NISA Update
FCU 2 - 0 Savannah Clovers
Images courtesy of Local 585.
After a rough road trip in which Flower City Union lost both matches, returning to Rochester paid off in a big way with 3 points and a win.
The first goal for Flower City would come in the 17th minute, when Malik Stewart took a quick throw-in and streaked up the right side. Stewart side stepped one defender, giving him space to fire a cross into the box where Matt Bolduc was waiting. Bolduc one-timed the shot past Pondy and put the homeside up 1-0.
While Savannah attempted to press and find a goal, FCU was the attacking team the entire first half. Stewart, Buldoc, and Diakhate combined repeatedly up front, creating chances, but not adding to the difference. That is, until just before the whistle ended the half. After a beautiful bit of work from Stewart to free himself, he passed to Buldoc in the box who cut his defender beautifully and was prevented from getting a brace by a great bit of goalkeeping by Pondy. The ball went out for a corner and Luke Ferreira hooked a perfect cross that found the foot of Diakhate who one-timed the shot into the goal. During an interview after the match with Valiant 33, Diakhate said it was a planned play the team had worked on in practice that week. It was Diakhate’s second goal of the week, after a long scoreless drought in NISA play.
Regardless of all the pressure Savannah could muster in the second half, the visiting side just couldn’t get the ball into the net. The 2-0 win moves Flower City over Savannah in the standings as the two battled for last place pole position. The Clovers are now winless in their last seven matches.
Gold Star 2 - 0 Maryland Bobcats
Suboptimal broadcast quality on this one. Camera angle did no one any favors, though the announcing crew did admit that the club’s current home field didn’t offer a lot of ways to improve the camera issue. Considering the promises of the club regarding stadiums, it’s especially irritating.
Both teams had chances in the first half, with both keepers making fantastic saves to keep it even. Maryland’s Sylvanus Thompson had some spectacular diving saves on several point blank shots to keep the homeside scoreless for MOST of the first half. The breakthrough would come just before halftime, when Gold Star dribbled up the left side. The ball cross into the box and find a bit of a scrum, but Tekodah Lobsiger would locate the ball and finish the goal just seconds before the whistle would blow to end the half.
The second goal would come in the 62nd minute. Gold Star moved the ball pretty well through Maryland’s backline, who looked a little slow-footed. A quick ball through the box would find the foot of Max Rugova, who buried it for the second goal. What happened after that is hard to tell, because the Eleven Sports file ends with Gold Star celebrating the goal. All I can confidently say is that the score ended 2-0 with Gold Star getting a home win.
Maybe the greatest photo in NISA history?
Chattanooga FC 1 - 1 Club De Lyon
Sometimes you can do everything right for 90 minutes and still not get 3 points. But, as they say, if you’re coming for the king, you best not miss.
This season, Club De Lyon has been everything you’d expect from an expansion club. Inconsistent at times, for sure, but displaying enough pop to wet the appetite. That pop has been mostly from the stellar play of front man Ignaco “Kini” Ten Lopez, who has been challenging for the NISA scoring lead since entering the league. Of course, the man he’s chasing is the winner of last year’s Golden Boot, CFC legend Markus Naglestad. More on him later.
For the most part, this match was even between the two clubs. Chances for both, but neither able to complete the pattern and score. The first score would come in the 63rd minute, when Club De Lyon got a free kick outside the box. The ball in looked relatively harmless, but Antoine, who played well this match, didn’t hold onto the ball. Duque, who was charging into the box, bundled it into the net, pushing his defender and the ball. It wasn’t a goal for a highlight reel, but it put the visiting side up 1-0 and in the driver’s seat.
After the goal, Club De Lyon went into a much more compact shell, trying to ride out CFC’s attempts to score and, for the lion’s share of the second half, they were successful on that front. It wasn’t until the very end of the match, after two consecutive corners for Chattanooga, that the visiting side made an error. With the Blues scrambling to find some hope in extra time, the ball came to Richard Dixon, who dribbled toward the box. A CDL defender flashed in front of the CFC captain, dragging his leg, and Dixon sold the foul, earning a free kick. Naglestad would step up and bag a goal on the free kick, beating the keeper and saving the homeside’s undefeated streak. It was a spectacular goal and exactly what you’d expect from the best striker in NISA history.
CFC did what they had to do to get the points. That’s what champions do. CDL worked their butts off and earned a point when they could have gotten three. That’s what expansion sides do. Great match overall.
Albion San Diego 1 - 1 Michigan Stars
It was a rematch of last season’s final, but both clubs are in very different places. The vast majority of Albion’s coaching staff and roster are long gone, but there have been signs of hope as this team finds its legs in a new season. For the Stars, it’s more of the same. Currently one of just two undefeated teams in NISA, the defending champs have been steady as you go, with just 6 matches under its belt.
This match was a fun one, with both teams going back and forth, trying to capitalize on the other’s mistakes. And the opening goal came as a result of the Stars pressing Albion’s backline, forcing one such mistake. With Maric breathing down his neck, the usually steady goalkeeper for Albion, Ben Roach, cleared the ball badly, resulting in a ball that didn’t go far enough to relieve the pressure he was under. Maric recovered the ball just outside the box on the right side and slotted a beautiful pass into the box that found Hunter Olsen, who pounded it home.
Albion’s equalizer was a thing of attacking beauty. A series of passes gashed the Stars left side, and after a shot went off the crossbar, it fell to Corey Lundeen who headed the ball into an empty goal. Mkruva had dived to prevent the previous shots, leaving the goal mouth wide open. It was a beautiful example of the kind of soccer that Albion can play when it all clicks: slick passing, good off ball movement, and deadly finishing.
The second half was marred by an Albion red card. It appeared to be for dissent, but it’s hard to tell from the video feed. Eduard Saucedo drove into the box after taking a short pass in from a corner kick. He took a shot which appeared to be deflected by a Stars defender, but instead the result was ruled a goal kick by the official. As Mkruva prepared for the kick, the play was whistled dead and Saucedo issued a red. He exploded and loudly protested the ruling until he was forced back by team captain Tyler Gabarra. It was a pretty dramatic turn of events. The announcers on the call indicated that a Michigan Star player may have complained to the official before the red card was issued. We reached out to the league for clarification on the card. According to the league, it was for “abusive language (a foreign-language ‘F you.’).”
Regardless of their opponents being down a man, Michigan Stars were unable to find a go-ahead goal in the second half. The result of the match is Albion moving into third on the table, while Stars fall to fifth.
This Week’s Matchups
Thursday
Gold Star Detroit vs Michigan Stars
Ah, a matchup of two clubs that promised stadiums and haven’t delivered them. GSD coming off a big win over Maryland. Stars off a draw. I’ll take Stars until they lose a match.
Saturday
Maryland Bobcats vs Club De Lyon
Maryland wants to bounce back, while CDL has to be limping from what should have been an upset win against CFC. Maryland needs this, I’ll take cats.
Chattanooga vs LA Force
LA has been looking better than expected with back to back 2-1 wins. Does that mean I think they’ll upset CFC? HA! Nope. CFC continues its run.
- Dan Vaughn
You might ask, “Dan, why didn’t you include photos from two of the four matches?” That’s because four of the eight clubs in action this weekend didn’t share any photos from their matches. Super great way to promote the league, guys.