Crystal Palace win season opener over Bermuda 2-0 Friday night

Crystal Palace Baltimore eased to a 2-0 victory over the visiting Bermuda Hogges at UMBC Stadium tonight on goals from Dan Lader and Val Teixeira.

Palace, who had the advantage of a game under their belts already, looked the more confident team on the ball while Bermuda, making their season debut, lacked cohesion.

Within the first quarter of an hour, Palace created half a dozen chances and the pressure eventually paid off.  On 16 minutes, left back Mateus dos Anjos sent a long pass from his own half to onrushing forward Dan Lader.  Hogges' 'keeper Timothy Figureido came out of his goal to try and intercept but Lader got to the ball first and steered it goalwards to give Palace the lead and their first goal of the season.  Figureido landed awkwardly on the play and, after several minutes of treatment, had to be replaced by Jason Williams.

Palace continued their dominance through the rest of the half with chances falling to a host of Baltimore players.  Bermuda didn't produce their first real threat until injury time with Damico Coddington forcing Brian Rowland into his first save of the match.

Palace kept piling on the pressure as the second half got underway and soon the lead had doubled.  Shintaro Harada's 51st minute free kick from the right was met by Val Teixeira who coolly headed home from 8 yards out.

Bermuda came into the game more as the second half progressed but the Palace defense held strong, restricting the Hogges into mostly speculative long-distance efforts.  Palace's best chance for a third goal fell to former Hogge John Barry Nusum, who made his Palace debut entering the contest as a substitute on 62 minutes.  Nusum rose to meet Val Teixeira's pinpoint cross from the left wing but somehow sent his header wide of the far post.

Palace Co-Manager Jim Cherneski was pleased with the result: "The team played very well - it's an important win for us."  Cherneski praised the back four for another strong outing, then noted the major difference from last week's goalless effort against Pittsburgh: "The biggest thing was guys making intelligent, off-the-ball runs to get into dangerous positions. We were stagnant last week."

Fellow Co-Manager Pete Medd echoed Cherneski's sentiments: "From top to bottom, it was a very solid performance.  Basso and Marshall are forming a formidable partnership at center back, and the entire defense is putting a stranglehold on the opposition."  As for the offensive effort, Medd concluded: "We created a lot of opportunities - we could have scored more. We were stringing together seven, eight or nine one-touch passes before taking a shot and you can't get much better than that."

Palace take to the road for their next three fixtures, starting with back-to-back games in North Carolina, first at Charlotte on May 1st followed by Wilmington on May 2nd.