Detroit City FC powered past Michigan Stars FC, 3-1, on Saturday night behind goals from Will Mellors-Blair (2) and Josh Rogers.
Under the lights of Cass Tech and in front of a record 3,884 supporters, Le Rouge’s win means City maintains its first-place spot atop the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) Midwest Region.
For the second consecutive match, Mellors-Blair (Michigan) earned the M1 Imaging Center Man of the Match honor. The speedy striker opened up the scoring for City just four minutes in after pouncing on a defensive mishap by the Stars and directing a shot that trickled in past the goalkeeper at the far post.
That wouldn’t be his only contribution of the night. In the 41st minute, Mellors-Blair was taken down in the box on the dribble and awarded a penalty kick on the play. He made room for Rogers (Michigan St.) to calmly slot home the PK and score his third goal of the season, putting City ahead, 2-0, at the break.
The Stars heaped on the pressure in City’s final third to start the second half and put itself on the scoreboard in the 62nd minute off of the boot of Alex Sertwatka. A close-range finish blasted past City goalkeeper Alex Bouillennec (SVSU) to cut City’s lead, 2-1.
But Mellors-Blair was there to answer. Again. A long pass from Alex Isaevski (SVSU) in the 78th minute caught Mellors-Blair in stride, and he was able to beat the defenders on the dribble, cut in, and finish at the far post.
Mellors-Blair’s two goals tonight moves his season total to eight goals overall.
Up next, City hosts Erie Commodores FC in its last regular season match at Cass Tech. Get your tickets here: https://www.detcityfc.com/tickets
