HARRISBURG SENDS READING CRASHING OUT OF OPEN CUP
Reading center back Rob Sagel makes a clean tackle on the Islander’s Cardel Benbow. (Photo Courtesy of Penn Images/Dave Musante)
Two minutes later, the pro side cut apart the Reading United defense. Jason Plumhoff, who earned an All-Premier Development League selection in 2013 with Reading, drove into United penalty are from the right side of the pitch. The former Reading man played a low cross to Cardel Benbow, who fired his shot into the bottom corner of Morton’s goal to double Harrisburg’s advantage.
Reading center back Rob Sagel makes a clean tackle on the Islander’s Cardel Benbow. (Photo Courtesy of Penn Images/Dave Musante)
Reading began to find the match after falling behind, dictating much of the play in the first half. The home side was unable to capitalize on their edge in possession and only forced Harrisburg goalkeeper Kyle Renfro to make one save in the opening 45 minutes of the match.
Harrisburg effectively ended the match in the opening minute of the second half. The professional side earned a quick corner after taking the second half kickoff. Plumhoff launched a high, arching corner kick into the penalty area. Ken Tribbett rose above everyone and nodded the ball into the net to hand the City Islanders an insurmountable 3-0 advantage.
Though Reading were handed a bit of a lifeline when Harrisburg defender Neil Shaffer picked up a second yellow card and was ejected, the home side were unable to find a hole in the City Islanders well organized defense. The referee’s final whistle signaled Reading’s exit from the 2015 U.S. Open Cup and sent Harrisburg on to a third round clash with their USL Eastern Conference rivals, the Rochester Rhinos.
Asked to assess his sides performance against their professional opponents, United Head Coach David Castellanos said, “Everything we talked about in our pre-game, they kind of hit us with. We talked about matching intensity and starting with a good fifteen to twenty minutes and they got two goals in the eighth and tenth minute. That shows our maturity level and it needs to get better.” Castellanos was quick to point out some of the positives his side could take away from the match saying, “There was some good football, some good pieces. I thought we could’ve capitalized on a few in the first half.”
Reading United will look for a return to winning ways on the road this Saturday. The club travels to Maryland for showdown with the Baltimore Bohemians.
Scoring Summary
8′ – Harrisburg – DiPrima
10′ – Harrisburg – Benbow (Plumhoff)
46′ – Harrisburg – Tribbett (Plumhoff)
Reading United Line-Up
GK – Kyle Morton; DEF – Shane Campbell, Rob Sagel, Martin Nygaard, Keegan Rosenberry; MID – Andrew Moullin (William Picoux 58′), Quincy Thomas, Graham Smith (Colton Storm 53′); F – Brett Campbell, Tom Barlow, Tim Lazorko (Paul Marie 63′)
Knockout soccer can be unforgiving.
Reading United A.C. learned that harsh lesson as they were ousted from the 2015 U.S. Open Cup following 3-0 defeat at the hands of fellow Philadelphia Union affiliate, the Harrisburg City Islanders. The professional side came out flying and grabbed a two goal lead just ten minutes into the match. The City Islanders finished off their amateur opponets with a clinic second half performance and booked their place in the third round of the competition.
Harrisburg, currently sitting in fifth place in the professional United Soccer Leagues, put the home side under pressure from the opening whistle. The City Islanders moved the ball at pace through the midfield and forced the hosts to defend. In the 8th minute, Islanders midfielder Danny DiPrima found space behind the Reading defense. DiPrima rounded United goalkeeper Kyle Morton, who had come off his line too agressively, and placed a low shot to the far post to stake Harrisburg to an early lead.
Two minutes later, the pro side cut apart the Reading United defense. Jason Plumhoff, who earned an All-Premier Development League selection in 2013 with Reading, drove into United penalty are from the right side of the pitch. The former Reading man played a low cross to Cardel Benbow, who fired his shot into the bottom corner of Morton’s goal to double Harrisburg’s advantage.
