DETROIT — Detroit City FC returned to USL W League action this Thursday, hosting the Michiana Lions. It was a dominant 90 minutes for Le Rouge, who secured a 5-0 win to make it three wins in three in what has been a brilliant start to the season.
Five changes were made to David Dwaihy’s most recent starting lineup, which saw out a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Flint City AFC. Drew Martin, Sarah Troccoli, Danielle Stephen, Sophia Romine, and Lily Jeakle entered the starting eleven for Le Rouge.
DCFC was dominant from the get-go, with virtually all of the possession being spent in the Michiana defensive half in the first five minutes.
Sophia Romine of DCFC had the first chance of the half. She found herself on top of the 18-yard box, hitting a left-footed effort that ended up being a comfortable save for the Michiana keeper.
DCFC continued to dominate play, finding themselves in multiple dangerous positions around the 18-yard box.
In the 13th minute, DCFC found their lead after some brilliant play from Lily Jeakle down the right flank. She found Emily Pagett at the top of the six-yard box, who needed only one touch to give Le Rouge a 1-0 lead.
Just eight minutes later, DCFC made it a two-goal lead. After a run of play on the top of the Michiana 18-yard box, Romine slipped Hannah Crum into the 18-yard box, who burst past her marker before firing a shot into the bottom right corner from a razor-tight angle to give DCFC their second in 20 minutes.
DCFC didn’t take their foot off the gas pedal following their second, consistently winning the ball off Michiana as they continued to try and break down Michiana’s low block. In the 29th minute, Jeakle found herself on the top of the 18-yard box, skipping past two players before firing a shot on target that was saved by Michiana’s keeper.
Just seconds later, Romine made it three with a wonder strike from 20 yards out. Picking the ball up on the top of the 18-yard box before dancing past her marker and firing one into the top right corner of both the post and crossbar as DCFC found themselves comfortably ahead 3-0 after just 30 minutes.
“I was feeling kinda confident in that area of the field the whole game,” Romine said postgame. “Dani was behind me and she was telling me ‘Take it Sophie’ so she was giving me confidence throughout the game so when I heard that, I knew I had the right shot.”
DCFC just continued to hound down the Michiana goal with Jeakle, this time finding herself on the top of the 18-yard box. She rocketed a shot off the crossbar to nearly make it four for DCFC in what was nothing short of a dominant first half.
The final action of the half came in the 43rd minute. Danielle Stephens, this time leaving the crossbar ringing after she picked her head up from 30 yards out before lacing one that looked ready to nestle itself in the top left corner. As DCFC headed into the break comfortably after a dominant half that saw them lead 3-0.
“We got better as the game went on,” Head Coach David Dwaihy said postgame. “In the beginning, it was tricky because it was a contrast to what we saw in the last two games. The pace was a little faster in those games, but today the opponent sat back and gave us more time on the ball.”
The second 45 minutes saw a reinvigorated Michiana early on, earning both the first shot on target and corner of the half in the first five minutes but with nothing to show for it.
As the half settled, DCFC began to find themselves once again in control of the majority of play. In the 60th minute, a run of DCFC possession found Emily Pagett on the top of the 18-yard box whose effort flashed high and wide of the Michiana goal.
Just two minutes later, DCFC made it 4-0 thanks to some high-pressing from Jeakle, who plucked the ball off Michiana inside their 18-yard box before finding some space and rolling the ball into the bottom right corner to make it a goal and assist for her on the night.
In the 72nd minute, DCFC earned a penalty following a razor-sharp counter-attack that saw Jeakle be taken down in the box. Jeakle would step up to take it and have her attempt be met by the Michiana keeper to keep the score at 4-0.
Jeakle would still find her second just eight minutes later. A ball in behind from Megan Miles would be chased down by Kayla Addison all the way to the right byline of the Michiana 18-yard box, getting her head up to find Jeakle, who showed great composure from 6 yards out to make it 5-0 for DCFC.
The final action of the half would see DCFC have a chance to make it 6 in the 88th minute after Romine released Alexandria Nathan out wide, who floated a ball into the back post to find a rising Jeakle as her headed effort would crash off the Michiana crossbar.
“[The victory] is right where we want to be because it puts pressure on the other teams,” Dwaihy said. “If we can keep putting three points up on the board, that’s what we want to do. Every game is gonna be tough and everybody can go into the weekend feeling good about where we are but when we hit training on Wednesday, it’s time to look ahead and see how we keep this going.”
Detroit City will close out their three-match homestand on Saturday, June 1, when they play host to Cleveland Force SC. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m., and the match can be streamed at CBSDetroit.com.
Detroit City FC Starting XI: Gabrielle Schriver (46’), Ella Offer, Avery Peters, Acadia Murphy, Drew Martin (67’), Sarah Troccoli (46’), Danielle Stephens (67’), Sophia Romine, Emily Pagett (67’), Hannah Crum (46’), Lily Jeakle.
Detroit City FC Substitutes: Alexandria Tefend (46’), Deighton Wamer (46’), Ella Kane (46’), Kayla Addison (67’), Ava Landstra (67’), Nina Ferraro (67’).
Goalscorers: Pagett (13’), Crum (21’), Romine (30’), Jeakle (62’) (80’).
