Reading United claim thrilling 4-3 victory over rival Ocean City
The forty-first match between long time rivals Reading United A.C. and the Ocean City Nor’easters had everything you could ask for in a proper soccer rivalry game. The high intensity match had fast paced end to end action, amazing goals, great drama and in the end, Paul Marie’s last gasp winner was enough to give United a hard fought 4-3 win in front of their jubilant hometown supporters. With the win, United extended their lead atop the Premier Development League’s Mid-Atlantic Division.
From the opening kickoff, Ocean City started on the front foot. Catching Reading on a counterattack, Chevaughn Walsh scored the first goal of the night just nine minutes into the match. Walsh, who came into the game with seven goals to his name, split two United defenders and raced toward goal. The speedy forward caught United goalkeeper Steffen Kraus off his line and chipped the ball over the German backstop’s outstreched hands. th Reading United would level the scoreline in dramatic fashion in the 26 minute. Off a Reading corner kick, Charlie Reymann struck a glorious volley from 22 yards out that looped over the head of Ocean City goalkeeper Andrew Garcia to tie the score at 1-1. th Ocean City would retake the lead going into halftime following another tenacious counterattack. In the 38 minute, Nathan Regis got the best of Reymann in the left channel and sent a long diagonal cross to Mutaya Mwape, who was unmarked on the right side of the Reading penalty. Mwape unleashed a blistering shot that caromed off the right post and into the net.
Following some crucial tactical adjustments at halftime, Reading United rallied. Elaborating on his halftime alterations, Reading Head Coach Stephen Hogan said, “We wanted to keep Will Picoux, Martin Nygaard and Will Campbell tight in a triangle to break up anything that came through midfield quickly. And they did it, they did it great.”
Reading again equalized in the 52nd minute of the match. Center forward Frantdzy Pierrot shook off two Nor’easters defenders and raced into the Ocean City penalty area. Nearing the endline, Pierrot layed off a lovely square ball to the onrushing Reyane Boukemia who slotted the ball past Garcia to make it 2-2.
Reading earned a penalty kick in the 73rd minute of the match when Ocean City defender Dan Nimmo cut down Pierrot in the box. United midfielder Hugo Delhommelle stepped up to the spot and sent Garcia the wrong way to give United a 3-2 lead. th Tempers flared in the 87 minute as Ocean City defender Ryan Howe took a throw in on the near sideline and violently whipped the ball into Delhommelle’s face. The referee showed a straight red card to Howe, forcing Ocean City to play down a man through the final minutes of the game.
Three minutes into stoppage time, Walsh struck again. Off a long throw-in, Regis collected the ball near the endline and played a perfect pass to Walsh. The in-form forward seemed to have stolen a point for the Nor’easters as he smashed a thunderous shot from 22 yards out that beat Kraus and zipped just under the crossbar to level the match at 3-3.
There was one final twist in this rivalry game’s plot. Off the restart, Picoux hit a long ball towards the Ocean City goal. In a what can only be described as miscommunication along the Nor’easters back line, Garcia rushed off his line to grab the ball but defender Oscar Umar got in the way and chest trapped the ball to the feet of Reading’s Paul Marie. Marie collided with Garcia but not before squeezing off a last gasp shot that nestled into the back of the net that set off a wild celebration as United claimed a dramatic 4-3 win over their archrivals.
After the match, Paul Marie described his dramatic winner. “My teammates played a long ball after their score and the defender touched it and I grabbed it and scored. It’s awesome that I could celebrate with the fans and everybody. It was awesome!”
Coach Hogan, who has played for Reading United in big matches against Ocean City, was pleased with his team’s victory. “It’s fantastic. I love that we won right at the end. When I was playing, it was similar in terms of fighting for it to the very end. I don’t think there were any games as dramatic as this, but I think our boys deserved it.” He continued, “The first half, we moved the ball well but we just didn’t deal with their counterattack. We were better at moving the ball than they were, but they were the better team. In the second half, we took control and stayed organized.”
Official Premier Development League affiliate of the Philadelphia Union Reading United A.C. 3103 Paper Mill Rd. Wyomissing, PA 19610 www.readingunitedac.com
Reading will host the Baltimore Bohemians on Saturday, July 2nd at Exeter’s Don Thomas Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00pm. Tickets for the game against Baltimore are available at www.readingunitedac.com or on game day at the Don Thomas Stadium ticket office. Reading United offer 2016 Game Day Youth Packages, Group Discount Packages, Birthday Parties and Fundraising Ticket Packages. Contact our ticket sales team at sales@readingunitedac.com for all your group needs.
