Islanders Earn Another Three Points while Keeping Silverbacks Winless
The Puerto Rico Islanders extended their lead atop the NASL table with a 3-0 Wednesday night win over the Atlanta Silverbacks in Bayamon. Now boasting a 5-1-1 2012 record, the Islanders lead the Minnesota Stars by four points in the standings while building an impressive + 11 goal differential, while the Silverbacks are at the bottom of the standings, tied with the Carolina RailHawks with four points on the season.
The first 45 minutes at the Bayamon Soccer Complex was a scoreless affair. Atlanta Coach Alex Pineda Chacon started newcomer Joe Nasco in goal and were missing midfielder Shane Moroney due to red card suspension. Nasco, a 27-year-old rookie making his professional debut, was tested early by a Gregory Richardson shot but was able to make the save. Reinaldo Navia, with five goals already to his credit, saw Islanders’ keeper Richard Martin save his chance while a 34th minute opportunity provided by Navia for teammate Borfor Carr hit the far post. Jonathan Fana tested Nasco late in the half but the rookie again was found worthy of the challenge.
Fana’s performance, as usual, had an impact on the game as the Dominican Republic international drew a red card early in the second half when fouled by Silverbacks defender Martyn Lancaster. Nasco again came up big, saving David Foley’s resulting penalty kick, but Foley pounced on the rebound to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead and put himself in the lead for the NASL scoring title.
Lancaster’s ejection meant the Silverbacks had to play a man down for the final 40 minutes of the match, a tough proposition on the road. Efforts by Silverbacks midfielder Danilo Turcios and forward Matt Horth demonstrated that the Atlanta club were still lively, but eventually the Islanders sewed up the three points when Hector Ramos, who scored last weekend, notched another goal from close range in the 78th minute and substitute Tyler Wilson added a goal six minutes later, assisted by Josh Hansen. Adrian Whitbread’s Islanders outshot the Silverbacks 13-3 in the second half, forcing Nasco into making seven saves in his pro debut. Goalkeeper Richard Martin earned his fifth clean sheet of the young season while Islanders danger-man Fana had more shots (six) than the entire Silverbacks squad (five) during the match.
What looked like a promising season for the Silverbacks has started poorly for the club as they still seek their first 2012 win. Lancaster’s red card was the sixth issued to Silverbacks players in seven league matches, twice as many as any other team has accrued. They have also accumulated a league-high 18 yellow cards, tied with the Islanders, and have racked up 113 fouls as the team is 1/4 of the way through the season.
Atlanta returns to Silverbacks Stadium Saturday night for a matchup with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Islanders, on the other hand, have been the league’s best club through the early going and will play in Carolina Saturday before beginning defense of their Caribbean Football Union (CFU) championship.
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I watched most of the match last night and I was not impressed with the Silverbacks. I think the league needs to evaluate the play of the Silverbacks and start handing out monetary sanctions before players get hurt. Some of their fouls are nasty!
Puerto Rico is playing some good soccer. From what I saw last night, they started out a little slow, but were able to pull it together and score some nice goals.
Interesting comment Soccer Boy because I was just thinking this morning that perhaps the league needs to put some sort of extra penalty on a team for accumulated yellows or reds, but then realized the team is already being punished every time they get a red card by going a man down and missing the player for the next match or perhaps more.
I haven’t seen the Lancaster foul but he’s a decent guy. However, the red card in the previous game against Edmonton and issued to Shane Moroney was the sort of foul that MLS would have given a multiple game suspension for. Very nasty full-out challenge from behind.
@BQ, I do not have inside information or know what is being said in the locker room. I would hope that the captain and coaches are saying, “Guys, let’s keep it clean. We are losing points and getting worn down by losing players on the pitch.” However, at some point the league needs to look at the bigger issue of player safety and address the issue head on. The best way to change conduct is to hit players in the wallet with monetary sanctions. The last thing we want is players retiring from soccer at the D2 level with injuries that affect their quality of life after soccer or prevent them from extending their playing careers. That is just my “economist” point of view.
PS: Good point on your FB page. I do think refs are aware of this team’s reputation and starting to issue cards for things that otherwise would not get one. I firmly believe that soccer is a full contact sport, but some of the stuff happening with the Silverbacks is getting out of hand. They were immature last year, and that also seems to be the case this season.
@ ALL
True they need to protect players better… I agree.
Guys Richard Martin has the most clean sheets in the league and the least goals!!
He is playing one heck of a game!!!!!
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If we win the CFU this year… 3rd year straight! Most in for any club in tournament history… and again into the CONCACAF which if you ask me… having seen all games last year and all games this year thus far… it seems this will be a great year for the boys to kick some regional First Division butt!! ha ha!! The ultimate underdogs