Highlanders Host Lane United FC In Northwest Division Rematch
VICTORIA, BC - Victoria Highlanders FC (2-0-1) host Lane United FC (1-1-3) in Week 5 of the USL League Two regular season, June 2nd (2:00 PM PST KO) at the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Centennial Stadium for First Responders Day at the Park.
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The Highlanders will play their fourth straight game at Centennial Stadium. The Victoria squad is coming off a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders U23, a win that saw Highlanders’ captain Joshua Walter score off a brilliant free-kick and defender Connor Guilherme score his first goal of the season. The match will be streamed online through the Highlanders Official YouTube channel.
VICTORIA HIGHLANDERS FC
In front of their home crowd, the Highlanders continued their strong run of play as they earned a 2-1 win over Sounders U23. While the visiting team struck first courtesy of an Arthur Herpreck goal, the home side needed just two minutes to tie the game at one as Walter netted his first score of the season. From 30 yards out, Walter curled his free-kick into the top-left corner of the goal, a play that was named USL League Two Goal of the Week. The eventual game winner was scored off the foot of Guilherme, who was named to the USL League Two Team of the Week for the second week in a row, after he dribbled past the defenders and fired a shot inside the right post in the 45th minute.
“In the first half we had a very good approach from the back, created a lot of great approaches towards the net, but we weren’t as decisive as we needed to be at times,” added Highlanders head coach Thomas Niendorf. “Lots of great approaches from the back, moving the ball from the back to the midfield and into the attacking third. The most positive aspect today was to come back from a goal against the run of play and to score two quality goals before halftime and hold the lead. The boys really responded. The second half saw Seattle make some substitutions and refresh the team. Put a little bit of long ball on us. They have some big bodies that can go up and take advantage of their heading abilities. We hung in there, grinded it out a bit, but overall from a mentality point of view I’m really happy with the boys.”
The Highlanders’ previous two games include a 1-1 draw against Lane United FC that saw Elyad Shojaei score a beautiful one-touch goal off a Shumbusho set up. Then the Victoria side’s first win of the season came off a 2-0 result against Timbers U23 with goals coming from Sean Young, off a long-distance strike, and Victory Shumbusho, a well aimed shot off the far post and in.
Through three games the Highlanders have received goals from Shumbusho, Young, Walter, Guilherme, and Shojaei, with Shumbusho also adding an assist in the home opener and compiling five shots on goal.
LANE UNITED FC
Lane United FC travel to Victoria after picking up a draw in their Friday-night matchup against Seattle Sounders U23. The Eugene, Oregon side received a first half goal from Christopher Kalla, his first of the season, but the Sounders were able to find the equalizer in the second half, resulting in a 1-1 final score.
Lane’s previous four games of the season include a 1-1 draw against Highlanders FC, a 2-0 loss to TSS Rovers FC, a 1-1 tie against Sounders U23, and 3-1 win over Timbers U23.
In the early stages of the season, Charlie Spurr and Alejandro Segovia have led the offensive attack with a pair of goals each through five games. Meanwhile, Albert Escuin and Marc Skytte Olsen have split the goaltending duties for Lane United.
“In the first game we tied, but we felt that we could have won that game, so I think the motivation is there to get the job done this time and beat a very good team,” stated Niendorf. “The boys are buzzing right now and want to keep the winning streak going. That, of course, is always a challenge as you’ve won the last game and you want to keep it going and keep focused on doing the right things. Lane is a very good team and there is a bit of extra motivation having not been able to beat them the first time and wanting to this time.”
2019 SEASON SERIES
This will be the second meeting between the two clubs in the 2019 USL League Two season. The first matchup was on Friday, May 10th as the Highlanders hosted Lane United at Centennial Stadium for the Victoria side’s home opener.
In that match, Elyad Shojaei scored off a give-and-go with Shumbusho that saw the defender release a one-touch shot that found its way just inside the far post for a 1-0 lead. The visiting side found the scoresheet in the second half on a goal from Charlie Spurr tying the game at one. After 90 minutes of play both teams settled for a point as the game remained deadlocked at 1-1.
Tickets are available for Sunday’s clash against Lane United FC at Centennial Stadium at www.highlandersfc.ca/tickets. For more information, please visit www.highlandersfc.ca. It is our First Responders Day at the Park; show your First Responders ID to gain free admission into the match. For more information head to www.highlandersfc.ca/news/highlanders-announce-first-responders-night
MATCH DETAILS
2019 USL League Two Regular Season – Week 5
Centennial Stadium – University of Victoria
June 2nd, 2019 – 2:00 pm PST
WATCH: Highlanders YouTube Channel
KEY PARK DETAILS
Peninsula Co-op Kids Zone – Face painting, inflatables, toy box, and more!
Food Truck – Kebob Me Crazy
Phillips Brewery Bar
Highlanders Merchandise and Swag
50/50 – Gorge FC and Peninsula FC U11/12 Girls Soccer Teams