Matt Glaeser

2008 Second Round: Nyazamba’s late goal lifts Kickers over Pioneers in physical battle

June 24, 2008 by

The Richmond Kickers traveled to Ludlow, Mass. and came away with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Western Mass Pioneers. Stanley Nyazamba’s 83rd minute goal proved to be the game-winner as the Kickers move on to the Third Round.

After a scoreless first half, Richmond opened the scoring in the 59th minute. Kelvin Jones challenged Pioneers goalkeeper Matt Glaeser for a loose ball, and as the ball bounced towards Jones he poked it over the goal line for a 1-0 lead. Western Mass answered shortly after, as Jeff Deren emerged from a scramble in the box to fire a low shot to the far corner of the goal.

The deciding goal began from a long pass from defender Evan Harding. David Bulow flicked the pass to Freddie Smith, who in turn sent a pass to an unmarked Nyazamba on the left side. Nyazamba then maneuvered around Glaeser and struck a left-footed shot past two Pioneers defenders.

The referee had his hands full as the game was winding down. In the final minute, the Kickers Pat Viray and the Pioneers Anthony Augustine were sent off after an altercation with each other. Moments later, Federico Molinari was sent off for his second bookable offense, and Glaeser was tossed for confronting the referee too strongly.

The Kickers will face the New England Revolution in the Third Round next Tuesday at Veterans Stadium in New Britain, Conn.

Lineups
Pioneers: GK Matt Glaeser, Jay Willis, James Greenslit, Callum Bissett, Federico Molinari, Anthony Augustine, Anthon Petrarca, Mike Lima (Bryan Zobre – 88’), Noel Bunsie, Neil Krause, Jeff Deren

Kickers: GK Ronnie Pascale, Kelvin Jones, Sascha Görres, Trevor McEachron, Evan Harding, Anthony Catalano, Luke Vercollone, Eliot Paschalis (Freddie Smith – 67’), Stanley Nyazamba, Ian Bennett (Pat Viray – 88’), David Bulow

Shots               Saves              Fouls                   Corners
Kickers:   10    Kickers:    5    Kickers:    15       Kickers:      3
Pioneers: 9     Pioneers: 4    Pioneers: 15       Pioneers:   7

Cautions:
40th minute: Anthony Petrarca (Western Mass)
48th minute: Stanley Nyazamba (Richmond)
60th minute: Matt Glaeser (Western Mass)
62nd minute: Ian Bennett (Richmond)
81st minute: Mike Lima (Western Mass)
89th minute: Federico Molinari (Western Mass)
90th minute: Evan Harding (Richmond)
90th minute: Matt Glaeser (Western Mass)

Ejections:
90th minute: Pat Viray (Richmond)
90th minute: Anthony Augustine (Western Mass)
90th minute: Federico Molinari (Western Mass)
90th minute: Matt Glaeser (Western Mass)

Referee:    Niko Bratsis
Assistant Referees:   Claudio Badea, Victor Matheson
Fourth Official:    Jan Halaska
Attendance:    1,000
Weather:    Clear

2008 First Round: Pioneers survive Greek charge, top Olympiakos 2-0

June 10, 2008 by

In an ugly game hampered by the oppressive heat, the Western Mass Pioneers edged their USASA opponents from the eastern part of the state, Boston Olympiakos, by a 2-0 scoreline.

The Pioneers played the match with a heavy heart, as head coach Lesznek Wrona returned to his native Poland to attend his mother’s funeral.

Neil Krause opened the scoring for the Pioneers in the 33rd minute, when his shot deflected off an Olympiakos defender and caught goalkeeper Chris Charnecky leaning the wrong way. Boston nearly tied the score just before halftime, when Samuel Appiah’s shot from 15 yards out was blocked by Pioneers netminder Matt Glaeser.

In the second half, Western Mass dodged another bullet, when Geoff Walker’s shot trickled toward the goalline after a save from Glaeser, but James Greenslit beat Boston’s Sherron Manswell to clear the ball.

In the 68th minute, the Pioneers got their insurance goal. Everson Maciel passed up a shot to send the ball to Jeff Deren, who beat Chernacky for a 2-0 lead.

The match was only the second time in the Professional Era (1995-present) that two teams from the state of Massachusetts faced off in the Open Cup. In 2004, Western Mass was upset by the PDL’s Cape Cod Crusaders 3-2 in the Second Round.