July 27, 2008
Reading, Pa. -- The Brooklyn Knights' quest to reach the Premier Development League Final Four for the second consecutive season fell short Sunday.

Tyrell Burgess converted a penalty kick in the 40th minute and the Reading Rage made it stand up en route to a 1-0 victory over the Knights to capture the Eastern Conference title at Exeter High School.

The Rage (13-3-2) advanced to the PDL semifinals next weekend.

The Knights finished the season at 11-3-4.

Referee Ian Bongaardt handed out seven yellow cards and one red card on a hot and humid day. Brooklyn's Sebastian Alvarado was given his marching orders in the 90th minute before a crowd of 510.

The five Knights who were yellow carded were Jeff Matteo (40th minute), Tarik Smith (43rd minute), Javier Gonzalez (53rd minute), Matia Damiani (61st minute) and Mathias Carrizo (77th minute).

Reading's Burgess (45th minute) and Scott Rowling (69th minute) were cautioned.

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By Gary Tim

Reading, PA (July 25, 2008) -- In 2007, they were combatants in the same grouping for the regular season, and eventually contested the Eastern Conference finals.

This year, they were separated for the preliminary matches, but on July 25^th, they met again. Once more, the Brooklyn Knights used rivals Cape Cod Crusaders as stepping stones to higher accolades in the PDL championships, as they lanced their rivals for a penalty-kick triumph in what was termed a “battle of the medieval militiamen”.

By Gary Tim

 Brooklyn, NY (July 22, 2008) -- “The Brooklyn Knights are playoffs bound!”  That’s the catch phrase swirling around soccer circles in New York City ’s most populous borough.  

 But, it’s not the first time that Knights’ head coach Joe Balsamo has been inundated with such lexis. For the second-year instructor, the echo reverberates from the 2007 season when his team went all the way to the national semifinals.   

Now, this year Balsamo is addressing the “peaks and valleys to go beyond the podium’s runner-up position”, and his sights are set on getting the national pennant. “Monday, we start practice again and be ready for the playoffs. I know the guys are mentally ready and I am ready. We’re looking forward to Friday night and we’ll see what happens,” he said after Brooklyn ’s last game, a 3-2 win at home to Fredericksburg Gunners on Saturday. 

by Gary Tim
Brooklyn, NY (July 20, 2008) -- It was the night after ‘The Dark Knight’ became the highest single-day grossing movie, that the Brooklyn Knights wrapped their last regular season game with familiar and unusual sightings as they outwitted the Fredericksburg Gunners 3-2 on Saturday at Aviator Field.

Though cementing their place as the champions of the PDL Eastern Conference Northeast Division, the win took the Knights’ unbeaten run to six games since their 1-nil loss to Long Island Rough Riders on June 25^th. As well, it marked their third straight home win and playoffs-sendoff glee for their fans.

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- The Brooklyn Knights overcame a one-goal deficit in the final 16 minutes to record a 3-2 victory over the Fredericksburg Gunners in a Premier Development League game at Aviator Field Saturday night.

Tomasz Groch, off a Hemir Nibeles assist, equalized in the 74th minute. Julio Cesar Santos broke the tie seven minutes later from a free kick 20 yards out after Tarik Smith foul

Richard Petty had given the Gunners (8-7-0, 24) a lead in the 42nd minute, but Tarik Smith tied it in the 58th minute.

Cristian Neagu, thanks to a Matt Lacey assist, lifted the Gunners back into the lead in the 70th minute.

The Knights will play Friday vs. Cape Cod  in the First eastern Confernce Semi at  5:30 pm at Exeter High School Stadium, Reading Pa                       

Brooklyn, NY (July 15, 2008) -- The game was deadlocked on a pair of goals apiece. But, with 25 minutes left, striker Tarik Smith scored the go-ahead on a Sebastian Alvarado assist, and the giddiness of the Brooklyn Knights had stepped in a little. With the anxiety of postgame celebration sketched on their faces, not even assistant coach Shomari Ramsay could stand to wait another minute.

But the Knights came together to stoutly defend that lead and the 3 points needed for a win away to rivals Westchester Flames last Saturday. “We’re going to the playoffs,” Ramsay said, and the victorious Knights cheered and applauded each other around him. “It was the epitome of teamwork being responsible to achieve goals, in the truest sense.”

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July 12, 2008

New Rochelle, N.Y. -- The Brooklyn Knights are in.

They overcame a one-goal deficit in the second half to rally for a 3-2 victory over the Westchester Flames in Premier Development League action and clinched first place in the Northern Division at City Park Stadium Saturday night.

July 11, 2008

By Dylan Butler
BigAppleSoccer.com Associate Editor

When Joe Balsamo thought about what his team was lacking heading into what he hopes is another long run in the Premier Development League playoffs, the Brooklyn Knights coach figured he needed an experienced forward who was lethal in the box, but also someone who could fit into his team’s ball control system.

In other words, he wanted Julio Cesar Dos Santos. In just two games with the Brooklyn Knights, veteran Julio Cesar Dos Santos has three goals and has set up three others.
Photo by Christina Santucci

by Gary Tim
Brooklyn, NY (July, 9th 2008) -- The Brooklyn Knights woke this morning to the news that their repossession of the Northeast Division lead on Sunday was short-lived to two days, after the Newark Ironbound .Express jumped back in front by a point from a win last night.
But, the Knights didn’t panic. They had another chance to reverse the experience later in the day against the visiting Ocean City Barons.
So while they put up familiar faces in the starting-11, they were joined by another regular ally – heavy rainfall – to reboot themselves back into the divisional lead with a 4-1 triumph at Aviator Field.
Not only did the win propel Brooklyn (8-2-4, 28pts) over Newark (7-2-6, 27pts), but it also marked just the second time that the Knights have beaten the Barons in ten match-ups all-time, with two of those games ending in ties, including their last clash on June 7th.
 

                      By Dylan Butler
 BigAppleSoccer.com Associate Editor

Brooklyn, N.Y. – His team had gotten off to a terrible start, giving up a goal even before one of his players touched the ball. But Brooklyn Knights coach Joe Balsamo wasn’t worried.

There was still more than 89 minutes to play and besides, the weather forecast was in his favor. You see, it usually rains when the Knights play at Aviator Field. Heck, it usually rains when they practice there.

by Gary Tim
 Brooklyn, NY (July 6, 2008) -- Going into their sixth home game, the Brooklyn Knights needed 3 points from their clash with the New Jersey Rangers to regain a grip on the Northeast Division leaders’ post.  After 30-plus minutes, they had 3 goals, and the prospects were on tap. But then, their 13th regular season game seemed spooky as a quick 3 goal (hat-trick) response by a Rangers sub created heavy weather for the Knights to scrape a late afternoon 4-3 triumph at a humid, overcast Aviator Field. “I’m happy for the result, I’ll take the three points,” a relieved Knights head coach Balsamo said afterwards. 
 

By Dylan Butler
BigAppleSoccer.com Associate Editor

Brooklyn, N.Y. – It was supposed to be easy. And by all indications it was going to be. Buoyed by new signing Julio Cesar Dos Santos, the Brooklyn Knights jumped all over the expansion New Jersey Rangers, leading by three goals after just 35 minutes

BROOKLYN , NY --- The Long Island Rough Riders defeated the Brooklyn Knights 1-0 on an 83^rd minute penalty kick by Rough Rider Tadeu Terra. Terra tied the team in goals with four on the season and tied with team lead in point with 12. 

 

In the first half both teams returned to the locker room after 45 minutes scoreless and only credited shots were taken Knights captain Jeff Matteo and Rough Rider Dan Kramer.  Brooklyn had two corner kicks and both easily missed the net; a shot from Tarik Smith missed the lower right post by inches and the other was a shot by Matteo.

The Brooklyn Knights maintained its four-point lead in the Northeast Division by recording a 4-0 victory over the host New Jersey Rangers in a Premier Development League Saturday night.

Hemir Niebles scored one goal and set up another for the Knights (6-1-2, 20 points), who lead the Westchester Flames (5-2-1, 16). The expansion Rangers (four) fell to 1-8-1.

 At the next knights home game Saturday June 14th 7:30 pm at Aviator Field , Brooklyn, NY .

The Brooklyn Knights  will Honor Brooklyn Born Paul Malignaggi IBF Jr. Welterweight World Champion with the game kick off ceremony

Paul Malignaggi  was born in Brooklyn, New York, but moved to Syracuse, Sicily in Italy, and then to Palazzolo Acreide, Sicily when he was a few months old and lived there until he was six years of age.

When his family moved back to the United States, Malignaggi only spoke Italian and Sicilian, but picked up the English language quickly.

His father left and his mother soon remarried. When he was 16, Malignaggi was thrown out of high school. He was living with his maternal grandparents at the time, and his grandfather Umberto Vinci and his uncle Dario Vinci took him to a boxing gym to see if it would keep Paulie out of trouble.

"I ended up loving the gym and have been there ever since." Malignaggi said. "I still remember my first day there. It was June 26, 1997. I remember training with my old trainer, Willie Badillo. He was teaching me a jab and right hand in front of the mirror, but throwing them really slowly to get the form down correctly. I started with a good foundation. I wrapped my hands and thought it looked so cool."

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Ocean City, N.J. -- Thve Brooklyn Knights still have won only once at Carey Stadium in the five years they have played here, but they did manage to come away away with a point in a tie with the Ocean City Barons Saturday night.

The Knights and Barons played to a 1-1 draw in a Premier Development game.

Brooklyn (5-1-2, 17 points), which is 1-6-2 at Carey, remained in first place in the Northeast Division. The Barons (3-0-4, 13) stayed unbeaten

After Barons defender Tyler Bellamy was sent off in the 38th minute for pulling down Tarik Smith from behind in the penalty area, Jeff Matteo converted a penalty kick in the 38th minute, his fifth goal of the season.

Five minutes later, the Knights returned the favor, clipping Brad Franks just inside the right side of the box, giving Ocean City a spot kick of their own. Defender John Fletcher tied the game with his second goal this season.

The Knights' next game is out of the league -- as they visit the Carolina RailHawks in a Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup first-round match Tuesday night.

by Gary Tim

Brooklyn, NY (June 4^th, 2008) - For the third time, the rain gods came out to boogie on the day of a Brooklyn Knights’ home game.  And, for the third time, their divine dance characterized the celebration of a win by the homesters.

But it was no waltz in the park on a wet and dicey Aviator Field turf. The Knights had to segue deep into their reserves to sashay a 2-0 shutout in their soggy soccer salsa with the Newark IronBound Express on Wednesday, June 4^th.

From the opening whistle, the test on the teams’ technical skills in controlling the slippery ball was evident. A misjudged tackle by the Knights in the 2^nd minute gave the Express’ a threatening free-kick on the fringes of the box. The kick by Teddy Niziolek, who came in on the back of a hattrick against the Ottawa Fury four days before, was overshot high and wide of the mark.

This story could have been, “The Brooklyn Knights are into the 2008 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup”, simply put. But, though the stalwart USL-PDL franchise displays ‘simple soccer’, it was no easy journey to the prestigious tourney for the first time in its 11-year history.   
After an encouraging start to the season with two home victories, the Knights packed for the road and fans held their breath. Then in 1 week, they made 2 distinct trips to play 3 games and gained 4 more points, making it 5 games and adding to the earlier 6 points for the season. That sequential numbers appraisal now has their fans releasing gushes of pride for their white and blue-clad ballweavers.

Manchester, N.H. -- A draw turned into a major victory for the Brooklyn Knight Sunday.

The Knights clinched a berth in the Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup with a 1-1 tie with the New Hampshire Phantoms in a Premier Development Legaue encounter at Manchester Memorial High School.

St. Albans, Vt. -- The Brooklyn Knights’ quest to qualify for the Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup remained on track as they recorded a 2-0 Premier Development League win over the Vermont Voltage Saturday night.

Hemir Niebles led the way with a goal and an assist.

 

Gaolie Chris Antonino savors USL Team of the Week selection

by Gary Tim

Chris Antonino’s first momentous honor in his competitive career has him agog with gratitude, but the Brooklyn Knights’ goalie wants to use his USL-PDL Team-of-the-Week award to steer his team’s drive to the 2008 crown.

Antonino joins ten other players from the country-wide, 67-team league on the Week-4 honor roll that was named on May 14. He got the nod for his stifling saves in his team’s 1-nil season opener at home to Westchester Flames in rainy weather on May 9. The Knights’ starting goalie had 10 saves to prop the shut-out, including back-to-back close quarter ‘put-aways’ late in the game.

Westchester

Brooklyn, NY (May 5, 2008) -- The Brooklyn Knights has today announced the provision of audio broadcast, via the internet, of its home games in the 2008 USL-PDL regular season. The first official relay will be on Friday May 9^th, with a launch just before the Knights’ regular season opener against Westchester Flames

by Gary Tim   

Brooklyn, NY (May, 13, 2008) -- The Long Island Rough Riders rode into town high on their two game, four point joint Division leading stats, and got a jolting dismount from the Brooklyn Knights who pulled them back to earth by 3 goals to 1 in a bruising battle on Tuesday, May 13^th. The two Eastern Conference - Northeast Division powerhouses locked sabers on a dry, but cool night at the Avaitor Field in the eagerly anticipated rivalry.

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- The Brooklyn Knights grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first half and never looked back as they went   on  to register a 3-1 win over the Long Island Rough Riders in a Premier Development League game at Aviator Field Tuesday night.The victory, which also counted toward Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup qualifying, boosted the Knights to 2-0 while the Rough Riders dropped to 1-1.

TWICE AS NICE
Knights win opener, Open Cup qualifier

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- In the Premier Development League, it’s never too early to play a critical match and that was the case for both the Brooklyn Knights and the Westchester Flames when they took to the rain-soaked turf at Aviator Complex Friday night.
Photo by Linda Cuttone/SportsVue Images

The rain gods came to Brooklyn for an all-day stay on Friday, May 9^th. And, the Westchester Flames also paid a visit for their 2008 PDL match-up against the Brooklyn Knights.

In the end, it seemed like the Knights used the conditions brought by the unsolicited all-day visit to drench the blaze of their latter guest, dousing them with a 1 goal to nil triumph on a sodden Aviator Field. 

Consuming your own gourmet setting is, often times, sweet and satisfying.  And, so it was for a select Brooklyn Knights squad that bit into a sugar-coated mini triangular tourney it hosted on Friday, May 2^nd, and won without any hiccups for its ‘goalie’.

Like expert chefs, the Brooklyn Knights are cooking-up their strategy for the imminent 2008 USL Premiere Development League (PDL) soccer season, and have spiced that up with two pre-season engagements that will ensure the club adds the perfect ingredients to their high performance pot.

By Gary H. Tim

 The 2008 PDL season of the United Soccer Leagues is within sight. And, with eyes focused on the championship crown, the Brooklyn Knights have officially announced the initial signing of thirteen (13) players to make up its ‘firing squad’.

Like the other 66 teams in this year’s expanded league, the Brooklyn-based franchise is aiming for the ultimate prize, and the preliminary list is geared to trigger its shot at the target.

After his team sipped from the PDL’s Eastern Conference champion’s ‘cup’ last year, Brooklyn Knights’ stalwart midfielder Matia Damiani (MAH-tee-uh DAHM-ee-ahn-ee) is thirsty for the taste of overall national glory.  He is optimistic that the Knights’ preparations, so far this year, are on tap to realize “an even better season” that will be an eruption of pride for its fans and the wider boro of Brooklyn.

Thursday, March 20^th, 2008

 Coming off of their terrific run last season, the Brooklyn Knights are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to drink from the champions’ cup in the 2008 USL Premiere Development League (PDL).  And, already a glut of ballweavers are hoping to impress the coaching staff to be on the 2007 Eastern Conference – Northeast Division champions’ final squad.