It was an unfamiliar result for Detroit City FC when it travelled to the Indiana Fire on Sunday, June 20, recording its first loss of the 2014 NPSL season – and its first regular-season loss since 2012 – falling to the Fire, 2-0.
Once strangers before this season, the two sides are now familiar foes, with the Fire (5-3-2) holding the upper hand on Detroit (5-2-1), leading their all-time series with a 1-0-1 record.
Their first meeting on June 1 resulted in a 2-2 stalemate, with Le Rouge goals coming from Cyrus Saydee (Michigan St.) and William Mellors-Blair (Michigan). This time around, the Le Rouge was held scoreless. The Fire’s two goals came at the end of both halves, with goals coming in the 45th and 88th minute by Thomas Schmitt and Patrick O’Brien, respectively.
Despite a strong start in the opening minutes, with three of City’s eight corner kicks within 10 minutes, Le Rouge, fielding a younger, less experienced squad, struggled to find the back of the net throughout the entire match. In fact, Le Rouge held most of the possession during the match and outshot the Fire by six shots to the Fire’s two. City was without its head coach Ben Pirmann for the better part of the match, too, after he was sent off for arguing a controversial call. With the loss, City moves into second place in the NPSL Great Lakes West Conference, with 17 points. Le Rouge sit behind first-place Indiana at 18, but has two games in hand.
It will be another battle for first place when Detroit City FC looks to avenge the weekend’s loss and get its first win against Indiana come Sunday, June 29, when both sides meet again at 5 p.m. at Cass Tech. Tickets are still available on https://www.detcityfc.com
DCFC LINEUP: Tarney, Isaevski, Schewee, Lamb, Edwardson, Saydee (Helmrich 86’), Vasold (Furgason 66’), Chomakov (Tinnion 60’), Savage (Harris 40’), Lawson (Reynolds 78’), Allan (Ybarra 84’)
STATS:
Goals: Indiana Fire – Thomas Schmitt 45’, Patrick O’Brien 88’
Disciplinary: Detroit City FC – Vasold Yellow 45’, Tinnion Yellow 87’; Indiana Fire – Mbengue Yellow 26’, Schmitt 55’ Saves: Tarney, 3
