Crystal Palace Baltimore were left to rue their chances after dropping two points against the Rochester Rhino's last night at their Championship Stadium in the Maryland SportsPlex.
The score-less result was one of the American Eagles best performances of the year and would have been capped off with a win if not for the heroics of Rhinos goalkeeper Neal Kitson.
Palace Baltimore looked the hungrier of the two teams for much of the game. Their quick movement and incisive play forced Rochester into tackles that resulted in five yellow cards for the Rhinos. Palace's resolute defence also limited the Rochester team to two shots in 90 minutes.
Randi Patterson had a glorious chance to put the home team ahead in the eighth minute. A nifty through ball from the captain, Neto, put him into the box but his low shot was well saved by Kitson.
A dipping Tsuyoshi Yoshitake free kick forced Kitson into action again in the 10th minute. Kitson got a hand to a venomous effort from twenty yards out and pushed it onto the crossbar to deny the Japanese winger his third goal in four games.
Patterson continued to give the Rhino defence problems and it was his good piece of hustling in the 17th minute that almost gave Palace the lead. The sturdy Palace striker shrugged off his defender after controlling an ambitious long ball and forced Kitson into another save from his deflected shot.
Rochester'sbest chance of the first half came in the 20th minute. Kissi snuck in behind the Palace defence, but after failing to pull the trigger, Shaun Pejic managed to thwart any follow up attempt..
Palace, who came out five minutes before the Rhinos to start the second half, showed the same urgency with which they started the game. Late challenges from Darren Spicer and Tyler Rosenlund earned them yellow cards in the 46th and 48th minute respectively and was evidence that Palace's eagerness to be two steps ahead of their opponents out of the tunnel translated onto the field, too.
The double substitution of Ryan Heins and Jamie Franks for Max Ferdinand and Rich Costanzo in the 56th minute by Rhinos Head Coach, Bob Lilly, injected a bit of urgency into the Rhinos' attack, but it still failed to make any telling impact on a very disciplined Palace back four.
The introduction of winger Matthew Mbuta by Palace Baltimore Head Coach, Jim Cherneski, on the hour mark almost paid immediate dividends. Patterson, buzzing as he had for most of the game, saw his cross from a tight angle palmed away by Kitson. The ball bounced straight to Mbuta whose point blankblast was saved/
An otherwise disciplined outing by Palace was marred in the in the 83rd minute, when Randi Patterson was presented with a straight red card by referee Robert Velbis. After what looked like a 50/50 challenge on Troy Roberts, Palace's leading scorer was given his marching orders. Baltimore might rue the loss their leading scorer for their upcoming games as goals are at a premium.
After four minutes of stoppage time the ref blew the final whistle and the two teams split the points. Palace were unlucky not to end the Rhinos unbeaten streak at seven with a great display of soccer. Four big saves by Neal Kitson proved the difference in the contest and helped Rochester maintain their hunt for first place in the league.
"In my opinion, and this might sound a little conceited, but if I'm watching from a spectator standpoint that's really good looking football and maybe the most attractive think I've seen in the league so far," said Palace coach Jim Cherneski following the final whistle.
"Rochester are a very well-coached team and I think they might probably have a real good shot at winning the league this season. If we can continue performances like that for the rest of the season, we can get ourselves solidly in the playoffs."
Palace head to Montreal this Sunday, July 18 to face the Impact in the first meeting between the two franchises with the game scheduled to kick off at 2pm.
