If, as we expect, Detroit City FC goes on to storm through the back half of its NPSL schedule, driving all before them, pulling up signposts and fenceposts and all harbingers of the old order to make another run at postseason glory, remember this: This so nearly did not happen.
Le Rouge staggered into Friday’s matchup with Milwaukee full of angst and ready to set things alight, fresh off a one-point weekend that included a home loss to their most-accomplished rival, AFC Ann Arbor. But the homestanding Torrent didn’t play along, giving as good as they got in a chippy, full-blooded match that needed Brad Centala’s 76th-minute strike to settle matters. Detroit City get the points they need, but only just, scraping a 1-0 victory on the west coast of Lake Michigan.
The game was settled by two moments 20 minutes apart in the second half. In the first, Milwaukee – increasingly playing off the back foot as City established dominance over possession – had the best chance of the game fall into their laps, the ball bobbling wide to Peter Raymonds on the right. Raymonds had created a couple of half-chances earlier, but this one fell to him full-blown, the defense out of the picture and City keeper Fernando Pina closing, arms wide, hoping for any kind of miscue.
Raymonds golfed a chip over Pina. The ball, spinning hard toward the goal-line, seemed destined to pull itself into the goal, but instead it clunked against the back post, rebounding back into the goal-mouth, still spinning hard, now doinking off the near post, completing its ambit of the danger zone as everyone in visitors’ white ran about with their arms in the air and their hair on fire. Jimmy Fiscus arrived to slash the ball clear and end Milwaukee’s best chance.
City’s goal was nothing so clear-cut. Le Rouge’s domination of the ball kept yielding half-chances and near-misses; that strategy finally bore fruit when the ball fell to the halftime sub, Centala, in the 76th minute. The defensive midfielder pounced on a half-cleared Detroit corner and cracked a shot that, once blocked, fell directly back to his feet. Given this second chance, Centala dramatically improved his effort, smashing a low backspinning shot that nestled just inside Milwaukee keeper Augie Ray’s back post: 0-1, Detroit City FC, where the match would end.
Milwaukee didn’t take City’s control of the match lying down, responding with a series of robust challenges and vigorous fouls that Le Rouge declined to elaborate upon. In the end, City made the most of their slim advantage, killing time with canny possessions, making the most of the Torrent’s indiscipline, and the match whimpered its way home.
Detroit City FC (4-1-2) hosts Grand Rapids FC on Sunday at Keyworth Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m., and tickets are available at http://tickets.https://www.detcityfc.com.
MILWAUKEE TORRENT 0, DETROIT CITY FC 1
Milwaukee Torrent 0 0 – 0
Detroit City FC 0 1 – 1
Goals: DCFC – Centala 76’.
Detroit City FC (4-2-3-1): Pina; Kenton, Carroll, Fiscus, Tomasino; Edwardson (Centala 45’), Bartel (Garcia 74’); Barnes (Green 61’), Deakin (Moyes 83’), Lawson (Bentley 86’); Shrimpton (Rudel 61’).
