A spectacular free kick goal on a picture perfect Saturday night saw Reading United come from behind to defeat visiting Real Central New Jersey, 2-1. Man of the Match Michael Rempel’s lightning bolt free kick goal from 20 yards in the 82nd minute helped complete United’s comeback and secure three crucial points in the red hot race to win the USL League Two Mid-Atlantic Division. RCNJ forward Justin Brunow's goal late in the first half stunned the hosts before Reading climbed back into the match thanks to a 63rd minute tally by Jack McDaid.

The divisional foes were locked in a stalemate for much of the first half as neither side was able to seize the initiative in a half punctuated by choppy play and 12 fouls. 

Real Central New Jersey broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute when they took a 1-0 lead through Brunow’s slick goal. Curt Calov dispossessed United defender Eamon McLaughlin deep in Reading’s half. Calov cut inside and played a square ball to Hugo Cakurda, who unlocked the Reading defense with a through ball to Brunow. The RCNJ forward silenced the home crowd as he poked the ball past United goalkeeper Jason Smith. 

Reading came out of the locker room and immediately began pressuring their guests to open the second half. That pressure would crack the RCNJ defense in the 63rd minute.

Substitute Liam May played a quick throw to United forward Sam Hershey. Reading’s leading scorer fought off two RCNJ defenders to work his way into the six yard box and played a low cross to the feet of Jack McDaid. The midfielder from Havertown, Pennsylvania fired the ball into the net to level the match at 1-1.

Reading would complete the comeback in the game’s final minutes. Giampaolo Nardi was fouled from behind just outside the RCNJ penalty area to set up a dangerous free kick chance for the hosts. Midfielder, and Man of the Match, Michael Rempel stepped up and hit a glorious free kick that rocketed into the upper right corner of the goal, igniting the home crowd and giving Reading a 2-1 lead with less than four minutes left in regulation.

Goalkeeper Jason Smith made several clutch stops in the nearly six minutes of second half stoppage time to seal Reading’s third win of the 2024 season. United are now 3-1-0 this season and are tied with next week’s opponent, the Ocean City Nor’easters, on nine points at the top of the Mid-Atlantic Division.

Next week’s showdown with the Nor’easters is set for Saturday, June 9th when they host their longtime rivals at Alvernia University Stadium. The old foes played a pair of 1-1 draws in 2023. The Reading United-Ocean City rivalry is the oldest active rivalry in the USL. This will be the clubs’ 58th all-time meeting. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00pm. Single game and season tickets for the 2024 campaign can be purchased online at www.readingunitedac.com/tickets.

READING, PA (29 May 2024) –  Reading United opened their 2024 home slate in dominant fashion routing the visiting Philadelphia Lone Star, 7-1, in USL League 2 midweek action at Alvernia University Stadium. Sam Hershey jump started Reading’s offense, scoring twice in the first half to push his season tally to four goals. Dominik Topolsky, Giampaolo Nardi, Tim Timchenko, Sora Noda and Carlo Cavalar found the back of the net in the second half. The 7-1 win was Reading’s largest margin of victory since 2013 when United pounded the Westchester Flames, 8-0

Hershey got the scoring going in the 23rd minute, tapping in from short range after the Lone Star goalkeeper Flannan Riley spilled a shot directly in his path. It was the American University forward’s third goal of the season and gave him goals in each of Reading’s first three matches of the 2024 season.

The lead would last only nine minutes as Lone Star leveled in the 32nd minute. Aboubacar Camara got Lone Star on the board when he buried a shot past United backstop Kieran Brown. 

Just before halftime, Hershey broke the deadlock with his fourth goal of the young season. The Lancaster County native took a pass from Nardi and coolly slotted home to put United back in the lead at 2-1.

Reading picked up where they left off when they came out of the locker room for the second half. In the 50th minute, Topolsky found himself with time and space 30 yards from goal when he unleashed a cracking shot that rippled the back of the net to extend United’s advantage to 3-1.

Two minutes later, Reading had the ball in the back of the net yet again. With the home side piling forward, Nardi took a ball from Topolsky and fired home to push the hosts to a 4-1 lead.

Reading captain Tim Timchenko was next to get on the score sheet when he thumped home a headed ball off a gorgeously placed corner kick from Liam May in the 68th minute to make it 5-1 to United.

The rout was on when substitute Sora Noda deftly chipped the Lone Star goalkeeper to make it 6-1 to Reading in the 76th minute.

Three minutes later, Noda turned provider when his shot on goal was parried by the Philly goalkeeper. Carlo Cavalar was in the right place at the right time and made no mistake as he fired home to cap the scoring at 7-1.

The Reading United men are back in action on Saturday, June 1st when they host Real Central New Jersey at Alvernia University Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 7:00pm. Single game and season tickets for the 2024 campaign can be purchased online at www.readingunitedac.com/tickets.