night, America's pastime is officially back in session. That means another year of home runs and diving catches. It also means another year to check out the finest talent baseball has to offer off the field. With Derek Jeter locked down and engaged to Minka Kelly, what other MLB players will step up as the playboys of the MLB? And what team is the most stacked with six different WAGs on this list? (Hint: It's not the Yankees) So step up to the plate. WAGs may not be as American as apple pie, but they sure are just as tasty. No. 30: Misty Mae Treanor—Matt Treanor (Rangers) It can't be easy when your wife is hotter than you, more famous, and also better at sports, but somehow Matt Trean
Keep reading