USSF D-II: Austin rolls, Whitecaps and RailHawks tie

Posted Aug 1, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Aug 1, 2010 at 12:18 PM

Austin continues to roll, while Vancouver maintains its lead at the top of the NASL Conference in Saturday’s USSF Division II action.

AUSTIN 3, MIAMI 1: Goals just before and just after halftime by Eddie Johnson and Lawrence Olum helped the Aztex to victory against Miami, extending their lead at the top of the USL Conference to five points with two games in hand on second-placed Rochester.

Johnson’s header in the 44th minute gave the Aztex the lead, scoring from an acute angle after Leonard Griffin’s looping ball found him. It was Johnson’s first goal in five weeks, and after missing earlier chances was a welcome boost heading into the dressing room.

“We just needed that goal to break through,” Johnson said to the Austin American-Statesman. “I’d missed a couple of chances, so it was nice to get that one. It was probably the hardest one of the three, really.”

Jamie Watson provided the second two minutes into the second half, his low cross into the penalty area being directed home for Olum’s third goal of the season.

Miami pulled a goal back through Abe Thompson in the 75th minute, but Kendell McFayden’s goal in the 90th minute after coming on as a substitute for his first appearance for the club put the game away.

VANCOUVER 2, CAROLINA 2: The Whitecaps took an early 2-0 lead, but the RailHawks were able to bounce back and earn a point at Wakemed Stadium.

Martin Nash got Vancouver on the board in the second minute, converting from the penalty spot after a handball in the area. Nash himself then gave up a penalty three minutes later, only for Floyd Franks to fire his shot off the crossbar.

Vancouver took a 2-0 lead in the 15th minute as 19-year-old Phillipe Davies scored his first goal for the club with a drive from the right corner of the penalty area.

Carolina hit back in the 40th minute, though, as Mark Schulte bundled home Allan Russell’s cross. The RailHawks then tied it in the final minute of the half, Josh Gardner tying the game after good work by Greg Richardson.

The second half didn’t provide the same fireworks, although Nash almost stole victory for the Whitecaps in the 83rd minute as he hit the crossbar, but Vancouver remained nine points ahead of the RailHawks at the top of the NASL Conference with the point.

MONTREAL 1, BALTIMORE 1: Not the result either side was looking for as the Impact gave up a chance at three points on the road as Baltimore’s Gary Brooks scored in the 77th minute to earn the Eagles a point.

A tight game saw Montreal reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute when Simon Gatti was sent off for his second yellow card of the game. That didn’t stop the Impact from taking the lead seven minutes later, though, as leading scorer Tony Donatelli notched his sixth goal of the season from the penalty spot after he himself had been brought down in the penalty area.

Baltimore was able to earn a point, though, as Brooks headed home from Takkuro Nishimura’s free kick.

TODAY’S GAME

MINNESOTA (7-9-5) AT ST. LOUIS (5-10-4): The Saints will be looking to continue their momentum from Wednesday night’s 3-0 victory against Portland that has suddenly vaulted them into outside contention for a playoff place.

Minnesota has played more games than any other team in the league, meaning that while it currently sits in the playoff positions, it would need to get a positive result to consolidate that spot with Tampa Bay sitting two points behind with two games in hand and Puerto Rico three points back with three games in hand. The Stars earned a 1-1 draw against Vancouver last Sunday, though, and have not lost since their first game in July. That run includes a 2-2 tie against St. Louis on July 14 at the NSC Stadium.

St. Louis has been carried by Mike Ambersley, whose hat trick on Wednesday moved him up to six goals for the season, tied for fourth in the league. The Saints have also recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time this season, Alec Dufty making a pair of big saves against the Timbers on Wednesday.