(Charlotte, NC) - The Charlotte Eagles pro soccer team hosted the Cincinnati Kings tonight at Waddell Stadium. Jacob Coggins scored his ninth goal of the season to add to his league scoring lead and start out the scoring for Charlotte. The Eagles finished up the night with a 5-3 victory and improved to 6-3-0 for 18 points.
Jorge Herrera clears a ball off the line as Dan Benton reaches in
The Charlotte Eagles took the first lead of the match in the 7th minute. Jacob Coggins scored his ninth goal of the season to take the 1-0 lead. Colombian national Jorge Herrera set up the goal, serving a ball into the box for Coggins. Coggins scored with a volley from 8 yards out.
Cincinnati tied up the score in the 15th minute. Kwame Sarkodie scored the goal with a header at the top left corner of the six yard box. Romain Cheurlin assisted on the goal with the serve into Sarkodie. Sarkodie beat Eagles goalkeeper Dan Benton placing the header in the lower right corner.
Jorge Herrera set up the second Charlotte goal for his second assist in the half, putting the Eagles back ahead 2-1. Dustin Swinehart scored the goal with a diving header at the top of the six yard box, off a perfectly placed corner kick from Herrera. The goal was 10 year veteran Swinehart's third goal of the season and Jorge's fifth assist of the season.
The first half ended with the Charlotte Eagles ahead 2-1. Charlotte out-shot Cincinnati 9-7.
Charlotte 's own Danny Harvey scored the first goal of the second half, his second in two games. Charlotte defender Steve Shak served to ball into Harvey inside the Cincinnati 18 yard box. Harvey put the ball in the back of the net to put the Eagles up 3-1 in the 46 th minute.
The Cinicinnati Kings came back just two minutes later and put in two back to back goals to even the score at three a piece. In the 48th minute of play, Kwame Sarkodie scored his second goal of the match, picking up a loose ball that Charlotte had trouble clearing out of the back. Just two minutes later Cincinnati scored the tying goal as Cincinnati's Sam Miller was left with space on the left side. Miller collected the ball that deflected out to him and scored with a low shot inside the left post.
Ben Johnson took back the lead for the Eagles in the 62nd minute. Dustin Swinehart played a ball forward on the right side for Johnson. Johnson scored with a low shot back across the goal mouth and just inside the left post.
Jorge Herrera scored the last goal of the match in stoppage time to put the Eagles up 5-3. Adam Ruud assisted on the goal, carrying it down to the Cincinnati touch line and cutting it back to the middle for Herrera. Herrera hit it home from eight yards out.
Charlotte 's next match is on Wednesday, June 6th, when the Eagles face the Bermuda Hogges in their inaugural season in the USL-2. Following Wednesday night's match the Eagles head to Baltimore to take on Crystal Palace Baltimore on Saturday, June 9 th. The Eagles have two home games during the week of June 10th. On Tuesday, June 12th the Eagles have a US Open Cup match at UNC-Charlotte (see details below), then Saturday, June 16 th the Eagles host the New Hampshire Phantoms at Waddell Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 8:00pm following the Lady Eagles match at 5:30 pm.
US Open Cup: The U.S. Open Cup, which is recognized as U.S. Soccer's National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The tournament has crowned a champion for 93 consecutive years dating back to 1914.
The Charlotte Eagles have qualified for the US Open Cup tournament and their first round pairing has been scheduled. The Eagles will host Lynch's Irish Pub FC, a USASA team from Jacksonville, FL. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, June 12 th at UNC Charlotte's Transamerica Field, with a kickoff time of 7:30pm. The winner of that match will advance on to the second round facing the winner of the Atlanta Silverbacks vs. Azzurri round one match. The second round game will be played on June 26 th ; time and location to be determined. Tickets for the Eagles first round Open Cup match can be purchased in advance online at www.CharlotteEagles.com or by calling the Eagles office at (704) 841-8644 x 32. Advanced rate tickets are sold at a $2.00 discount.
