Richmond 1 - Rochester 1 Henderson scores for Kickers on a brilliant individual effort. Fox redcarded for a "last man" foul, so he'll miss the game saturday. The Rhinos goal a well taken one, but basically a free header on bad marking. The ref, I thought, was intent on not being a home ref, and allowed the Rhinos far too many shirt pulls, arm yanks, and other use of the hands, including a couple of handballs, as the Rhinos outmuscled the Kickers a bit. But overall, good soccer. ABR's unite.
And on Richmond's goal the ref let Henderson play on.... Fox was an idiot at the end and RP saved many goals from going in. A good match, but Richmond will have their hands full for the return leg. Burke's juggling act and shot at the end were almost too good to be true....
Re: Re: Richmond v. Rochester [R] Henderson had to play on, because it was obvious that if somebody merely grabbed his arm hard and tugged at his shirt he wasn't going to get a call within 40 yards of the box. It's odd that Rochester managed 16 fouls, all in midfield. I suppose the no call on the back pass the Rochester keeper picked up was to be expected. The game plan was to send Fox forward as much as possible, but after it didn't really produce anything in the first half, he was caught out on the run that produced the foul. But it may have been a tie-saving professional foul, after all--a la Ballock. The real idiot would have brought him down in the box.
Well, you say the Rhinos got away with shirt tugs and the like, yet Richmond's goal came on a 'play on' when such things were happening...actually I think the defender had lost his footing while tackling and was kicking Henderson/ball while on the ground. As for the 'back pass'--I don't think it WAS a back pass. The ball came to the defender at such a pace that he had to stick his foot out and luckily for him his 'keeper anticipated that it might come his way. I don't think the player meant to hit it to his 'keeper...he was just lucky. Anyway, it would have been a really weak way for Kickers to get a good chance on goal from a 'back pass.' I think Fox's fould was 'professional', too. He literally reached his arm up and over the guy's shoulder as he was about to enter the penalty area to try to slow him down. he was beat and while his antics cost him next game he probably did save a goal. Rhinos' goal against the run of play in my opinion. Richmond had nearly scored about 30 second earlier but a perfect cross and poor marking for the nice header.
I have no vested interest in either team. The ref was definitely not calling grabbing and pulling, but the Kickers should've adapted and gotten more physical. On the other hand, the ref did not call and indirect free kick in the Rochester box after Onstad picked up a blatently obvious backpass late in the game. After the ejection, the Kickers controlled the game. The Rhinos seemed completely disinterested in exploiting the man advantage. Richmond's biggest problem is that nobody on the team seems capable of playing the early ball. They had numerous opportunities to catch the Rochester defense flat, but the forwards had to pull up as the midfielders and defenders had the heads down looking at the ball, instead of up, looking for the attack. A decent game that definitely picked up as it went along. The first 30 minutes were a snore, but the last 30 were pretty exciting.
I agree w/ Andy on the game...1st 30 were really slow, except when Fox blew his mark and let the Rochester player sneak in front of him for the goal. I actually think Richmond's better off not having Fox next game. He was responsible for the goal and his ejection, while a heads up professional foul, was still his fault for once again losing his mark. W/ Josh McKay also out due to injury, not sure who Richmond will put in the back. Maybe Namoff back as a holding mid and Goodlet on the right? Should be interesting up in Rochester. I don't expect us to win, but I don't think it'll be as easy as some Rochester fans on this board think...
I will just have to agree to disagree about the back pass but I totally agree w/ AndyMead on Kicker's not being able to play the early ball. I blame Ferruzzi for that. He seems to have little sense of 'go towards the goal.'
Anyway, that was my first Kickers game (sans DC United) and the level of play was good and much easier to watch than college ball.
My observation is that, except for not having one or two "stars" per side, the balance of the A-League teams are better than MLS '96-97 sides. That's not to say that the A League teams of today would routinely beat MLS teams of yore, because one or two top level players can make a huge difference. What I am saying is that the level of play in both MLS and the A-League has grown incredibly since 1996. Some of that is better players, but much, I believe, is due to higher expectations being placed on the players. There was definitely a lot of talent on the field last night. I didn't see enough cohesiveness. A lot of the play between pairs of players was fine, but there didn't really seem to be an offensive glue to either team.
Vancouver usually has good attendance, as I hear it. That's probably why the league quietly hopes for Vancouver to win their series, and the A-League can showcase another city other than Rochester... Regardless, I've heard from a pretty reliable source the West will host the final no matter who wins the East.
Yes, winner of Vancouver and Milwaukee is hosting the final. A couple of the guys here in Rochester have our bags packed already and our cars ready for a road trip to Milwaukee. Vancouver is good, but they dont have anyone in the back to stop Wolyniec! Rhinos do = yet another title for Rochester.
Vancouver has shut out their opponents in 4 of the last 5 games (including Wolyniec in game one), and the only two goals they gave up were when Seattle threw everybody forward in desperation. That strategy backfired too, as they scored 2 but gave up 3 more. The Rhinos are going to have to prove they can win the big game as the visiting team before they hoist another trophy. I'm not saying they can't, but I wouldn't be too overconfident about them doing something they have been unable to do up to this point. In addition, I don't think a visiting team has won an A-League title since before the 1990 WSL/ASL merger that formed the original A-League (APSL).
Allision, i'm confident Milwaukee will win. So anyways, Milwaukee might be the home team, but home field advantage will be to the Rhinos. And Woly wont embarress us again... when Milwaukee beat us at FF in OT, after Mil scored in ot, their whole team ran right of the goal to celebrate with the goal scorer while Woly ran behind the goal kissing the Milwaukee patch on his jersey... it was all for fun, Woly is several Stampede members favorite all time Rhino, Milwaukee broke our 34 home winng streak, and we'll beat them when it actually matters in their home. Believe me, Rhinos will win it all.
This is a thread about Richmond/Rochester. You need to post in the "overconfident looking past this opponent to the next" thread. It's true the last time Richmond visited Rochester the Rhinos won handily in regulation (not!), but the game is still to be played.
At the Kickers board http://www.usldiscussions.com there are several nice photos of the Rochester Rasslin' Rhinos playing, uh, "soccer." All stuff that went on every second of the game without much punishment.
go rhinos goooo!! listen, all of the rest of you are jealous non-rochester a-league team fans that cant get it through your heads that the rhinos are the best team in a-league history. Hmmmm you cant says its because of our pay roll, because there are two other teams in the league with higher payroll, and one of um didnt even make the playoffs! [hounds] Cant say its because of our field. We were beaten consistantly at home in 96, and 97, and have been beaten a few times at home this year. 5 championship appearenace in the last 6 years [produced 3 titles], and 2 open cup appearances which produced one open cup title.... GLORY GLORY TO THE RHINOS!!! RICHMOND GOES HOME TONIGHT
Re: go rhinos goooo!! You were right except you left off something... Richmond goes home tonight with a ticket to the A-League Finals... Way to go Kickers!!!
Congrats Richmond. I was wrong, i underestimated your team, i feel like a jackass and i should. I was cocky and it bit me in the arse. RIchmond won tonight, becasue they were the better team, they were quicker, stronger, better in the air and had a better coach. The red card on Bankov was the correct call by the referee, Jeffery burned our defense on the play, Bankov couldn't do anything but take him down, personally i thought it was a PK but i would need to see a replay of it first. Richmond outplayed the Rhinos which is why they are going to the Finals. Your a better team then the Rhinos bottom line. Congrats again, and best of luck in the Finals.