June 3, 2012
GREAT DEBUT
Hertzog's 2 goals lift Hammerheads

Corey Hertzog played apart in all three Wilmington goals in its 3-1 win over Orlando City. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- It did not take Corey Hertzog very long to make an impact with the wilmington Hammerheads.

Hertzog, on loan from the Red Bulls, scored two goals and set upa third in his debut, to boost the Hammerheads to a 3-1 victory over the USL PRO leaders, Orlando City, at Legion Stadium on Saturday night.

It was Orlando's first loss of the season.

Hertzog was loaned to the Hammerheads on Tuesday.

The Lions had recorded a 4-1 victory over Wilmington at the Florida Citrus Bowl in April. Orlando that opened the match on the offensive, as Dennis Chin tapped the ball into an open goal in the 13th minute to give the visitors the lead. Chin, gaining a step on his defender, used his speed to beat goalkeeper Alex Horwath, a former Red Bull, in a footrace.

The Hammerheads tied the game as as Mark Briggs sent a through-ball into the penalty area to a racing Hertzog, who blew past his defender and found himself with only goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo to beat. A quick fake to the right allowed Hertzog to round Gallardo, and he slid his shot into the open goal.

The hosts came out firing after the break. After 10 minutes in, they converted Hertzog's long throw-in into a goal to take a 2-1 lead. He launched the ball from the right side just in front of the goal and found Briggs, who fired the ball past Gallardo.

The clubs battled for the remainder of the half, with both having goal-scoring opportunities as the game went from end to end. It wasn't until stoppage time that another goal arrived. Hertzog found himself alone on a counterattack with Gallardo again as the Lions pushed forward to try and find an equalizer. Hertzog blasted the ball into the back of the net, giving Gallardo little chance.