United earn scrappy 2-0 win over F.A. Euro
READING, PA (May 27, 2017) – Reading United returned to the friendly confine’s of Exeter High School’s Don Thomas Stadium and scored a workmanlike 2-0 victory over visiting F.A. Euro in scrappy Premier Development League Mid-Atlantic Division contest. Mo Conde got Reading on the board just before halftime and Hugo Delhommelle provided an insurance goal midway through the second half to secure the three points for United.
Entering a stretch of three games in a week, Reading United Head Coach Stephen Hogan used his squad’s impressive depth to hand debuts to forward Salar Faryar and goalkeeper Alex Bouillennec. Zach Zandi made his first start of the season for Reading after a good run of appearances of the bench.
Reading dominated possession for much of the first half of the match, but the game lacked flow as the referee often halted play as the teams combined for 16 fouls in the opening 45 minutes of play. With the visitors well bunkered in their half of the pitch, United tried again and again to find the opening goal. The breakthrough the hosts were pressing for finally came at the stroke of halftime.
Deep in first half stoppage time, Delhommelle teed up Reading United’s fifth corner kick of the half. The Frenchman, who was recently named one of the PDL’s Top 20 prospects, hit a lofted ball into a crowded penalty area. Conde rose up and headed the ball into the back of the net to give Reading a deserved 1-0 lead at halftime.
Halfway through the second half, it was Delhommelle that would provide the insurance goal Reading needed to secure the win. The Reading captain, who was the best player of the field all evening, found himself in acres of space just outside the F.A. Euro penalty area. Delhommelle hit a low shot on frame that took a slight deflection that stranded F.A. Euro goalkeeper Brian McPartland and settled into the back of the net to push Reading to a 2-0 lead.
“It was kind of a lucky goal, but if I don’t shoot, I don’t score. I don’t care how it went in because a goal is a goal,” Delhommelle said of his second league goal of the season.
After the goal, it was Reading’s back line that stepped up a secure the club’s first clean sheet of the season. Lamine Conte and Emmanuel Chanis mopped up any threat F.A. Euro posed in their attacking third of the pitch. So solid was the defensive work of the back line, Alex Bouillennec did not record a single save in his first start for Reading.
Coach Hogan was satisfied with his team’s effort in the 2-0 victory, saying after the match, “The lads put in a workmanlike performance. They won all their physical battles, but in terms of being patient, we talked about moving the ball side to side and trying to create as many chances out wide, isolate them one on one and we did that well.” Hogan continued, “We got a chance to see some of the new players. Overall, I’m happy with the new players. We’ve got a lot to work on, but I’m happy with the win.”
Next up, Reading United welcome their in-state rivals, the Harrisburg City Islanders, for a third round U.S. Open Cup match at Exeter’s Don Thomas Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30pm with tickets available online. All United home matches throughout the 2017 PDL season will be played at Exeter Township Senior High School. Tickets for the all regular season matches are available at 9h9.f8e.myftpupload.com/. Contact our ticket sales team at sales@readingunitedac.com for all your group needs..
READING UNITED LINE-UP
GK – Alex Bouillennec; DEF – Robert Campbell, Lamine Conte, Emmanuel Chanis, Evan Finnegan; MID – Mo Adams (Neico Regent 75′), Zach Zandi (Kaelon Fox 87′), Hugo Delhommelle; FWD – Mo Conde (Marco Micaletto 63′), Salar Faryar (J.J. Williams 46′), Jelani Pieters (Raheem Taylor-Parkes 89′)
SCORING SUMMARY
RUAC: Mo Conde (Hugo Delhommelle) – 45+3′
RUAC: Hugo Delhommelle – 67′
