Do Haeng Michael Kitchen

August 13, 2019
Friendly
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Detroit City FC 0, Indy Eleven 1
Attendance: 4,350

IND Eugene Starikov 71′

Behind the scenes, the transition from the classic NPSL season to the NPSL Members Cup was a bit bumpy.  When the season began, it was to be called the NPSL Founders Cup, as the NPSL was going to grow a professional league for the 2020 season.  Eleven teams were slated to be in the tournament, divided into two regions.

East Region:
Chattanooga FC
Detroit City FC
Miami FC
Miami United FC
Milwaukee Torrent
New York Cosmos

West Region:
ASC San Diego
Cal FC
California United Strikers FC
FC Arizona
Oakland Roots SC

On March 2, 2019, California United Strikers FC withdrew from the Founders Cup.  Three months later, they were accepted into the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA).

On June 27, 2019, Oakland Roots SC withdrew from the NPSL Founders Cup.

On July 24, 2019, Miami FC joined the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA).  This forced the NPSL to rebrand the tournament from the Founders Cup to the NPSL Members Cup, and realign with the removal of some teams and the addition of others.  The tournament became a six-team, home-and-home competition, best record take-all format featuring:

Chattanooga FC
Detroit City FC
Michigan Stars FC
Milwaukee Torrent
Napa Valley 1839 FC
New York Cosmos

Two days after this friendly, Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, and Oakland Roots SC were accepted as members of NISA.

Indy Eleven is a USL Championship team with ties to Coach Trevor James.  James was their assistant coach and scout for two seasons prior to the team’s transition to the USL in 2018.

The USL Championship is the league just below MLS.

 

The limited edition print for tonight’s game was the bad-ass print hanging on the far right of the three that I purchased during the year.

The Iron Front symbol – dating back to an anti-Nazi paramilitary organization formed in Germany in the 1930s – represents opposition to fascism and persecution.

Earlier this week, the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders of MLS banned the symbol from flags and banners, claiming that it has become appropriated by some in the loosely structured antifa movement, at times in the context of violence.  Needless to say, the Northern Guard Supporters stand with the Timbers Army and Emerald City Supporters against the ban.

The match, as a whole, was a good barometer for the team.  Indy Eleven was tough, and City held their own against this USL Championship team.