O. Oakley 44'
Statistics
2 Goals 4
10 (7) Shots (on target) 16 (9)
2 Corners 56 Fouls 6
2 Offsides 5
3 Yellows 0
1 Reds 0
Stephen Roche's double led the way in Lansdowne's win against United F.C., while Giorgi Chirgaze also had a double of his own but in a losing effort.
Lansdowne Bhoys stay unbeaten in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League as they defeated United F.C. 4-2 Sunday night in the first round of the second half of the season at Aviator Sports Complex.
Stephen Roche scored the first two goals of the game for the visiting side before Giorgi Chirgaze cut the lead in half for United F.C. Lansdowne added two more goals to their account to close the second half through Shaun Foster and Ovan Oakley respectively.
After the interval, Chigarze took advantage of the Irish-based club keeper Abdoukarim Danso's mistake to score his second and last goal of the game.
This loss drops United to sixth place. To make matter worse, Nuno Sousa's side will be without their starting goalkeeper Vadym Sanzharevsky due to injury. The 17-year old is expected to miss six months-- more than the rest of the season-- after dislocating his left leg.
Meanwhile Lansdowne draw level on point with NY Pancyprian but still remain in second place due to goal difference after bagging three points away home.
"It was a good workout, first game of the season," head coach Austin Friel said. "I'm happy with the tree points."
Sanzharevsky was carried off the field after dislocating his leg inside the opening six minutes, giving the game a twenty minute delay. Cyclones head coach Sousa believed that Sanzharevsky's injury played a major role in the outcome of the game.
"We lost our goalkeeper in the first 10 minutes of the game," the manager said. "It was very difficult." He later added: "But it's part of the game."
With 30 minutes left in the first half, Daryl Kavanagh was brought down by a United defender, setting up a free kick for Roche. The Irish midfielder hit the free kick past the opposing keeper to the lower right corner of the net.
"When I'm coaching [children] everyday, that's when I get my [free kick] practice in," Roche said after the game. "But to be honest it wasn't the best strike, I think the keeper might've done a little bit better but it was nice to score the first goal."
The 28-year old completed his brace four minutes later. Roche caught the home keeper off his line and struck from about 25 yards out to double the Bhoys lead.
"I'm very happy," the captain said of his two goals. "I've been hurt quite a while with an injury so I'm happy to get on the score-sheet."
The Cyclones initiated a comeback with a goal in the 28th minute. Igor Bykanov hit a screamer from midfield, that Danso failed to hold on to. Chirgaze burried the rebound in the net for his first of the night.
Just three minutes later, Lansdowne re-doubled their lead as Foster lobbed the ball over the United keeper. The Bhoys added another one one minute before the break, when Oakley played a neat one-two with Craig Purcell before speeding past the home keeper to net an open goal.
The Cyclones came back more determined after the restart but they only managed to touch their guest's net once. Danso's clearance dropped straight at Chirgaze, who didn't think twice before scoring a beauty from midfield in the 67th minute.
After this victory coach Friel was fully convinced that his side can defeat any team in the CSL and go on to lift to trophy.
"We won the league the last two years in a row," the Irishman said. "And we're undefeated, it will take a good team to beat us. So as I said, we don't fear any team in the league, we're looking to win three in the row so we don't fear anyone really.
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