| Next Match | ||
| v | Academica |
| May 31st, 3:00 PM Southside Park | ||
| Previous Match | ||
| v | Aguias |
| W 3 - 0 | ||
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Real Extends First Place Lead with 3 - 1 Victory over FC AzoresReal's 3 - 1 victory over FC Azores and Sporting's surprising 2 - 2 tie with Team Mexico. With several players unavailable because of illness or other commitments, Real started Sunday's game versus FC Azores with only ten players. The first goal of the game came in the sixteenth minute when a clever "dummy" by Hector Gutierrez allowed the ball to find Ryan Rhodes on the right flank. Rhodes engaged the Azores defense and then played a through ball to Pat Nelle. The Azores goalkeeper had no chance of saving Pat Nelle's well-struck shot from the right side of the penalty box. Unfortunately for Real, several great opportunities to extend the lead during the first half were squandered. The lack of substitutes appeared to affect Real's quality of play as patience and possession soccer were replaced by a more direct style typified by unforced turnovers. Real's spirits were lifted when Utodi Madu arrived late in the first half to put Real at full strength with eleven players. However, FC Azores found the equalizer with thirty seconds left in the first half. With Real looking to close the half with the lead, an FC Azores attacker ran on to a poorly cleared ball and buried a shot from the top of the Real penalty box.The second half saw Real return to its attacking possession style of play. Art Temblador provided creativity and distribution out of the center midfield position. Utodi Madu continued his goal-scoring streak when Temblador found Madu on the run on the right side and Madu beat the Azores goalkeeper to put Real up 2 - 1. Both Ryan Rhodes and Pat Nelle were able to create quality chances to extend the Real lead, but center back Brent Hamilton stepped up to score the third goal for Real. With fifteen minutes left in the game, Madu rewarded an overlapping Hamilton with a pass into the right corner. Hamilton struck a low-driven shot that proved to be too hot for the Azores goalkeeper to handle and found its way into the back of the net. Real's defense held strong to preserve the 3 - 1 victory. Real faces AC Cruz Azul next week at Southside Park. AC Cruz Azul won the last meeting between these two teams so this should be a great game. |
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