Coming off four consecutive, frustrating draws, the Silverbacks answered the bell in a big way last Saturday, defeating the Puerto Rico Islanders 3-1 in front of the hometown crowd at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. Ansu Toure scored in the 13th minute for the ‘Backs, while Mac Kandji started and finished the scoring for the good guys, netting goals in the sixth and 32nd minutes. For the ‘Backs, inconsistency, rather than a lack of talent, has been the problem all year, but on Saturday it all finally came together in what was a complete effort.
“I think the difference tonight was discipline,” said head coach Jason Smith. “We played a much more disciplined game than we have been, and it showed in the result.”
The win moved the Silverbacks to 4-3-5 (17 points) on the season. The team currently sits in fifth place in the USL First Division.
In other news, as a result of their solid performances against the Minnesota Thunder two weeks ago, three Silverbacks were named to Week Nine’s USL-1 Best 11 side on Tuesday. Matt Bobo and David Hayes each earned the honor for the second time this season, while Blake Camp made the squad for the first time as a Silverback.
The team took on the Miami FC Blues on Tuesday (results were not available at press time) and will be in action again on Saturday when they host the Portland Timbers. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m.
NINE IN A ROW
The Silverback women won yet again last Friday, capturing their ninth ‘W’ of the season. The Lady ‘Backs were on the good side of another lopsided affair, defeating the Richmond Kickers Destiny 3-0 at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. As expected, Sarah Steinmann led the Silverback scoring barrage, putting two more goals in the back of the net. Steinmann, the W-League leader in points (29), has 14 goals in nine games this season, six more than any other player in the league. To be safe, Lyndsey Patterson added a third goal in the 86th minute, her fourth on the year.
Though the Silverback women yet again made a winning effort look easy, head coach Tony Anglin has kept his expectations high, remaining as critical and demanding as ever.
“Going in we knew it was going to be a tough game,” Anglin said. “I was pleased with our all-round performance, but we didn’t seem as sharp as we have been in some games. I’m thankful for the win. It gets us one step closer to where we want to be.”
The team will close out its five-game home stand on Friday when they do battle with the Bradenton Athletics (2-6-0). Game time is set for 7:55 p.m.
Janovitz can be reached at sjanovitz@scoreatl.com.
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