ORLANDO, Fla. — This is a press release from the Orlando City Soccer Club.
In one of the most exciting matches of the 2011 season, Orlando City defeated the Charleston Battery 3-1 in added extra time in front of a raucous 7,609 fans at the Florida Citrus Bowl to advance to the American Division Championship against the Richmond Kickers. The win is the club's first ever playoff victory.
Charleston's defense, who finished 3rd in the USL PRO in goals allowed (25), showed they came to play early on in the match. The Battery defense had a "break not bend" mentality, keeping Orlando's attack-style offense out of the goal for much of the first half, despite the nine shot attempts by City. But in the 44th minute, Orlando finally broke through.
Orlando City midfielder Lewis Neal laid out a pass outside of the box for City forward Max Griffin, who was in the left corner of the box waiting to strike. Griffin rocketed in the first score of the match to put up Orlando 1-0. The goal was Griffin's first in over six weeks.
"It was great to get all of the pressure off of my back," said Griffin. "I think everything is starting to come together for the team. I'm just happy I scored."
After halftime, Charleston Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser gave the team a spark by subbing in three players at the beginning of the second half. One of those players, midfielder Stephen Armstrong, was a key part in tying the game just minutes after he came into the match.
In the 64th minute, Armstrong served in a corner straight to Battery forward Nicki Paterson. Paterson, who was tied for 10th in the league in total points, was left unmarked, giving him a clear lane for heading in Charleston's first goal of the match.
The teams went back and forth for the rest of the second half; each realizing their season was just one goal away from ending. Charleston held off the Orlando offense despite a couple of late charges by City to end regulation in a 1-1 tie.
"I looked at my players after regulation and said it can't end this way," Orlando City Head Coach said after the match. "We were the better team. We just needed the extra time to show it."
Dennis Chin and Ian Fuller proved to the nearly 8,000 fans why they were the better team early in over time. The two found each other to score the winning goal in the 100th minute, when Fuller made a perfect pass to Chin, making it easy for the forward to put Orlando up 2-1.
Things went further south for the Battery just minutes after the goal, when Dane Kelley was sent off from match in the 102nd minute after receiving his second yellow for charging into Miguel Gallardo when the City goalkeeper picked up the ball at the edge of the box. Charleston played the rest of the match with a player down which directly affected their offensive output. To seal the win, Jamie Watson passed to an unmarked Lewis Neal in the 118th minute. Neal, already with an assist on the night, knocked in the third goal for Orlando.
WFTV
