The Men of Asheville used an impressive second half to down the Dalton Red Wolves 2-1 and clinch a USL2 playoff berth in Dalton on July 5th.

After a quiet opening to the game, Dalton came close to finding an opener in the 23rd minute. A long diagonal ball found a streaking Red Wolf at the back post who volleyed it but the strike hit the top of the bar and went out. 

In the 35th minute, Asheville started to get things going. A foul gave the Blues a freekick on the left side of the field in a good spot. Simon Carlson sent an inswinging ball towards the back post that found the head of Alec McKinley but he could not direct his glancing header on target.

Another freekick had Asheville threatening again in the 41st minute. After the ball popped up in the air, Makel Rasheed settled under the second ball. Rasheed set up for a bicycle kick alone from eight yards out but was unable to put his attempt on frame and the game remained scoreless.

The Blues would keep up the pressure in the 44th minute when Matthias Lavenant chased down the clearance from a corner kick on the right flank. He created separation between him and the chasing defender and drilled a low-driven ball across the mouth of goal but Dalton’s keeper Nestor Mendez was able to get down and collect it to prevent any further danger.

The Blues would finally find the breakthrough in the 60th minute. Quenzi Huerman played a ball out wide to Clay Obara on the right flank. Obara took a touch and then squared it to Alex Andersson in the middle of the box who deflected the ball inside of the near post for a goal and a 1-0 Asheville lead.

Asheville would double their lead in the 84th minute, when Alex Horveno stepped up to take a corner kick from the right side. Horveno struck a dangerous curling ball on target that had enough power for a touch from Mendez to not be able to keep it out as it tucked itself in the upper left corner and Asheville took a 2-0 lead off of the Olimpico.

“Offensively I did pretty well because I had the goal on the corner kick, but defensively it would have been a bit better if we kept the clean sheet, but I’m pretty happy with my performance tonight,” said Horveno.

Dalton would get one back in the 88th minute through Joshua Ramos but it was too little too late for the Red Wolves as the Blues were able to see off the game and come away with a 2-1 win.

“We went into halftime nil-nil, but I didn’t feel fazed. I felt that we had a majority of the possession and were making chances, but Dalton is a very organized system and we struggled to break them down. And very similar to SSA we were trying to find certain pockets that weren’t there but the energy was good at halftime and we felt like it was coming. And we were able to get a goal from Alex Andersson who was very very good tonight,” said Head Coach Scott Wells.

The win clinched back-to-back playoff berths for the Blues! They still maintain their South Central Division lead on goal differential.

“It feels great making the playoffs two years in a row. I’m very happy and can’t wait to get started,” said Makel Rasheed.

For his efforts in the match, Alex Horveno was awarded the Highland Brewing Wishing Star of the Match.

Up next for the Men, a date with Tennessee at home at Greenwood Field on July 8th as the boys look to keep their lead at the top of the South Central Division.