Saturday June 14, 2008
BLAINE, MINNESOTA—The Atlanta Silverbacks came from a goal down to draw the Minnesota Thunder 1-1 Saturday night. Blake Camp netted his first goal as a Silverback to level the game in the 84th minute.

(Photo Caption: Blake Camp netted his first goal as a Silverback, scoring the equalizing goal in the club’s 1-1 draw at Minnesota. Photo by Elaine Carroll)

“Considering we’ve played three games in five days, I’m happy to walk out of there with a point,” said head coach Jason Smith. “We were a little unlucky to not get a second, but we’ll take the result.”

Smith utilized several players who had seen limited playing time this season, including Felipe Quintero, who made his second start on the season in goal. Lining up in front of Quintero was Martyn Lancaster, Matt Bobo, Zach Kirby, and Josh Bolton. Initially, Smith utilized a five-man midfield, with Mac Kandji and Ansu Toure, who made his first appearance in Minnesota since his off-season transfer, with regular holding midfielders Scott Buete and Tony McManus slotting in behind Rodrigo Rios. Jason McLaughlin was the lose striker. Blake Camp, Chris Mahaffey, Nathan Knox, and Greg Chevalier were used as substitutes.

Regular outside back David Hayes returned to Atlanta Friday to be with his wife when she went into labor with the couple’s first child.

The relatively cool Minnesota weather made for a high-energy, end-to-end match, which did not favor the road-weary Silverbacks. Minnesota had the first opportunity on the night in just the sixth minute when Aaron Paye blasted a shot from 18 yards over the crossbar.

After controlling considerable amounts of the run of play, the Thunder took the lead on the half-hour mark when Kevin Freeman beat Quintero off a ball from Ricardo Sanchez.

In the remaining 15 minutes of the half Silverbacks fought to take the momentum of the game away from its hosts increasing its midfield pressure. The effort paid off when McLaughlin just missed wide from the edge of the penalty area after a sublime outside-of-the-foot pass from Rios.

The momentum carried over into the second half. Again it was McLaughlin just missing off a beautiful feed from Toure.

Two minutes later it was the Thunder with an opportunity when Jeremiah Bass drilled a right-footer from distance that glanced off the outside of the woodwork.

Going the other way, Bobo nearly equalized, heading a Kirby cross just over the crossbar.

And the resulting goal kick led to a blistering shot from Paye that slammed squarely off the post.

With 10 minutes left the Silverbacks seemed to find its second wind. Kandji forced a brave save from Nic Platter for a corner kick, and the Thunder struggled to clear the ball after that.

In the 84th Camp found his mark with a right-footed blast from 20 yards out that was slightly redirected as it went through a crowded penalty area.

Four minutes later Camp nearly got the game winner, smacking a free kick from the edge of the box off the woodwork.

The draw moves the Silverbacks to 3-3-5 on the season.

The club is in action again on Saturday night, hosting the Puerto Rico Islanders at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. Kickoff is at 7:55.