The Carolina RailHawks fell 2-1 Saturday night against the Puerto Rico Islanders in their NASL season opener Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park. Etienne Barbara - who arrived in Cary from his native Malta late Friday night - equalized for the RailHawks on an 86th-minute penalty kick. But Puerto Rico's Jay Needham headed in a corner kick in stoppage time to deal the RailHawks their first home-opening defeat in club history (3-1-1). The RailHawks overcame trailing 1-0 for nearly an hour, playing down a man for 30 minutes and a driving rain storm to even the match minutes from full time only to succumb seconds away from the final whistle. Ten minutes into the game, the match was stopped for nearly two hours due to a thunder-and-lightening storm. After play resumed, Puerto Rico found the back of the net in the 32nd minute. Richard Martinez flung a ball through the area. It popped out to Hansen, and he struck it past a diving Brad Knighton at the near post. The RailHawks' two best chances came late in the first half. In the 42nd minute, Jonny Steele whipped a ball in from the left flank, but it was just out of the reach of Pablo Campos and Devon McKenney. Two minutes later, Steele hit a looping corner kick to the back post. Defender Cory Miller climbed above the defense and got a head on it, but the ball went wide. With a driving rain returning at the start of the second half, the RailHawks nearly capitalized when the ball died in a waterlogged spot in the Islanders' penalty area. The ball fell to Matt Watson, but his shot was saved by Puerto Rico goalkeeper Ray Burse. The RailHawks were dealt another blow in the 58th minute, when Steele was sent off for a hard tackle on Puerto Rico defender Scott Jones. Though down a man, the RailHawks' attack was energized. They spent the next 20 minutes in the Islanders' end. The equalizer materialized seven minutes after Barbara checked into the match. Floyd Franks struck a 25-yard free kick that was saved by Burse. Barbara gathered the rebound, then draw a foul near the corner of the area. Barbara stepped to the spot and drilled the kick into the upper right corner to tie the match 1-1. Puerto Rico went back on the attack. Carolina's Knighton made three saves in stoppage time. His last led to a Puerto Rico corner kick. The Islanders' Needham found a hole in the Carolina defense and headed in the game winner. Carolina continues its three-match, season-opening homestand next Saturday, when they meet the Montreal Impact at 7 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park.
