WINDSOR, Colo. — After nine matches unbeaten in all competitions, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC lost their first match since July, a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Union Omaha Saturday at 4Rivers Equipment Stadium.
“The guys have been brilliant, but today was the first time in months that I can say we just didn’t apply ourselves,” Hailstorm head coach Éamon Zayed said.
Aaron Gomez scored the opener for Omaha in the 40th minute when Hailstorm failed to clear a corner, the ball fell to the Omaha winger, and he fired past Lalo Delgado, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead they would take into halftime.
It took just nine minutes for Hailstorm midfielder Jackson Dietrich, who came on at halftime, to make an impact. Dietrich was taken down in the box earning Hailstorm a penalty that would be converted by Noah Powder, tying the game at 1-1.
The lead did not last, however, as just two minutes later Omaha midfielder Lagos Kunga put his team back in the lead at 2-1.
Hailstorm fought back again, with forward Ethan Hoard redirecting a shot from Powder past Omaha keeper Rashid Nuhu, making the game a 2-2 affair in the 83rd minute.
“Noah shot it and it was just a reaction after that,” Hoard said.
However it was Kunga again, and again less than two minutes after the Hailstorm goal, who scored the winner, taking a pass from Missael Rodriguez and scoring his second of the match in the 85th minute.
“As the game goes on there’s tired legs and a lack of concentration, and we got punished,” Hailstorm defender Johnny Fenwick said.
It was just the first time in five meetings between the teams this season that Hailstorm have suffered defeat against the club at the top of the USL League One table.
“It’s always tough playing the same opponent so many times, especially just three days apart,” Zayed said. “Tonight, they wanted it, they were at it, and we weren’t.”
Hailstorm will look to bounce back when they welcome Chattanooga Red Wolves SC to 4Rivers Equipment Stadium at 7 p.m. next Saturday.
Hailstorm Snap Unbeaten Run with Loss to Omaha
