August 17, 2019
NPSL Members Cup
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Detroit City FC 2, Chattanooga FC 1
Attendance: 6,752
DCFC Marcello Borges (Cyrus Saydee) 23′
DCFC Danny Deakin (Ryan Peterson) 60′
CFC Alun Webb 64′
Record: 1-0-0 3 points, 3rd Place.
We open the NPSL Members Cup with a visit from our frenemies from the south – Chattanooga FC. We’ve played three friendlies against them, enjoying each others’ company over those weekends, minus the 90 minutes of match play. The Chattahooligans, like the Northern Guard, are great people.
The beginning of a new competition means a new tifo!
In the three friendlies, each team has won a game, and there was a draw. A single goal was the margin of victory in both wins. This promised to be another close match, and both teams delivered.
In the 25th minute, Marcello Borges breaks the ice upon receiving a beautiful pass from Cyrus Saydee.
In the second half, Danny Deakin made this run to score at the 60th minute mark to double the lead.
Even though they’re our friends, for these 90 minutes they’re the opponent.
This evening, City recognized bike awareness night. Ryan Peterson (#3) made us aware of his bicycle skills.
Chattanooga’s Alun Webb scored four minutes after Danny Deakin, to bring it back to a one-goal game. City’s outstanding defense prevented the comeback.
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.
The annual friendly against Windsor. Normally a call to the conclusion of the season, a final gathering before the nine-month break.
Not this year. Instead of awarding the Black Arrow Award, this match became a tune-up for the NPSL Members Cup competition. And City lit them up.
However, the Windsor match tends to be firsts for me. The 2012 match was the first time I went to Harry’s, marched with NGS, and hung out in the Supporters Section. The 2016 match was the first time I asked and received a media pass to shoot City from field level. Tonight, my plan was to photograph the first half, then hang out in the Supporters Section and pop my first smoke bomb.
Dave Edwardson’s goal in the 41st minute put City ahead, 2-1, and was the game-winner.
Three minutes later, Ryan Peterson added a third goal as City ended the half with a 3-1 lead.
Before I could settle into the Supporters Section, I was informed that a special call-out would be made for Seb Harris and Dave Edwardson, as they were making their final appearances. I dashed over to the other side of the field. In the 56th minute, Sebby got his curtain call…
then, at the 72nd minute…
(I’m not crying, you’re crying).
I did get to pop off that smoke during the 85th minute smoke-storm.
On Saturday, August 3, 2019, a gunman killed 22 people and injured 24 in an El Paso Walmart. Then, on Monday, August 5, 2019, another shooting occurred which killed 9 people and injured 17 in Dayton, Ohio. City supporters had something to say.
On November 15, 2018, the NPSL announced the founding of a new professional league for its growing clubs and additional professional clubs. A Founders Cup, featuring 11 teams, would take place in the Fall of 2019, with a full-league schedule to fill 2020. Among the 11 teams would be Detroit City FC.
That’s right. Detroit’s going to have a professional football team, and Detroit City FC is it!
On December 10, 2018, Coach Ben Pirmann and the team parted ways amicably. During his six seasons with City, he amassed a 49-17-17 record. Three days later, Pirmann was announced to be an assistant coach for Memphis 901 FC of the USL. Hail Caesar!
With Pirmann’s departure, we needed a manager. On January 4, 2019, Trevor James was named the General Manager and Head Coach of the team.
Having retired from playing professional soccer in 1985, James worked on the coaching staff of Ipswich Town FC and Colchester United in England before working as a scout for Sir Bobby Robson for England’s National Team in preparation of the 1990 World Cup, Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, FC Barcelona, and Newcastle. He was Assistant Coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2006-2010, serving as interim head coach twice. He was promoted to Director of Player Development, overseeing the LA Youth Academy. From 2010-2012 he served as Assistant Head Coach for the Portland Timbers. From 2014-2015, he was the Director of Scouting and Assistant Technical Directior for the Chicago Fire before returning to coaching for Indy Eleven of the NASL. In 2017, he was named Indy Eleven’s Technical Director, overseeing the transition of the club from NASL to USL. This hire looked like a positive move toward guiding the team both on the field and through the transition to professional status.
Becoming a professional club meant leaving behind this level of NPSL play. The Northern Guard displayed a magnificent tifo of the players and staff – both past and present – honoring those who helped forge the way toward this achievement.
So, how was the transition under Trevor James?
Record: 10 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss.
39 goals scored, only 6 goals against.
844 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal.
Great Lakes Division Champion
The most impressive number, to me, was that in the 14 regular season matches and 2 playoff games, there was only 54 minutes of game time where Detroit City FC was behind. And that occurred in a single game, at home against Grand Rapids when they took the lead in the 34th minute, and we equalized in the 88th. Yes, we lost a regular season match and the Midwest Region Final. In the former, the game-winning goal scored by Kalamazoo FC was in the final play of the game, and in the latter, we jumped out to a 2-0 lead, only to have Cleveland SC tie the match and take the game in penalty kicks.
Pretty damn impressive as we head into the next phase of the 2019 season.
Below are the pages from each game of the traditional NPSL season.
July 21, 2019
NPSL Midwest Region Final
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Detroit City FC 2, Cleveland SC 2 (2-3 PK)
Attendance: 4,568
DCFC Shawn Lawson (Tendai Jirira) 40′
DCFC Max Todd (PK) 45′
CSC Tom Beck 52′
CSC Antonio Manfut 60′
Red Card – DCFC Will Perkins 75′
Red Card – CSC Tom Beck 75′
Penalty Kicks
CSC Michael Derezic – Goal 0-1
DCFC Max Todd – Goal 1-1
CSC Marijo Musa – Save 1-1
DCFC Seb Harris – Miss 1-1
CSC Corbin McAvinew – Goal 1-2
DCFC Moussa Gueye – Goal 2-2
CSC Daniel Koniarczyk – Save 2-2
DCFC Steven Carroll – Miss 2-2
CSC Vinnie Bell – Goal 2-3
DCFC Shawn Lawson – Miss 2-3
Cleveland. This is not the AFC Cleveland team, that began in 2012 like us, re-branded. That Cleveland team, which we faced three times in semi-final matches (2012, 2013, and 2015) was terminated from the NPSL due to its financial situation after the 2017 season. A number of AFC Cleveland players sought an investor and found one who established Cleveland SC.
In their semi-final victory over the Rochester Lancers, they were brutal, earning them seven yellow cards and a red.
18′ – Antonion Manfut Yellow
31′ – Tom Beck, Yellow
37′ – Coletun Long, Yellow
40′ – Marijo Musa (keeper), Yellow (for challenge which removed Rochester Lancer player from match)
49′ – Vinnie Bell, Yellow
75′ – Michael Dare-Eh-Zitch, Yellow
99′ – Admir Sole-Yeh-Vick, Yellow
110′ – Admir Sole-Yeh-Vick, Red (ineligible for today’s final)
They come into the match having won the East Conference with an 8-win, 2-loss record with 29 goals scored and 9 conceded.
It was a long, tense forty minutes until Shawn Lawson put City on top.
Just before the close of the half, Max Todd was taken down in the box, which led to his penalty kick.
A 2-0 lead going into the locker room at halftime, I was feeling very optimistic. It felt different than the 2-0 lead we had on AFC Ann Arbor in the 2017 Midwest Region Final, though it was very similar in that the two goals were scored late in the half (35th and 45th minutes). But this was a City team that had only six goals scored against them all season.
However, like the 2017 Final, our opponent equalized with goals at the 52nd and 60th minutes. Then both teams went down to ten men when City’s Will Perkins and Cleveland’s Tom Beck were shown red cards at the 75th minute.
Unfortunately, there would be no memorable Mondi-with-the-right-foot moment this day. Instead, Cleveland played for the draw, and in penalty kicks, City fell short.
There is no reason for us or the team to lower our heads over this. The season was coach Trevor James’ first at the helm. He rooted discipline and work ethic with the flexibility to adapt the team’s strategy within a match which proved successful. We lost only two matches – this one in penalty kicks and the home opener in the final play of the game. We were either equal or ahead for all but 54 minutes between the 34th and 88th minute of the July 5th match against Grand Rapids. And let’s not forget nine-plus consecutive games (844 minutes) of scoreless opponents. If this is a preview of things to come, then we’ve got much more in the future to cheer about as Detroit City FC becomes a professional team.
Detroit City FC and Cleveland SC earned the bye in the first round of the playoffs. On Tuesday, July 16th, AFC Ann Arbor hosted the Rochester Lancers and Minneapolis City FC hosted Med City FC in the first round. Minneapolis City FC defeated Med City FC by a score of 2-0. That wasn’t the weird part. The match at AFC Ann Arbor was halted at the 69th minute mark due to darkness. The match was interrupted by a couple of lightning delays, and AFC Ann Arbor plays at a stadium that does not have lights. The next morning, it was decided that the game would be decided by a coin toss.
A coin toss? Really?
Finally, it was decided that a neutral-site match would complete the suspended game. The location was McConnell Family Stadium at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Resuming from the 69th minute, Rochester took the lead late, at the 87th minute, on a goal by Issac Kissi. However, AFC Ann Arbor’s Yazeed Mathews equalized a minute later. After two ten-minute extra-time periods, the match went to penalty kicks with Rochester winning 5-4. Rochester then traveled to Detroit the next day to play Cleveland SC in the opening of the two semi-final matches.
This first semi-final was a wild one. Rochester attacked immediately, scoring two goals in the opening seven minutes. The first from Michael Cunningham…
The second by Rafael Godoi….
An own goal in the 20th minute brought Cleveland closer and down a goal at the half. Cleveland was issued four yellow cards in the first half, the most notable was to Marijo Musa, the Cleveland keeper, for a brutal out-of-the-box hit on the Rochester player, who had to be subbed off as a result of the collision. Certainly, a red card should have been issued.
Rochester scored late, giving themselves a two-goal cushion, but after playing three matches in four nights, and Cleveland’s aggressive nature, the Lancers ran out of gas. They gave up two goals in the final five minutes, sending the match into extra time. Fifty-year-old head coach Doug Miller suited up and entered the match in added time to provide fresh legs. But in the twenty minutes that followed, Vinnie Bell outscored Rochester 3-1, giving Cleveland the victory.
ROCH Michael Cunningham 2′
ROCH Rafael Godoi 7′
CLEVE Own Goal (Wyatt Scott) 20′
ROCH Uros Momic 81′
CLEVE Mike Derezic 85′
CLEVE Vinnie Bell 90′
CLEVE Vinnie Bell 93′
ROCH Issac Kissi 101′
CLEVE Vinnie Bell 111′
CLEVE Vinnie Bell 119′
Meanwhile, as the Cleveland-Rochester match was wrapping up…
City opened the scoring in the 22nd minute as Bakie Goodman slotted this pass to Shawn Lawson.
It was another night of smoke and rainbows at Keyworth Stadium.
During halftime, We the People of Detroit thanked Detroit City FC for helping raise money for them through the special edition prints sold at matches, like the one I mentioned and bought at the Toledo Villa FC game.
As expected, the match was tight. You don’t get to the playoffs without being a decent team, and Minneapolis City FC came in with a 9-win, 2-loss, and 1-draw record, scoring 30 goals and conceding only 11. However, a handball in the box by The Crow’s Aaron Olson set the stage for a Max Todd penalty kick.
I had to share this. Cyrus Saydee has been with the team since its 2012 origin. I caught this little display of his magic tonight.
As we move on to the Midwest Region Final, we must give kudos to Minneapolis City SC for coming across the field in appreciation of the atmosphere the Northern Guard created.
July 13, 2019
NPSL Regular Season Match
Mayor’s Riverfront Park, Kalamazoo, MI
Kalamazoo FC 1, Detroit City FC 3
Attendance: ?
DCFC Max Todd (PK) 9′
KFC Isaia Nieves 25′
DCFC Abdoulaye Diop 72′
DCFC Tommy Buono 90′
Indulge me for a moment. Before this afternoon’s match against Kalamazoo FC, the Michigan Typochondriacs were meeting at Kazoo Books in the morning. I have a fascination with the typewriter, having rescued a few myself, and when two interests take place in the same location, it’s fun to partake in both.
Another scorching afternoon in Kalamazoo as City wrapped up the season. First place in the Great Lakes Division of the NPSL was ours, but a win assured us a bye in the first-round of the NPSL Midwest Region playoffs.
Maki-vision streamed the match back home.
It didn’t take long. City drew a PK and in the 9th minute, Max Todd gave us the lead.
Isaiah Nieves equalized in the 25th minute, and the teams went into halftime knotted at a goal each.
Kalamazoo FC, a mid-table team, handed us our only defeat of the season back at our home opener. They match up well against us, and a 3-win, 3-loss, 1-draw record against them is evidence of that. It took until the 72nd minute, when Abdoulaye Diop scored a beauty, to give City the lead that would not be relinquished.
Tommy Buono buried a third in the 90th, securing a playoff bye.
July 10, 2019
International Friendly
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Detroit City FC 1, FC Juarez (Liga MX) 3
Attendance: 6,901
DCFC Shawn Lawson (Max Todd) 17′
FCJ Eder Borelli 36′
FCJ Lucas Silva 38′
FCJ Gabriel Hachen 66′
Originally, this date was scheduled for us to host Lobos BUAP, a Liga MX team from Puebla, Mexico. However, financial issues troubled the team, having only four players on contract for the 2019-2020 season, so one month prior to the match, FC Juarez from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua Mexico purchased the team, swapping Lobos BUAP out of Liga MX for FC Juarez.
City started strong, looking to match the play of the Liga MX team. In the 17th minute, Shawn Lawson scored to give us the lead.
However, FC Juarez found their legs and scored two goals just two minutes apart from Eder Borelli (36′) and Lucas Silva (38′).
During the first half, I shot these photos from in front of the Los Bravos fans. They were a really fun group.
Gabriel Hachen added a goal at the 66th minute, and FC Juarez took the win at the international friendly. Having faced a couple tough Liga MX teams, City has only been outscored 5-2.
The only disappointment was that the FC Juarez team didn’t come over after the match. Even though we’re at each other for 90 minutes, it’s the international friendship and community we honor with these matches, and it is always great to share in the global brotherhood of football.
At the City Clubhouse, a memento from the match is on display.
July 7, 2019
NPSL Regular Season match
Concordia University, Ann Arbor, MI
Attendance: ???
AFC Ann Arbor 1, Detroit City FC 3
DCFC Shawn Lawson (Kervin Kenton) 17′
DCFC Shawn Lawson (Danny Deakin) 43′
DCFC Shawn Lawson (Tendai Jirjira) 90′
AFC AA William Eskay 90′
Record: 9-3-1 = 30 points 1st Place
Sunday afternoon in Ann Arbor is tree-cutting day, as the Mighty Oak became timber, and City secured a playoff spot in the Great Lakes Division.
On this hot afternoon, the Northern Guard were secluded to a separate bleacher section. It was so full many of us sat in the Ann Arbor section. Perhaps the better fit would have been to seat the Ann Arbor fans in the side section and the Northern Guard in the elevated stands.
City wasted little time putting on the pressure. In the 17th minute, Shawn Lawson scores to give City the lead.
As the half neared its conclusion, Shawn Lawson scored again.
It was another tough, nail-biting match against the Mighty Oak, however the clock and City’s dominating defense held firm. Shawn Lawson completed the hat trick as the clock hit 90 minutes.
Will Eskay put a meaningless goal in for Ann Arbor, but none of us down in the Northern Guard section saw it because we were still celebrating Lawson’s goal and the victory which was moments away.
Here’s an interesting statistic about this weekend. Between this match and the Friday match against Grand Rapids, the goals scored, in order, look like this:
Grand Rapids FC = 1
Shawn Lawson = 4
AFC Ann Arbor = 1
Shawn outscored both Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor, combined.
July 5, 2019
NPSL Regular Season match
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Attendance: 6,807
Detroit City FC 1, Grand Rapids FC 1
GRFC Eric Conerty 34′
DCFC Shawn Lawson (Max Todd) 88′
Standings: 8-3-1 27 points, 1st place
Today was hot and humid, with a storm in the forecast.
Standing down at this end for the first half, I was surprised at how quiet the Grand Army was. In the previous match against Toledo Villa FC, I stood here and a single Toledo fan brought a drum and chanted solo. He was louder than these guys. Still, we’re able to make friends with supporters from other teams.
The first half came to a close with Grand Rapids leading 1-0. Here’s two interesting points about this game. First, the goal scored by Eric Conerty of Grand Rapids FC in the 34th minute broke City’s 9 game shut-out streak, which lasted a total of 844 minutes. But here’s the real interesting fact. Through the 14-game NPSL regular season AND the two playoff games, the 54 minutes between Conerty’s goal and Shawn Lawson’s goal in the 88th minute were the only minutes Detroit City FC was behind in a match. Think about that for a moment.
14 Regular Season games = 1,260 minutes.
1 Semi-final match = 90 minutes.
1 Final match = 120 minutes.
Total minutes = 1,470.
Total minutes City had the lead or the score was tied = 1,416
Total minutes City was behind = 54 minutes.
Freakin’ amazing.
At the 61:31 minute mark, (at 8:51 PM) the game had to be halted due to a passing storm. At Keyworth, storms may stop the play, but the songs continue and the rainbows appear.
At 10:10 PM, the match resumed. Here’s Shawn Lawson’s 88th minute goal, which concluded the only time in the 2019 NPSL season that someone had a lead against us.
DoHaeng Michael Kitchen 