Hailstorm Ground Owls in the Rain
September 22, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC News Release
SEVERANCE, Colo. – Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (9W-10L-8D, 35 points) beat Union Omaha (10W-6L-11D, 41 points) 2-1 at Severance High School. A brace from Brecc Evans pushes Northern Colorado to the victory.
The scoring got started 24 minutes in by Evans. After receiving a pass from Rob Cornwall, Evans shot from 34-yards out. The shot stayed low to the ground, beating goalkeeper Kevin Piedrahita. It was Evans’ third goal of the season and Cornwall’s third assist.
In the 72nd minute, Joe Brito took a free kick for the Owls. Hailstorm goalkeeper Thomas Olsen came out to punch the ball away, colliding with Daltyn Knutson. For the challenge, a penalty was awarded and Olsen picked up a yellow card. Noe Meza took the penalty and scored to Olsen’s right.
Late in the second half Northern Colorado won a corner. Arthur Rogers took the corner, finding Evans at the edge of the six-yard box. Evans out jumped the defender, heading it into the back of the net. It is Evans’ first brace of his professional career.
The Hailstorm move to one point outside the playoff picture with three games to play.
Northern Colorado is back in action on September 24 when they host Greenville Triumph SC. The match is at 7 p.m. MDT, at Severance High School.
Match Quotes:
Head Coach Éamon Zayed
On the match and weather…
“I love it, wish it was like this all the time. It’s not great for the fans and all that but I love it, it reminds me of Ireland. This is where you see who wants it, who wants to show up. They always say about Stoke, and can you do it on a wet rainy Tuesday night in Stoke, and the guys showed that they can do it.”
Head Coach Éamon Zayed
On the game-winner…
“Set pieces have been something we work on, and it’s been a big positive all year. We talked about set pieces, both offensively and defensively because Omaha is big into set pieces. I didn’t expect Brecc to come up with two goals but two great goals. I don’t want to be that biased coach but I think if we hadn’t won that game, I thought it would have been unfair. It wasn’t the prettiest game, it matched the night, but I just felt that we done enough. I would have been devastated had we not picked up three points.”
Defender Brecc Evans
On the win…
“It’s absolutely massive. We’re in a very tight playoff race and anything except three points tonight was really unexceptable for what we want to do an go to the playoffs and achieve this year. That was a massive game as a team, we have to come back out here and do it again Saturday against Greenville.”
Defender Arthur Rogers
On the match…
“It was a fight. We know what type of team they are. They’re a team that works very hard, they give you absolutely nothing for free, and we knew we were in for a battle from minute one. I think the boys definitely brought it today, they brought work from minute one and we worked hard. We did the things that we practiced the last ten days.”
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