At 4pET today, the NISA Championship Match kicks off at Romeo Stadium. The finale of the 2022 NISA season features two clubs which have never raised the trophy. Michigan Stars will host visiting Albion San Diego in a match that no one would have predicted. In fact, in our Knights Who Say NISA bracket contest (in conjunction with CFC superfan Jed Henderson) literally no one predicted this matchup. Both clubs had to come through the presumptive favorite on their sides of the bracket and clearly no one thought BOTH could do it.

While some have criticized this pairing as disappointing, given the absence of the dominant big clubs of NISA (Chattanooga FC and Cal United Strikers), I think there’s a ton to see here. So with tonight’s matchup bearing down on us, here’s three things to watch for in this match.

Diakhate has been a revelation for Albion San Diego, scoring 12 goals in the regular season.

Albion’s Attacking Duo

Of course, everyone should be aware of the second highest scoring forward in the league, Alioune Diakhate. The Senegalese striker has been a force for Albion, scoring 12 goals and adding 4 assists for San Diego. He’s silky smooth on the ball and is a constant threat to beat the backline and get through to the box. However, don’t sleep on his fellow attacker, Mayele Malango. The former Revs II and New Amsterdam forward has really found a home for himself with Albion and, though his scoring has gone down, his constant movement has been headaches for defenders all season. In fact, even when these players don’t score, they’re constant harassment of the backline tends to open up scoring chances for the rest of the Albion attack. Both Diakhate and Malango scored in the semifinal match against Cal United and if Albion wants to win, I suspect one (if not both) of these talented attackers will need to find the back of the net.

The Keepers

In a league known for having great keepers, these two have really played major roles in their success. Michigan Stars’ Tatenda Mkuruva has been a standout since day one. An absolute powerhouse in the box, Mkuruva isn’t shy about controlling his area and keeping attackers in check. He’s the key piece in a Michigan defense that is the focus of the entire team. I counted 14 clean sheets this season, plus only once did the Stars give up more than 2 goals in a match. This is a stingy defense and the goal keeper is vital to the entire unit.

On the other side, Ben Roach didn’t come into this season with quite the same pedigree as his counter. However, he’s proved throughout this season to be a rock in the net for Albion. The defense in front of him has improved throughout the season and is, as head coach Ziggy put it during media day, “damn good.” Roach has kept Albion in matches with a combination of flashy saves and consistent play. He may not have the name recognition of Mkuruva, but he’s a solid addition to the NISa goalkeeper union.

The Officials

There’s been a lot of talk about refereeing this season, and it’s clear that part of it is because of how Michigan Stars play. The team plays an “aggressive” style of defense, according to their goalkeeper, but not “reckless.” Many of the clubs they played may disagree with that assessment. After last weekend’s semifinals, the angry roar on social media got even louder, when the Stars beat CFC in a bruising match that seemed to be called unevenly by the officials. With Albion’s attack the most important part of their play, you’d expect the Stars to really go hard to try and slow the visiting club down. Will the officials let them? Especially when there’s already focus on the issue? Hard to say.

If you’re a Stars supporter, you can point to the calendar and say that you’re still playing and I get that. Plus, if the ref lets play continue, that’s their fault, right?

Regardless of how this match ends, I think its a better matchup than many fans are admitting. The hottest attack against the staunchest defense, you can’t beat that. I understand that fans of clubs may be disappointed they can’t root for their team in the final, but there’s only two each year and both of this year’s entries earned their spot.

My prediction for this match 2-1 Stars. Enjoy!

- Dan Vaughn