Pittsburgh Defeats Flames in Game Costly to Both Teams

New Rochelle, NY - 07/10/2004 - The Pittsburgh Riverhounds made it eight in a row by defeating the Westchester Flames 6-2 Saturday evening. But the outcome was quickly overshadowed by an injury to Pittsburgh player, Granit Caushaj, who suffered a broken left leg in the 88th minute of the game.

The Flames, missing leading scorer Evaud Thompson, took an early lead in the 9th minute when forward Costea Decu and midfielder Alex Tobon Villa teamed up and Tobon Villa put a rebounding shot into the lower left hand corner past Hounds goalkeeper Chris Robinson.

Play was tight throughout the first half with the Hounds putting on most of the pressure. A flurry of shots midway through the period resulted in Flames goalkeeper Guillermo Valencia making a brilliant save on a shot heading into the upper left hand corner of the net.

But, the Flames could not keep up the defensive posture, and in the 42nd minute, Hounds forward Said Ali scored the first of his three for the match, with David Flavius providing the assist. Ali also scored in the 49th and 64th minutes of the game, both were unassisted.

In the second half, with the Flames looking for more offense, they got it, but not from themselves. Flavius gave the Hounds a 4-1 lead in the 68th minute with Tiest Sondaal garnering an assist on the goal.

Westchester fought back, and Decu found the back of the net in the 70th minute with a beautiful goal off a direct free kick. The shot curled through the wall and past Robinson into the right corner. This was the last of the offense for the Flames.

Defensive errors abounded, with the Hounds capitalizing in both the 76th and 86th minutes. Gary DePalma and Granit Caushaj both scored.

Two minutes after Caushaj scored, he was on the ground, screaming in agony with a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg. Flames captain Laurence Piturro was issued a yellow card on the play, but it was later changed to a red card.

MATCH REPORT:
Westchester 2 :: 6 Pittsburgh

Scoring Summary

WFL: Tobon Villa (Decu)
PTB: Ali (Flavius)
PTB: Ali
PTB: Ali
PTB: Flamius (Sondaal)
WFL: Decu
PTB: DePalma
PTB: Caushaj

Disciplinary Summary

PTB: 17th minute - caution, DePalma (unsporting behavior)
PTB: 26th minute - caution, Chulis (unsporting behavior)
PTB: 69th minute - caution, Hartung (unsporting behavior)
WFL: 88th minute - ejection, Piturro (serious foul play)

Lineups:

Westchester: Guillermo Valencia, Laurence Piturro, Danny Parkin, Frank Gizzo, Fredy Nava, Alex Tobon-Villa, Juan Carlos Gomez (Chikudi Richardson - 72), Julio Nosta (Kwame Richardson - 46), Roberto Esquivel, Costea Decu, Andres Garcia

Pittsburgh: Chris Robinson, Greg Chevalier (Steve Kehoe - 65), Nathan Salsi, Cody Bragg, Tiest Sondaal, Gary DePalma, Steve Armas (Tim Bezbetchenko - 62), Matt Chulis, Said Ali (George Kithas - 75), David Flavius (Dan Hartung - 69), Damien Pottinger (Granit Caushaj - 78)

Stats (WFL::PTB):
Shots 7::16, Saves 2::1, Corner Kicks 2::2, Fouls 3::13, Offsides 1::4

Attendance: 170

Officials:
Referee: Keith Fisher
AR 1: Stevan Ambrus
AR 2: Edwin Cespedes
4th: Richard Sanchez

07/10/2004