Written by Michael Lewis

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Matt Whelan scored twice as the Long Island Rough Riders scored all their goals in a big second half en route to 5-0 triumph over FA Euro in USL League Two action at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Sunday night.

Jeorgio Kocevski, Nick Dang and Kasper Poulsgaard also found the net for the Riders, who remained atop the Metropolitan Division with a perfect 6-0-0 mark and 18 points.

Team captain Nick Cavallo and midfielder Filip Mirkovic celebrated their return to the club after successful venture at The Soccer Tournament. Cavallo set up the first two scores with left-wing crosses and Mirkovic assisted on the third tally.

Cavallo and Mirkovic were selected to play for the Wrexham Red Dragons in the 7 v 7 tournament in Cary, N.C. earlier this month. Both players stood out, helping the Welsh side reach the Round of 16.

Goalkeeper Wessel Speel secured the clean sheet as FA Euro remained winless at 0-4-2.

While Long Island held ball possession for huge stretches of time in the first half, the hosts could not find the net.

FA Euro played a tough defense, keeping many players behind the ball, limiting the Riders’ chances.

Two minutes into the second half, the Rough Riders cracked the FA Euro defense as Cavallo bolted down the left flank and sent a cross to Kocevski at the far post as he rocketed into the net past goalkeeper Archie Watts for a 1-0 lead and his fourth goal of the campaign.

With the visitors needing a goal for a tie, FA Euro started to push up more as the game started to even out a bit in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.

Then Cavallo went into action again, assisting on the second goal in the 56th minute as he set up Whelan with another cross from the left side. Whelan had little trouble slotting the ball home from close range at the far post for a two-goal advantage.

The floodgates opened for the Riders, who added two more goals within a three-minute span.

Whelan added his second off a counterattack off a Mirkovic feed in the 77th minute.

Nick Dang made 4-0, drilling a shot from the top of the box in the 80th minute.

Poulsgaard, a second-half substitute, made his Rough Riders debut a memorable one, scoring his first goal with an 89th-minute goal.

In the opening game of the doubleheader, the Rough Riders women edged past FA Euro, 2-1, on a late goal by Lia Howard.

The Rough Riders men visit Manhattan SC in a top of the table clash on Wednesday, June 14 at 7:30 p.m. The team will return home on June 19th for a rescheduled match vs.Cedar Stars.