Johnson double headlines Jamaican success in USL
NEW YORK, United States (CMC) — Jamaican Jason Johnson came off the bench to net a second-half brace as Phoenix Rising came from behind to beat Colorado Switchbacks 2-1 in the United Soccer League last weekend.
Playing at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex in Tempe, the hosts fell behind through sidelined Reggae Boy Kevaughn Frater’s early first-half strike before Johnson arrived at half-time to transform the game with his two goals.
The victory for Rising was their first in five outings following a sequence of draws, but they remained in the bottom half of the Western Conference in ninth on 22 points.
Switchbacks, meanwhile, lie sixth on 24 points.
Frater put Switchbacks ahead in the 12th minute when he latched onto a long ball out of the back, held off his defender, and sent a low volley from the top of the 18-yard box past goalkeeper Josh Cohen.
The lead held until the 66th minute when Johnson got the first of his double. Victor Vasquez sent a searching ball into the box from the left which goalkeeper Moise Pouaty failed to collect, and Johnson pounced on the loose ball to stroke home from close range.
Johnson claimed his second six minutes from time when former Chelsea star Didier Drogba sent a looping corner into the box and he rose above the defence to nod in powerfully.
Several other Jamaicans also got on the scoresheet for their respective clubs. Twenty-four-year-old Brian Brown also proved a super sub at Thunderbird Stadium just outside of Vancouver, coming off the bench in the 62nd minute and scoring 11 minutes later to earn Reno 1868 FC a share of the points in a 1-1 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps II.
Chevaughn Walsh was also on target, scoring in the 24th minute for Pittsburg Riverhounds as they drew 1-1 away to Bethlehem Steel at Goodman Stadium.
And at MSU Soccer Park in New Jersey, Junior Flemmings came off the bench in the 61st minute to net for New York Red Bulls II in the 85th minute,s as the hosts went down 2-3 to Charlotte Independence.