06/08/2018

 

FC Columbus vs Detroit City FC

 

Celebrating Youth Soccer Night for the first time in club history, the future soccer stars of tomorrow saw FC Columbus hold on to draw Detroit City FC at home.

 

In an affair that that could be characterized as a tale of two halves, FC Columbus came out strong early in the rainy first half.

 

High pressure from the home team, forced turnovers from the visiting squad and led to the first shot of the match. Capitalizing on a DCFC turnover in the midfield in the 3rd minute, FC Columbus’s Shakie Diawara was able to find space and force DCFC’s Fernando Pina into the first save of the match.

 

Having found success early on, FC Columbus continued to pressure the DFCF backline. In the 15th minute, their pressure would pay off as Ezra Armstrong was able to step in front of an errant pass by DCFC. With a head of steam, Armstrong pushed the ball down the left wing and was able to find Youssef Naciri in the box. With a return pass Naciri found Armstrong, who with a nifty touch cleared DCFC’s last defender and Pina, putting FC Columbus in front 1-0 for the first time against the visiting squad.

 

Despite taking the lead, FC Columbus seemed to be on the back foot of the rest of the match. Possession would be dominated by DCFC for the balance of the half, though they would struggle to find any real chances to score. Following a foul by FC Columbus’s Armstrong in stoppage time, FC Columbus would take the lead into the locker room.

 

By the time the teams returned from the break, the rain had stopped. Both teams looked to take control of the game early in the half, finding themselves on both ends of hard challenges in the midfield. 

 

FC Columbus’s Damani Camara almost doubled the home sides lead in the 50th minute after pushing the ball past DCFC’s Cory Miller. His well struck shot from the top of the box sailed wide of the post to the relief of visiting squad.

 

Again, following an early effort from the home squad, DCFC would take control of possession for the remainder of the second half.

 

Following a number of FC Columbus substitutions made in an attempt to shore up the defense for the final 10 minutes of the match, DCFC’s domination of possession finally paid dividends.

 

After earning a corner following a poorly cleared ball by FC Columbus, DCFC’s Stephen Carroll header found its way into the bottom corner the net, leveling the score line at 1-1 in the 85th minute.

 

Stunned by the goal, FC Columbus’s youth was put on full display as both Kevin Blackwood and new comer Madifing Conde would be dismissed due to yellow card accumulation in stoppage time.

 

Despite being down to 9 men for the remainder of the match, FC Columbus would hold on to see out the draw and earn its first point against DCFC.

 

FC Columbus hits the road next weekend for two critical matches against Grand Rapids FC (06/15) and Kalamazoo FC (06/17). 

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FC Columbus

Goal: Ezra Armstrong (15')

Cautions -  YC: 60' - Madifing Conde, 83' - Charles Renken, 85' - Kevin Blackwood.

Sent off - RC: 92' -  Kevin Blackwood, 94' - Madifing Conde

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Detroit City FC

Goal: Stephen Carroll (86')

Cautions - YC: 58' - Tyler Stephens, 93' - Bradley Centala