Late Mutiny Rally Hold Off Battery Tampa Bay Mutiny Forward Mamadou Diallo scored two goals in the final twelve minutes of regulation time to defeat the Charleston Battery two goals to one before a stunned Blackbaud Stadium crowd of four thousand, four hundred and eight in an exhibition match for both teams. The Charleston Battery came out strong in the first twenty minutes of the match before a strong supporting crowd at Blackbaud Stadium. The Battery had a great chance to quickly put one past their MLS affiliate in the third minute when starting Bulgarian forward Ivailo Ilarionov, the hero in last week's A-League match versus Atlanta, misfired on a shot eight yards out from a Battery corner kick by Temoc Suarez, as the ball fluttered briefly inside the box. The Battery kept their pressure on the Mutiny at the twenty-third minute mark when Suarez delivered a high corner kick from left to right which was headed by Defender Alan Woods as Tampa Bay goalkeeper Andy Kirk quickly punches the ball away from any further danger. Meanwhile, the visiting Mutiny, who lost to the Battery 1-0 on June 17, 1998 at Stoney Field, started to intensify their offense in the mid portion of the first half. Tampa Bay's greatest chance came with twenty-five minutes gone by when Defender Rich Kotchav delivered a rapid shot but amazingly Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock made a twisting body save inside the six-yard box to keep the match scoreless. As time ended in the first half, Battery Forward Ivalio Ilarionov raced into the Mutiny right side of the 18-yard box on a clear breakaway but his right-footed shot bristled wide of the Mutiny goal post thereby ending a scoreless but frantic first half. The Battery continued their offensive game plan at the start of the second half with only three minutes played in the second stanza, Battery Forward Jon Akin, who has impressed Team officials this year with his hard work in the pre-season, received a ball from Defender Gilbert Jean-Baptiste, which drifted to his right leg as Akin calmly puts the ball past a diving Andy Kirk into the left side of the open net to give Charleston a 1-0 lead. Meanwhile, the visiting Mutiny were finally able to get on the scoreboard at the seventy-eighth minute when replacement Midfielder Daniel Alvarez was tackled inside the 18 yard box by Battery rookie goalkeeper Josh Campbell, resulting in a Tampa Bay penalty kick by Forward Mamadou Diallo who ties the match by slipping the ball past a diving Campbell. Ten minutes later, the Mutiny shock the Battery fateful when Diallo, racing untouched down the left flank, heads a beautiful cross from right to left by fellow striker Amos Magee past the stretched arms of Battery keeper Josh Campbell with two minutes left in regulation time to give the visiting Tampa Bay Mutiny an improbable two goals to one victory here at Blackbaud Stadium. With the exhibition loss, the Battery is now 2-2 lifetime against MLS foes. Charleston will resume their A-League schedule this Friday May 5th when the Richmond Kickers visit Blackbaud Stadium at 7:30pm. The Battery swept the two game season series last year and outscored Richmond five goals to two in 1999.
Scoring Summary: CHARLESTON BATTERY - Hudock, (Campbell 65), Scott (Brownell 64), Baptiste, Woods, Warham, Sewell, Spooner, Alvero (Thelen 57), Suarez, Akin (Suite 84) Ilarionov, SHOTS:9 ; FOULS :12 ; SAVES:Hudock 2; (Campbell 0) CORNER KICKS:4 ; OFFSIDE:9 ; CAUTIONS: Alvero 47; Scott 58; Campbell 77; EJECTIONS: None TAMPA BAY MUTINY -Kirk, Bankov, Houser (Trittshuh 45), Kotchav (Addo 71), Kinnear, Anderson, Quill (Keller 64), Ralston (Alvarez 57), Valderama (Lagos 45), Magee, Diallo, SHOTS:11 ; FOULS :13 ; SAVES:1 ; CORNER KICKS:4 ; OFFSIDE:3 ; CAUTIONS: Ralston 12; Trittschuh 68; EJECTIONS:Garlick 60;
Referee: Kermit Quisenberry; Reggie Rutty; Referee's Assistants: Roni Canales, Chris Sculthorpe |