Rhinos Fall to Impact in Home Opener, 1-0

(Rochester, NY)… The Rhinos opened the home portion of the 2009 season at Marina Dodge Stadium with a 1-0 loss to the Montreal Impact on Saturday night in front of 10,117 fans in another tightly contested affair.   The loss dropped the Rhinos to 4-4-1(13 points) on the season. The Impact improved to 2-3-2 (8 points).

After an even first half where there was few quality scoring chances both sides saw players get booked with Rhinos midfielder Chris Nurse in the 33rd minute and Montreal forward Eduardo Sebrango two minutes later.  With neither team finding the net, the teams went into the halftime break tied 0-0.

With both teams pressing for the first goal, action was intense at both ends of the field. Nurse was handed his second yellow of the game in the 61st minute, receiving the send-off forcing the Rhinos to play a man down the rest of the game.

But Rochester would not let this slow them down. Rhinos forward Mauricio Salles took a free kick from about 30 yards out in the 65th minute and knocked it off of the crossbar. This would prove to be the best chance by the home side on the night. 

Montreal would break through in the 80th minute, as forward Roberto Brown beat a couple of Rhinos defenders and slid a shot past Rhinos goalkeeper Scott Vallow.  Impact midfielder Tony Donatelli was credited with the assist.

The Rhinos would continue to push forward until the final whistle. Salles hit the wall on a free kick from 20 yards out in the 90th minute and a free kick from Rhinos midfielder Tiger Fitzpatrick was cleared out in stoppage time.

The Rhinos return home next Saturday night as they host the Minnesota Thunder.  Kick-off is set for 7:35 p.m.

RHINOS STADIUM UNDER NEW NAME
What started out the night as Rochester Rhinos Stadium turned out to be Marina Dodge Stadium.  Participants in the Rhinos Name the Stadium contest were given an opportunity to select the new name of the Rhinos home field.  Tony Gabriele of Marina Dodge Auto Sales in Webster, N.Y. was on hand during the match.

Gabriele’s was randomly selected from over three hundred entries.  The Stadium will hold the name for the remainder of 2009.