July 1, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – Union Omaha News Release
PAPILLION, Neb. – It was a rare Friday night match-up at Werner Park as Union Omaha hosted Charlotte Independence for the first time.
The Owls came in with a last-minute loss to avenge after the two sides’ meeting in Charlotte on April 30. After a solid finish from Noe Meza to put the Owls up, they would hold onto the lead for almost the entirety of the second half. The Independence saved their scoring for the closing minutes, notching their first in the 84th minute. A close call at the goal line proved to be the difference maker as Omaha saw its three points vanish in the span of just over 10 minutes. Charlotte would go on a tear after that match to top the table in its first League One season, although it had since fallen off a bit in the month of June.
Omaha would first see a quality look in the 15th minute off a long throw in from Isaac Bawa. Emir Alihodžić won the flick-off and headed it to JP Scearce, the latter stabbing the ball wide of goal.
Dion Acoff took a prime chance in the 33rd minute, almost slamming a curling strike in from outside the box. He had another opportunity just seconds later off a beauty of a cross from Alihodžić, just missing the near post.
The Independence went on a string of yellow cards, starting in the 36th minute with Omar Ciss. In the 44th minute, Jefferson Amaya earned another, and Illia Shevtsov tallied again in the 50th minute with a hard tackle on Scearce.
Scearce, no stranger to the goal sheet as the Owls’ top scorer this season, tried to record his third goal in 2 weeks, a headed attempt off a challenging cross from Bawa.
Omaha’s first swaps of the night came in the 68th minute, with Alihodžić and Acoff giving way to Yoskar Edu Galvan and Hugo Kametani. A minute later, Shalom Dutey earned the Independence’s fourth yellow card with a foul at midfield.
There was a frenzy in the box in the 71st minute with several Owls getting looks and touches on the ball. Joe Brito trapped the ball on his chest and let it fly, sending Charlotte keeper Adrian Zendejas off sliding on the save.
Daltyn Knutson came up with a clutch goal line clearance in the 74th minute after Rashid Nuhu came out to bat another shot away.
Kametani issued some solid ball work in the 79th minute, working to stiff-arm and spin around a defender to shoot, but it was scooped up by Zendejas. Seconds later, Brito would be subbed off for Gabriel Claudio.
The Owls would get their best…