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ATLANTA, Ga. (April 21, 2012) - The Tampa Bay Rowdies and Atlanta Silverbacks played to a 1-1 tie Saturday night at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, with both teams scoring in the second half.

Rowdies forward Daniel Antoniuk, who entered the game in the 67th minute, one-timed a perfect cross from forward Tsuyoshi Yoshitake on the back post to give the Rowdies a 1-0 lead in the 70th minute. It was Antoniuk's first goal of the season.

Atlanta rallied to earn a point when forward Reinaldo Navia scored the tying goal after a long pass from Lucas Paulini in the 87th minute.

The Rowdies applied pressure on the Silverbacks throughout the match. Forward Matt Clare, making his first career start, sent a left-footed cross across the goal mouth in the 10th minute, but the feed was just out of the reach of forward Tsuyoshi Yoshitake.

In the 14th minute, Tampa Bay had a golden opportunity to get on the scoreboard following a great individual run by defender Takuya Yamada. Yamada dribbled deep into Silverbacks territory before finding Yoshitake alone in front of the net. Yoshitake beat Silverbacks goalkeeper Daniel Illyes, but was called offsides on the play.

Clare had his best chance in the 27th minute after a perfect feed from midfielder Keith Savage, but his shot missed just wide to the right of the goal. Clare had another opportunity in the 45th minute with a left-footed strike from inside the box but his shot was saved by Illyes.

Forward Mike Ambersley had two chances early in the second half. His shot in the 55th minute was deflected off the side of the net for a corner kick after a nice pass from Clare. Just a minute later, Ambersley hit a left-footed strike from the other side of the box but was saved by Illyes.

Savage took a left-footed shot from just outside the box in the 62nd minute, forcing Illyes to dive to his left for the save. Ambersley had another opportunity from in close in the 74th minute, but he missed just wide to the right after some great build up.

The Silverbacks added offensive reinforcements late in the second half  inserting midfielder Danilo Turcios and forward David Santamaria, but it was Navia who found the equalizer. In the 87^th minute, a ball over the top from midfielder Lucas Paulini was converted by Navia, who snuck a header past Attinella to send the home crowd into a frenzy.

It was the Chilean forward’s third goal in the last two games, and it earned the Silverbacks a dramatic 1-1 draw, which was their third in a row to start the season.

Photo credit: Ron Holt