Rochester is 1-0-1 against the Independence in games this season.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Rhinos start their journey to defend their 2015 USL Championship this Saturday at 6 p.m. at Rochester Rhinos Stadium.
The team will take on the Charlotte Independence (14-8-8), a foe they have faced twice already this season. The team is 1-0-1 against Charlotte this season, seeing a tie at home, and a win on the road. The Rhinos win on the road against Charlotte on September 17th prevented Charlotte from clinching a home field advantage in playoffs, sending the team to Rochester this weekend.
Tickets for the match can be purchased here: http://www.rhinossoccer.com/playoffs
The Rhinos held the Charlotte Independence to zero goals in both matches, showcasing their renowned defense that has he allowed the second lowest goals in the USL all season. A huge factor in that is the recent performance of Tomas Gomez who has been solid between the post for Rochester in recent games. His performance earned him the USL Golden Glove award for his league low 0.69 GAA.
Watch live on the USL Match Center.
The Rhinos finished the regular season with a win against Toronto FC II leaving them with a 13-5-12 record heading into playoffs. The win also earned the team the number four seed, allowing them to begin their playoff run at home. This will be an advantage to Rochester who has only lost twice at home all season. The team is 9-2-5 at Rhinos Stadium.
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This is Charlotte’s first trip to the playoffs as they take on the defending champions. The last match between the two teams saw a balance on both sides. It wasn’t until later in the game that either team found advantages and challenged one another. Luckily for the Rhinos a penalty kick taken by Steevan Dos Santos led the team to victory that night, but luck will only get them so far in the playoffs.
Players to watch: While Christian Volesky (10) leads the team in goals scored this season, Steevan Dos Santos leads the team in shots. Dos Santos has been an influential leader in the Rhinos attack all season long. He has been a key playmaker on offense, along with Kenardo Forbes. All three players were involved in the Rhinos 2015 Championship run and are familiar with the pressure of playoffs.
Playoff Specials: $2 Drafts | $10 T-Shirts | $15 New Era Hats | Gates open at 5 p.m.