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Reading poised for test posed by veteran Villages SC squad

By Sean Doyle, 07/26/18, 2:15PM EDT

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READING, PA (July 26, 2018) – For the third time in club history, Reading United A.C. (14-0-2) are set to play in the Premier Development League’s National Semifinal match where they will face the Southern Conference Champions, The Villages SC (11-2-3) at Wilson’ Gurksi Stadium on Saturday, July 28th. Kickoff for the match is set for 7:00pm and will determine which club advances to the Premier Development League’s Championship Game set to be played on Saturday, August 4th.

After finishing the PDL Regular Season with an unbeaten record, Reading United will have the opportunity to host the National Semifinal for the first time in the team’s twenty-three year history. In Reading’s two previous runs to the National Semifinal, the club had to travel to Laredo, Texas (2008) and Portland, Oregon (2010) and failed to advance to the PDL Championship Game.

United enter the game on the back of a thrilling run through the Eastern Conference Final Four that saw the club win the conference title for the first frenetic time since 2010. Reading eliminated the Myrtle Beach Mutiny in a wild 4-3 match that saw the teams combine to score six goals in the game’s final twenty minutes. Khori Bennett scored twice in the match and Kieran Roberts scored the game winning goal in the stoppage time to set up a clash with the New York Red Bulls U23s. Bennett again scored twice in a rain soaked affair to help Reading earn the win and advance to the National Semifinal.

Ahead of Thursday’s training session, Reading United Head Coach Alan McCann talked about his squad’s preparation for Saturday’s match, saying, “It’s a focused group and a hungry group. We’ve been working on a couple little things and now it’s all eyes on The Villages.” He continued, “They’re an experienced group of players. That can be good and bad for us. We’ve had a couple of tests with more experienced groups. It’s definitely going to test us, but we’re going to test them too. We’re really looking forward to it, we love the big tests.”

Reading United’s all-time leading goal scorer Khori Bennett, who has a league leading four playoff goals, said his teammates are relaxed as they prepare for the National Semifinal. “There’s no pressure. We believe we should be in the situation that we are right now. Right now, it’s about preparing properly for this next match.

The Villages SC make the journey up the East Coast to Reading as champions of the PDL’s Southern Conference. The Central Florida based club entered the Southern Conference Final Four as a wild-card team, finishing second to SIMA Aguilas in the Southeast Division during regular season. This is the Villages SC’s first trip to the PDL National Semifinal after entering the PDL in 2016.

The Buffalo stunned the previously unbeaten champions of the Deep South Division, Tormenta FC, in the conference semifinal. Felipe Antonio’s 34th minute goal was enough for the Villages squeak past Tormenta, 1-0.

In the conference final, the Buffalo need extra time to top their division rivals, SIMA Aguilas, 2-1. SIMA got out in front in the 17th minute only to concede four minutes later as the Villages SC leading scorer, Leonard Paiva, pulled his side level. Paiva would be credited with the assist on the game winning goal as he set up teammate Alvaro Macias’ goal in the 104th minute.

The National Semifinal will be available for live stream at the PDL website and on Reading United’s YouTube channel. Tickets to the the National Semifinal at Wilson’s Gurksi Stadium are available online at www.readingunitedac.com/tickets with all children 10 and under admitted to the match for free.