Story of the Club

Sympathy

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Photo by Dion Degennaro

Friday, June 1st, 2018 – Detroit City FC 8 FC Indiana 0

Photo by Dion Degennaro

In my illustrious superlative adequate rec soccer career, I’ve played on teams ranging from good to really really bad. In the case of the latter, it’s one thing to lose, but it’s another to have your spirit crushed and your will to resist stripped away. There are few things more frustrating than being dribbled around for the fifteenth time by someone who’s obviously leagues better than you are, or when said someone complains profusely to the referee two minutes later because you accidentally clipped their heel trying desperately to catch up to them.

Arguably the only thing worse, though, is being on the opposite side. After you score five or six and it becomes evident that there’s no challenge forthcoming, the match devolves into a slow-motion execution. You no longer get any joy from scoring outrageous goals and pinging together passes like you’re 2008 Barcelona, but you feel compelled to continue, in order to help the other team learn about themselves by providing a little insurmountable adversity.

Watching Friday’s match was the first time I’ve ever felt genuinely sorry for an NPSL team. Much like Old Yeller, FC Indiana was not the one to cry for. City, aka Travis (the kid with the gun), faced the unenviable moral burden of doing what had to be done, and they’re the ones who truly deserve our compassion.

My heart ached for City as they went to their thankless task.

First came goals from Stephen Carroll, Shawn Lawson, and Rafa Mentzingen, who did their utmost to help Indiana learn by repeating the lessons they had taught them just five days earlier. (Those three also scored against Indiana the previous Sunday).

Then Seb Harris stepped to the spot. Surely he didn’t want to bury his penalty, but he felt he owed it to the keeper. His solemn demeanor immediately thereafter showed that he took no joy in his duty.

A little later, it was Dave Edwardson’s turn. His snap shot practically screamed, “LET ME HELP YOU! I’M TRYING TO HELP YOU!”

Oh, what anguish they must’ve felt. Just look at their faces.

Degennaro

Finally, mercifully, it ended.

Indiana, character built and hardened by the experience, headed home. Despite another loss on Sunday, they scored their first two goals of the season. Perhaps the lessons are sinking in.

City now look to the biggest weekend of the season so far, one in which they must raise their game and become more than mere youth instructors. It’s too early to call next Sunday’s match with Ann Arbor a must-win, but it may be the last chance they have to stay in control of their own fate.

May City continue to earn our sympathy.

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Seven goal scorers lead Detroit City FC to victory against FC Indiana

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Article and Photos by Robert Sherman

Stephen Carroll, Shawn Lawson, Rafa Mentzingen, Seb Harris, Trevor Amann (twice), Brogan Shrimpton and Dave Edwardson all scored Friday night at Keyworth Stadium as Detroit City picked up three points in an 8-0 rout of last place FC Indiana.

Five of the above contingent (Carroll, Lawson, Mentzingen, Amann, Shrimpton) also got on the scoresheet in the 11-0 dismantling of FC Indiana just five days earlier.

After taking the full six points from the season series, Le Rouge currently sits at the second spot in the table, 4 points behind undefeated AFC Ann Arbor, with one third of the season down.

“There’s not a lot of positives that come out of games like this,” head coach Ben Pirmann said, “The good thing is that all of our injured players get to rest. You still have to take these things seriously. They [FC Indiana] tied teams last year, you still have to go through and win.

“I think the bigger thing is, because it wasn’t a very good opponent in the last two games, the next weekend is huge. We have a tough road game Friday [against FC Columbus] and then we turn around with a huge game on Sunday at home [against AFC Ann Arbor].

“To me, with eight games left, those eight games have to be one game at a time. We can’t think about Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids or whatever. We have to think about beating Columbus on Friday night.”

If I went through every goal that was scored on Friday and told you about them, we would be here all night. So, instead let’s look at the highlights:

(1) Stephen Carroll is a rock in central defense, and this season he has combined well with both Seb Harris and Jimmy Fiscus to lead the back line, but recently he’s shown he can contribute on the offensive end, as well. His free kick goal in the fourth minute of the match showed how dangerous he can be on set pieces.

(2) Both times that they have visited Keyworth Stadium, FC Indiana has seen their starting goalkeeper sent off with a straight red card. Despite this, neither ejection has had much of an impact on the games, especially this one. They really stood no chance either way, and ended Friday on a -38 goal differential.

(3) Shawn Lawson continues to be the primary threat up top for the Boys In Rouge. He has nowhere near the same impact in the offensive third when he plays on the wing as he does in the number 9 position. I’ve also noticed how he looks much more comfortable and confident on the pitch so far this season, and I doubt that will change going forward.

(4) I can’t speak anymore positives about Mentzingen than I already have. He’s versatile, able to play in the number 9 position, on the wings, and as we saw for a little on Friday, in the roaming number 10 midfield role. Not to mention, his fitness is out of this world. Continuing to impress everyone, he struck a beautiful outside of the foot curler to give City a 3-0 lead right before halftime.

Continue reading “Seven goal scorers lead Detroit City FC to victory against FC Indiana”

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BIR Bullets: Columbus & Indiana

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Photo by Franzi Loetzner
Photo by Franzi Loetzner

Friday, May 25th, 2018 – Detroit City FC 1 FC Columbus 0

Matches like Friday’s, in which the favorites come out flat and allow the underdogs to seriously challenge them, happen all the time in soccer. The difference this time was that, instead of Columbus nabbing a goal and defending their way to an improbable victory, City dodged numerous bullets before grabbing a goal of their own. The takeaways:

(1) On the field, FC Columbus is far better than I expected – they beat Kalamazoo on Monday – and could very well be in the hunt for a playoff spot into the season’s final weeks.

(2) Due to Jimmy Fiscus being out and Stephen Carroll being rested, City came out in an awkward 4-1-4-1 with several players at different positions than usual.

The shuffled back line and single holding midfielder allowed Columbus to control possession for much of the first half and generate a handful of quality chances over the course of the match.

While I understood the decision to play Shawn Lawson on the wing, he’s such an effective goal-poacher that he’s far more valuable to the team when he’s playing up top. Sure enough, once he moved to striker after some second half substitutions, he scored the goal that City needed.

(3) Other standouts were Fernando Pina, who robbed Columbus of what looked like two or three sure goals, and Seb Harris, who had a headed assist on the above goal. He also had a sort-of-goalline-clearance earlier in the match:

The ball probably would’ve travelled wide of the goal if he hadn’t intervened, but there’s a chance that Columbus’ back post runner could’ve gotten there too, so kicking it away was the best decision.

Finally, Roddy Green provided badly-needed energy and hustle off the bench. His persistence in winning a corner kick in stoppage time helped to kill off the remaining time, and should not be overlooked.

(4) The opening day tifo was spectacular, even though the strong wind and an unfortunately-placed concrete protrustion teamed up to rip it apart before it could be completely displayed. An A+ effort nonetheless.

Loetzner

Continue reading “BIR Bullets: Columbus & Indiana”

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Unknown Country

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Photo by Dion Degennaro

Wednesday, May 16th, 2018 – Detroit City FC 1 FC Cincinnati 4 (AET)
Saturday, May 19th, 2018 – Detroit City FC 2 FC St. Pauli 6

Photo by Dion Degennaro

Those who strive to reach new heights must inevitably push themselves beyond what they’ve done in the past. The old ways, however successful they’ve been, may not necessarily apply in the harsh terrain of the unfamiliar.

While some new ventures will result in instant success, the likelihood is low. More often, you have to fall flat on your face – again, again, and again. And a few more times after that. It’s all part of finding your way in new, confusing surroundings.

Whether success or failure is the end result, knowledge is always gathered, and growth is attained. If community-building and enrichment is Detroit City FC’s essence, it’s supported by a culture of boundary-pushing, of, “I’m taking this huge bite and I’m not sure if I can chew it all, but I’m gonna go for it and see what happens.”

I have a theory that this attitude permeates the club from the top on down, so that a supporter lighting a flare just to see if he can get away with it is merely a reflection of City’s ownership elbowing their way into the American soccer country club without the permission of Those Who Know Best. Working title: The Czervik Principle.

Not long ago, City was playing punt-and-chase against teams like Binghamton and Zanesville. Now they’re stringing together beautifully-executed counters against professional sides…

…and convincing one of the world’s best-supported clubs to come play at Keyworth, while in the process earning screen time on the same station that broadcasts the Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons.

While the results of this week’s matches were not as we’d hoped, the overall mood surrounding the club should be one of encouragement. City went punch-for-punch with one of the best teams in USL until they were worn down by superior depth and fitness in extra time, and there should be no shame in being beaten handily by a far superior 2. Bundesliga team fresh off of a relegation dogfight.

Taking a wider view, the fact that these matches even took place at all is proof that City is progressing at a furious rate. And as fun as it is to beat up on hapless clubs from Podunk Midwestern towns, true development comes from testing yourself against superior opponents.

By repeatedly probing its own limits, City has redefined what a small American club can be. In trying to carve out a place in the world, setbacks and frustrations are a given, but the best solution is to simply step forward and see what’s out there.

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Detroit City FC drop league opener to AFC Ann Arbor, turn focus to FC Cincinnati

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Article and Photos by Robert Sherman

Detroit City FC schelpped to Skyline High School in Ann Arbor on Sunday afternoon to open up the 2018 National Premier Soccer League season, but were defeated, 1-0, by current division leaders AFC Ann Arbor.

The lone goal on the day was scored in stoppage time by Ann Arbor’s Martieon Watson. Watson’s goal sunk City, who didn’t play well for a majority of the match despite a handful of scoring chances that didn’t quite fall correctly.

“This was a typical league game, we play against a team that is fired up to play against City, we have a thousand more fans than they do at their place,” head coach Ben Pirmann said. “In these league games we have to have better ball speed, and there’s no excuse for it, but we’ve put a lot of focus onto our defending, so we were not sharp on that.

“I don’t care who is on the field, or who is injured, we have to play a little harder with more desire to win. I thought we played like that in the second half. We should have scored three or four goals, but we didn’t and then we got burned on the end with a restart.

“You have to give Ann Arbor the credit for taking the three points, I feel we deserved better and that we were the better team on the field, but that stuff doesn’t matter in this league. We’re pretty much always the best team on the field in these league games.”

The first half of City’s league opener crawled by, highlighted mainly by the debut of former Colorado Rapids forward Josh Gatt for Le Rouge. Much else of what happened in the first half was played in the midfield and had little effect on the game.

The most action came in the 41st minute with a scare in the defensive third for City. AFCAA’s Michael Shaikly danced through the backline and passed the returning Fernando Pina, only to hit the outside of the post on his shot.

Continue reading “Detroit City FC drop league opener to AFC Ann Arbor, turn focus to FC Cincinnati”