In a nationally televised game on ESPN 2 the Charlotte Independence fell 2-0 to the first place Eastern Conference leader Cincinnati in the USL Game of the Week on Wednesday night on the road.
Cincinnati struck early as the Jack’s seemed to come out flat in the first 20 minutes of the match which cost them a great opportunity to gain important ground in the standings. The home team captain Dekel Keinan knocked in a deflected near-post header off the crossbar from close range on a corner kick 7 minutes into the match to give Cincinnati a 1-0 lead.
Then the home team doubled their advantage when defender Forrest Lasso connected on a free kick by Kenney Walker. Lasso’s smash sailed past goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra at the back post giving the Eastern Conference leaders a commanding 2-0 lead with only 20 minutes into the game. As it turned out, this would be all the scoring in the hard fought contest.
The Independence best opportunity came at the 33rd minute when a Cordell Cato shot just sailed over the top crossbar. Both teams had a few more opportunities to score in the second half, however, the visitors from Charlotte could not get the ball into the net. Also, Cincinnati was not able to apply the knock out blow. Charlotte ended up taking 15 shots, while Cincinnati had 16 shots in the match. Cincinnati controlled time of possession 52.0% to 48.0% for the Independence.
Many Independence fans enjoyed watching the ESPN Game at Jack’s House Soccer Bar and Retail Store located in uptown Charlotte. The Jack’s fans were very supportive, however, disappointed with the final outcome. This establishment is a great way to watch the home team, especially when they are on the road. For more information, go online to their website jackshouseclt.com.
The Independence will play their next game on Saturday July 21st away in Louisville the second place team in the Eastern Conference. This is the first meeting between the two clubs this season and should prove to be a highly competitive match. The next home game for Charlotte will be Saturday July 28th at 7:30 pm in the Sportsplex at Matthews.
