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Gameday Report: October 2, Week 31

By USLChampionship.com, 10/02/19, 9:09PM EDT

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Kiesewetter scores stoppage-time winner for El Paso; Fury FC takes another step toward playoffs

El Paso Locomotive FC moved closer to a place in the postseason thanks to a stoppage-time goal by Jerome Kiesewetter against Fresno FC, Sacramento Republic FC scored a late equalizer to leave honors even against the LA Galaxy II, and Ottawa Fury FC continued Indy Eleven’s tough road trip, handing its visitors a fourth consecutive defeat in Wednesday night’s action in the USL Championship.

SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC (2), LA GALAXY II (2)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Matt Mahoney scored in the 89th minute to earn Republic FC a point against the Galaxy II at Papa Murphy’s Park. Sacramento took the lead in the 20th minute when a deflected pass by Keven Aleman set up perfectly for Thomas Enevoldsen to hit a first-time shot from 20 yards that picked out the top-right corner of the net. Cameron Iwasa had a chance to add to Republic FC’s lead on the half-hour mark only to shoot high from the edge of the penalty area, but Los Dos hit back eight minutes before halftime when a good move found Kai Koreniuk in space for a low shot that was parried by Sacramento goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth, only for the rebound to sit up for Ethan Zubak to volley home. LA had a chance to take the lead off a corner kick just past the hour-mark as Nate Schultz met a near-post delivery from the left by Jose Hernandez with a finish that was blocked by Sacramento’s Jaime Villarreal as he guarded the post, but with 18 minutes to go Los Dos took the lead when Mohammed Kamara corralled a shot from the edge of the penalty area by Hernandez and roofed his finish. Sacramento responded strongly, and Sam Werner forced a big save from LA goalkeeper Eric Lopez with a minute to go. Moments later, however, Republic FC kept a corner kick alive and a cross by Thomas Enevoldsen found Mitchell Taintor for a header that came to Mahoney, whose diving header leveled the score. Both teams ended with 10 men as Taintor and Augustine Williams were both sent off in stoppage time, but honors ended even as each side took a point.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Mohammed Kamara, LA Galaxy II – Kamara’s goal almost gave the visitors victory, and he also completed 17 of 19 passes and had two key passes for Los Dos in the contest.

EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC (2), FRESNO FC (1)

EL PASO, Texas – Jerome Kiesewetter scored in second-half stoppage time to lift Locomotive FC to victory against the Foxes at Southwest University Park. El Paso had a pair of long-range efforts in the first half as Yuma sent a shot just wide of the left post in the 14th minute and Sebastian Velasquez hit the side-netting just outside the left post from the top of the penalty area, but Fresno had the best opportunity before the break on a turning shot from 20 yards by Jaime Chavez that was parried by Locomotive FC goalkeeper Logan Ketterer in the 44th minute. Locomotive FC opened the second half brightly, and Fresno goalkeeper CJ Cochran had to tip over a shot by Josue Gomez in the 52nd minute. Off the ensuing corner, the ball fell to Chiro N’Toko at the edge of the penalty area and the center back drove a low shot through a crowd into the left corner of the net. The Foxes pulled level in the 66th minute, however, as Juan Pablo Caffa curled home a free kick into the left corner of the net from 25 yards out to the right of the goal. Locomotive FC had a chance to regain the lead with five minutes to go as Alexy Bosetti played Kiesewetter into the right side of the penalty area but had his opportunity smothered by Cochran, and a low cross by Omar Salgado in stoppage time couldn’t find a final touch as it slid through the six-yard area. In the second minute of stoppage time, however, Cochran couldn’t control the rebound on a powerful shot by James Kiffe from the left side of the penalty area, and Kiesewetter put home the rebound to earn victory for the hosts.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Chiro N’Toko, El Paso Locomotive FC – N’Toko scored his first goal for Locomotive FC, won 4 of 5 duels and completed 57 of 59 passes to help his side take a big victory in its pursuit of a playoff place.

OTTAWA FURY FC (1), INDY ELEVEN (0)

OTTAWA – Carl Haworth scored the only goal as Fury FC took another step toward the postseason with victory against the Eleven at TD Place. Ottawa had an early chance as Kevin Oliveira cut past a pair of defenders and forced a low save by Indy goalkeeper Evan Newton, while Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé also fired just wide of the right post in the eighth minute. The hosts eventually took the lead in the 16th minute as Haworth double-bluffed Newton and curled a free kick from the top-left corner of the penalty area into the bottom-right corner of the net, freezing the goalkeeper. Indy had a late chance in the first half as Kenney Walker shot just wide of the left post on a free kick, but the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 61st minute when Matt Watson was sent off after tussling with Ottawa’s Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé for possession near the touchline. Indy appeared to have leveled in the 70th minute but Eugene Starikov was ruled offside before burying a finish for the visitors, while Ottawa’s Mour Samb almost added to his side’s lead after a defensive error gave him a chance that he got past Newton but that was cleared to safety by Mitchell Osmond. Indy had a chance with 15 minutes to go when Tyler Pasher’s drive into the penalty area saw the ball deflect into the path of Alioune Diakhate, only for Ottawa’s Nana Attakora to intervene and send the ball behind for a corner, while Dane Kelly created space in stoppage time for a long-range shot that Ottawa goalkeeper Callum Irving parried wide. Fury FC had its own chances in stoppage time too as first Hadji Barry’s curling effort was parried by Jordan Farr, on as a second-half substitute after an injury to Newton, and then Mour Samb just missed the target, but the hosts saw out the win, their third in the last four outings.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Onua Obasi, Ottawa Fury FC – Obasi won 17 of 21 duels, 8 of 8 aerial duels and made 11 recoveries to help his side earn a shutout victory on home turf.

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