After losing in Charlotte last month, the Hailstorm win 2-1 for revenge.
CHARLOTTE, NC – A new face in goal and five new starters in total side from last time featured in head coach Éamon Zayed starting eleven. Johan Peñaranda made his professional debut in goal. As well as Colorado local, Trevor Amann making his first professional start after having come off the bench three times this season. “It was a surreal experience. Coming back to the states and start my first professional game at home (in the United States), said Peñaranda, “I felt very supported by the team, the coaching staff, everyone that supports the team. It was a surreal experience to come back home and make my professional debut.”
It was a fast start for the Hailstorm in the warm weather. Marky Hernandez pushed early to earn the corner in the first minute of play. The corner was flicked on by captain Rob Cornwall to land for Irvin Parra to corral it and put a powerful strike home off the keeper’s glove into the back of the net. Parra also found the goal in the last meeting between the two sides, drawing and converting a penalty early on in that match-up. “I get motivated every time I step on to that pitch. Knowing that I played here last year…I feel good scoring against my former team, but don’t get me wrong they’re a pretty good team to play against, said Parra.
A few moments later the Independence had their own corner and nearly leveled the match if not for the keeping of Peñaranda. It would become level though nearing the twenty minute mark. Tresor Mbuyu was given a through ball by Miguel Ibarra and Mbuyu was able to slot home his league leading fifth goal of the season.
Under the lights of the second half, it was Parra to nearly grab the lead for Northern Colorado. A shot from just outside the box was put right on the lower corner of the goal but was barely punched away by the keeper. Marky Hernández also decided to go for goal from distance in the 55th minute, also needing to be tipped away by the keeper to keep the sides level.
After a few injury stoppages slowed the game down, it was a long and low through ball that opened up the run of play again. Lachlan McLean shot the ball forward for Amann to run on to. Amann took a touch and shot it low by the keeper to give the Hailstorm the lead again. “It was a good good experience. We worked extremely hard tonight and it was a matter of time for me personally I think. I’m happy about it.
Charlotte had an opportunity late on in the match to steal a point back but Cornwall was there to clear the ball off the line with his chest. Play was stopped after appeals for handball were argued by the Independence but it fell on deaf ears. “From my angle it was a great clearance, put his body on the line. It hit his chest, I’ll look back at it and if there’s anything in it, it’s completely unintentional,” said Zayed.
It would finish out 2-1, to move the club into a tie with North Carolina FC equal on points and goal difference for seventh place. Northern Colorado also has a game in hand on North Carolina FC that would give them the opportunity to push further for a playoff position. “It feels fantastic. That for me is, take the U.S. Open Cup games away, the best we’ve played. Totally deserved the win. I wanted a reaction, I wanted a reaction from two things. One, the defeat against Omaha and then secondly, were a brand new team, that was the first time we’ve ever played a team a second time and one that had beaten us. I wanted to see how they’d react and they deserved it,” commented Zayed.