LD Update: Historic PDL champ; NASL & USL Pro Game Night

A high scoring evening in NASL action as the three games finished with 14 total goals, with two finishing in a draw. In USL Pro, it was a great night in North Carolina as the Charlotte Eagles and Wilmington Hammerheads were victorious, keeping the Eagles in the playoff hunt and moving the Hammerheads into a tie for third with their opponent Charleston, whom they tied the night before on the road.

Carolina RailHawks 3:3 Tampa Bay Rowdies - In a wild back-and-forth affair, the visitors got on the board first when Shane Hill knocked a 12-yard effort in off the post in the 17th minute. Then Carolina went on a roll with three straight. Nick Zimmerman headed in a Kupono Low cross from six yards to make things even two minutes before the break, then scored four minutes into the second half off a cross from Jason Garey, who added one of his own three minutes later. Luke Mulholland, who set up Hill's opener keyed Tampa Bay's rally with a half volley four minutes from time and set up the equalizer in stoppage time with a corner to Takuya Yamada - MORE



Atlanta Silverbacks 4:2 Fort Lauderdale Strikers - The last-place Silverbacks are no longer pushovers, and eventually pulled away after seeing the Strikers equalize twice. Pedro Mendes headed in a cross from his brother Paulo eight minutes in for the hosts with Scott equalizing in the 27th. Matt Horth restored the lead with another header in the 29th and Atlanta held the advantage until Mark Anderson tied it at two each in the 54th. Borfor Carr tallied the winner ten minutes later, letting loose a shot from 23 that found the upper corner. Mendes added his second in the 78th as insurance. - MORE

FC Edmonton 1:1 Minnesota Stars - The defending champions grabbed the lead a minute before halftime through Martin Nunez, but gave up the win two minutes from time when the hosts Michael Cox tallied. - MORE

USL PRO


Charlotte Eagles 4:0 Antigua Barracuda - The Eagles had an easy night of it, cruising out to a three-goal lead in less than a half-hour. Juan Guzman struck first 13 minutes in and Darryl Roberts doubled the lead in the 24th. Josh Rife made it three three minutes later and Jorge Herrera, sho set up the second, added a goal of his own in the 68th. - MORE

Wilmington Hammerheads 2:1 Charleston Battery - After playing to a 2-2 draw the night before, the Hammerheads returned home and rallied to a victory over the Battery. The visitors took the lead for the second straight night, this time with Charleston's Charlie Romero finding the opener in the 27th minute. Corey Hertzog, who set up Wilmington's equalizer Friday, set up Gareth Evans to level terms in the 34th minute before scoring himself in the 45th for the lead at the break. - MORE

PDL CHAMPIONSHIP

Forest City London made PDL history Saturday, becoming the lowest overall playoff seed to win the league championship. Seeded 21st, the Canadian club surpassed the Ventura County Fusion of 2009, who won the title as the 20th-ranked seed.

The host Carolina Dynamo took the initial lead in the 26th minute when Hakan Ilhan hit Donnie Smith with a perfect through ball behind the defense, allowing him to slip it by Reece Richardson. Forest City answered back immediately when a ball headed by Jordan Ayris was headed away by a Carolina defender to Carl Haworth, who drove to goal and fired the equalizer into the corner.

The two were deadlocked in the second half until the 76th minute when a second chance ball on a free kick found its way to Ayris, who made a quick move with the ball to set up his left foot for the finish, giving the club the historic win. - MORE