Detroit City FC (4-2-4) took on the top two teams in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) Great Lakes West standings over the weekend.
Friday night, City played Grand Rapids FC (5-1-4) to a 0-0 draw in front of 5,024 supporters at Keyworth Stadium. Sunday evening, Le Rouge traveled to face AFC Ann Arbor (5-2-3) and came away with a 3-1 comeback win.
Trailing Grand Rapids by three points going into Friday’s match, the impetus was on City to go for the win. Head coach Ben Pirmann’s offensive-minded substitutions reflected that reality, with City producing several chances in front of goal.
With a heightened focus on scoring, defensive duties feel on center backs Seb Harris (Oakland) and Omar Sinclair (Saginaw Valley State) and goalkeeper Nate Steinwascher (Detroit Mercy). The trio was able to keep a third consecutive clean sheet for Le Rouge.
The marque moment came in the 66th minute when Tommy Catalano (Oakland) was hauled down in the box, earning City a penalty kick. Cyrus Saydee’s (Michigan State) attempt did not fool goalkeeper Noah Fazekas, who saved the shot to his left.
Chances were plentiful for City, but no one could find the finishing touch. The Boys in Rouge hit the post three times.
Friday’s one-point result put an even greater importance on Sunday’s match in Ann Arbor.
Going down 1-0 in the 56th minute against Ann Arbor put a jolt into Le Rouge that sparked a response of three goals in nine minutes.
Saydee scored the first and third goals, and assisted on Tyler Moorman’s (Detroit Mercy) game-winner.
In the 74th minute, Saydee put Le Rouge on the board by chipping Ann Arbor goalkeeper Fabian Veit so beautifully all Veit could do was watch as the ball nestled into the far corner of the net.
Six minutes later, Saydee bent a corner kick toward the back post where Moorman was waiting to tap it in and put City ahead, 2-1.
In the 83rd minute, Saydee blocked a clearance attempt from Veit and it looped into the goal, putting the game on ice.
The four-point weekend has DCFC right back in the thick of the playoff race. City sits in third place, two points behind Ann Arbor and three behind Grand Rapids. AFCAA travels to meet GRFC this Friday, July 8.
Le Rouge, meanwhile, has two matches on the docket this week. First, Columbus Crew College Program visits for a mid-week friendly on Wednesday, July 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Then on Sunday July 10, City hits the road again for a noon kickoff against Lansing United.
