Detroit City FC 3 - 0 1904 FC

1904 FC played their first away match of the season and were unable to get the three in a row win streak they were hoping for. Having been briefly atop the table in the NISA 2021 fall season, one could understand why that might seem like something they could achieve. But Detroit City Football Club and their 4,664 fans were not about to let that happen. They were looking to get themselves back on track for yet another championship and a loss tonight wasn’t on the agenda.

With fouls from both sides of the ball and a goal for DCFC all happening in under 3 minutes it was evident that both sides came to play. Midfielder Connor Rutz was able to put the finishing touch on a skillful series of passes in front of 1904’s net and got it past a scrambling Austin Rogers.

The next 17 minutes were essentially La Rouge playing cat and mouse with the ball and allowing 1904 to have virtually zero possession. At minute 22 Jimmy Flerman, was able to get between the pipes, after a long run up the left side. With only 1904 keeper Rogers between him and the back of the net, he was able to drill a bullseye in making the score 2 - 0 for the red jerseys.

Though Rogers had let 2 go by in the first half he also made a few dramatic saves including yet another chance for DCFC after a freekick. He was able to follow the ball while it was in a pinball-like series of passes and stopped the goal attempt with catlike agility which kept the score within comeback range.

As the half wore on the away side was feeling the pressure to get on the board and it was evident in their play. There was more of a sense of urgency but they needed to combine that with control if they were going to contend. But it was Detroit that would keep all the control and the whistle at the half let 1904 go try to regroup and work toward getting those goals back in the second half.

Though they came back from the break looking renewed, it wouldn’t be enough to get past the home team. They did spend more time in front of City’s net but were unable to complete any chances they could create. In the 49th minute, defenseman Samuel Strong headed a dinger that hit the crossbar which helped DCFC’s Nate Steinwascher deny what would be the closest 1904 would come to scoring in the match. Forward Matt Hurlow, who came back after dislocating his shoulder in the first half “we were down 2-0 so we just popped it back in. It was an easy decision to go back out and play” showed the level of motivation to win tonight.

While 1904 was more prolific in the attempts to get on the board, Detroit spent the rest of the 90+ dominating the opposition and were even able to get one last one across the line for themselves just before entering stoppage. They would finish with a definitive 3 - 0 win and move back up to second place in the league, within striking range for a possible next trophy.

Michigan Stars 0 - 0 Stumptown AC

Coming into this match, both teams were in need of a win. After all the promise shown in their inaugural season, Stumptown struggled out of the box in the fall, losing on the road to Chattanooga after going up in the first half and then at home to Chicago House AC. Even worse, the team has struggled to score goals, punching in a single goal in 180 minutes of play. Stars weren’t exactly a paradigm of success either. After a very disappointing spring season, Michigan lost in a shootout to Cal United and followed it up with a 2-1 loss to upstart ‘04. Both teams had everything to gain from a strong showing this weekend, featuring a combined season point total of zero.

So with everything to play for, we got one of the worst matches of the weekend. Neither team scored and aside from a shot that went off the bar for Stumptown and a misplaced header by Amoo-Mensah for Stars, there just wasn’t much to get excited about. The teams split the points and go their separate ways and we’ve learned nothing about either club. Disappointing match to watch, especially given the excitement we saw across the league this weekend!

Chattanooga FC 3 - 0 Maryland Bobcats

You make your own luck is an apt saying for Saturday’s match at Finley Stadium between Chattanooga FC and the Maryland Bobcats. CFC came into the match hoping for a win after a disappointing loss to New Amsterdam and the Bobcats were hoping for something good off a difficult three-game road trip to start the fall NISA season.

CFC’s first goal came off a long, high pass up the field that was headed back by Maryland defender Jake Dengler which fell to the feet of the newly-signed Daniel Jackson. The striker was behind all the Bobcats’ field players but not officially in an offside position because the ball was not sent to him by a teammate. Jackson met the ball at full run, sped 35 yards down the pitch and slotted a nice ball into the corner of the net for Chattanooga’s first goal. While it may have been an unlucky play for Maryland, Jackson made his own luck by being in perfect position to catch up to the ball if it went behind the defense - which it did.

The Bobcats seemed to come out of the gate tentative on the offense and their play felt uncomfortable most of the game. Passes were not crisp and Chattanooga was able to easily cut through the midfield to find strong, open looks at the goal for most of the first half. Maryland weathered the storm and made it to halftime and the play became a bit more even as the second half started.

In the 65th minute, another long ball by CFC found Cam Woodfin in full stride into the Maryland penalty area. Woodfin made it past Christian Caulker, the Bobcats’ keeper, who pulled the CFC player down earning a penalty kick and a somewhat harsh red card. Juan Hernandez put away the PK to make it 2-0 for the Blues.

Down to 10 men and pressing high in the attack, the Bobcats succumbed to another goal off a long pass. Tate Robertson sent a long ball up the left side to James Kasak who, in stride behind the Maryland defense, slotted a centering pass to Jackson who tapped it home for a brace in his first Chattanooga match and a 3-0 win for the Blues.

Los Angeles Force 1 - 1 Cal United Strikers

LA Force and Cal United played to a 1-1 draw at Valley High School Stadium in Santa Ana, California last Saturday night. Attendance was by invitation only, as was the first home game for the Force, so the general public was only able to watch via streaming. Those who did watch the match saw an LA Force lineup with several changes – most notably not having midfielder Cristian Gordillo Moreno available. For Cal United, there was only one change in the starting XI from last week, and that was newly-signed Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Farias.

The first half would not feature any goals, but there was a clear difference in style of play. Cal United was the more aggressive side, pressing the LA Force and playing up tempo and direct. Forwards Omar Nuno and Alex Vedamanikam were active in the final third of the field. But LA Force made things difficult and kept Cal United from getting a clear scoring opportunity on goalkeeper Brandon Gomez. The Force were content to work on keeping possession and looking for opportunities for target forward Christian Chaney. They found him a few times, but nothing that turned out to be too threatening.

Cal United would break through first with a goal in the 55th minute from that man again, Omar Nuno. A long ball from the back would find Michael Bryant on the right side of the fiend in the LA Force side the field. Bryant would work his way past two defenders and get the ball to Nuno in stride and the forward slipped the ball past Gomez to the far side.

But the lead would not last. Cristian Ivanobski, who was creating chances down the right side for LA Force in the second half, would tie things up in the 62nd minute. Ivanobski collected a pass, maneuvered to the right corner just inside the 18, and took a shot that beat goalkeeper Steven Barrera to the near side.

Although both clubs tried to create opportunities, the rest of the match would not see another goal. Cal United’s Bryan De La Fuente would have the best change in stoppage time, but his shot to the far side would go just wide of the post.

The draw keeps both clubs without a defeat after three games. Cal United stays in the top half of the table, while LA Force continue to look for their first win of the Fall Season.

Chicago House 0 - 4 New Amsterdam FC

We’re big on talking about narratives (even have a regular article called the NISA Narrative) when it comes to NISA and wow, did this match not go the way everyone was expecting. With House hosting its home opener, there was an expectation that the team would beat up on New Amsterdam FC, especially after winning last week over Stumptown on the road. But nope.

New Amsterdam threatened the entire match - non-stop. Malango was the main point of attack for NAFC and he just bullied House defenders all night. That strength was used on both of his goals, the first and the third for the club, leaving defenders sprawled on the ground and the ball in the back of the net. The other two goals came from the feet of Batiz and Bermudez. This is not your daddy’s New Amsterdam FC. 4-0 on the road.

The match ended with NAFC going home with three points and Chicago House with the tough task of facing Detroit City next week. If NAFC can hang 4 on the new Chicago side, what will the reigning champion be able to accomplish? Better get ready for that one, boys!