Detroit City FC (NISA) at Michigan Stars

May 22, 2021
NISA 2021 Spring Season
Romeo High School, Romeo, MI

Michigan Stars 1, Detroit City FC 1
DCFC:  Cyrus Saydee (Patricio Botello Faz) 55′
Stars: Kyle Nuel (PK) 86′

Since the home-opener against Maryland, City has spent some time on the road.

First, City traveled to the Hudson Sports Complex in Warwick, New York to play New Amsterdam FC on Friday, May 7, 2021.  Ghost Nation, a television show on the Travel Channel, investigated paranormal activity at the complex, which was formerly a prison, in Season Two, Episode 3 and Episode 4.  A goal by Max Todd (assisted by Yazeed Matthews) in the 15th minute spirited three points away from New Amsterdam FC.

Then, City played a mid-week match on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at Championship Stadium in Irvine, California.  The Cal United Strikers couldn’t score, but Patricio Botello Faz (with an assist by Kevin Venegas in the 17th minute), Connor Rutz (with an assist by Maxi Rodriguez in the 44th minute), and Maxi Rodriguez (with an assist by Roddy Green in the 67th minute) found the back of the net, giving City a 3-0 victory.

Finally, on Saturday, May 15, 2021, City visited Chula Vista, California as 1904 FC played host.  It was another City-dominated affair as they won 3-1.  In the final moment of the first half, Max Todd delivered a corner kick to the head of Anthony Manning, giving City the lead going into the locker room.  In the 51st minute, City carved through the San Diegans defense.  Pato collected a turnover, sent it to Jimmy Filerman, who pushed it through to Max Todd.  Todd slotted the ball cross goal onto the path of Connor Rutz who buried it past the keeper.  In the 84th minute, Jimmy Filerman played a little give-and-go with Cyrus Saydee to get behind the defenders and run in all alone to beat the keeper.  1904 pulled one back with a penalty kick by Ceasar Romero Jr. in the 87th minute.

Coming into tonight’s match, City had scored 14 goals with 10 different goal scorers (Pato-2, Todd-2, Manning-2, Rutz-2, Matthews, Carroll, Lewis, Venegas, Rodriguez, Filerman) .  Cyrus Saydee’s goal in today’s match would make it 15 goals by 11 different goal scorers.

Tonight’s match with the Stars opened with drama preceding the 7:00 PM kickoff.

It all began on Saturday, May 8, 2021, in Chattanooga, when CFC hosted the Stars.  In the 35th minute, the ball was dumped into the Stars end.  Stars keeper Tatenda Mkuruva left the goal area to race Chattanooga’s Sean Hoffstatter to the ball.  Mkuruva slid and got a piece of the ball and Hoffstatter leapt to avoid contact, though he may have gotten a piece of Mkuruva’s leg just above the foot.  However, Mkuruva flopped and rolled several times, which earned Hoffstatter a yellow card.  The Stars scored in the 64th minute.  They held the lead until the 80th minute when Chattanooga’s Brett Jones scored on a slick one-touch passing display from him to Juan Hernandez, to Ryan Marcano, back to Jones.  Chattanooga then carried the momentum into the final minutes of the match, resulting in a late PK, a CFC winning goal, a theatrical celebration, and final whistle fisticuffs.

The day after the match, the Michigan Stars tweeted the following:

Harsh calls?  The referee keeps the official time.  Kyle Nuel sauntered for an eternity while coming off the pitch when he was subbed out in added time.  And this video, which summarizes the evenings’ shenanigans, clearly shows a handball in the box.

On Tuesday May 11, 2021, NISA’s Disciplinary Committee assessed the penalties.  For Chattanooga FC, Brian Bement was given a red card, two-game suspension, plus an undisclosed fine for “violence toward a player,” and Markus Naglestad was given a two-game suspension for unsporting behavior.  For Michigan Stars, Assistant Coach Remy Tazifor was given a red card, four-game suspension, plus an undisclosed fine for “violence toward a player,” and Tatenda Mkuruva was given a one-game suspension for unsporting behavior.  Furthermore, both Chattanooga FC and Michigan Stars FC were also fined for the incident.

After NISA announced the disciplinary actions, the Stars tweeted the following:

On Sunday, May 16, 2021, the Stars were scheduled to travel to California to play the Cal United Strikers.  Two days prior, the Stars chose not to play.

The Stars failure to appear in California resulted in a 3-0 forfeit to the Cal United Strikers.  It was uncertain if they were going to play their match against us.  They confirmed they would on the evening of May 20th, two days before the match.

After the Stars’ commitment, NISA confirmed that the red card and four-game suspension of Assistant Coach Remy Tazifor and the one-game suspension of GK Tatenda Mkuruva would be in effect, and that all the fines incurred by Michigan Stars for the altercation in Chattanooga and the failure to play at Cal United on May 16 had been settled.

So, on with the show, starting with some Northern Guard Supporters’ artwork displayed at the match.

MICHIGAN STARS
Starting XI

Micah Bledsoe – GK
Tekodah Lobsiger – D
Joseph Aidoo – D
Carl Schneider – D
James Abraham – D
Devon Amoo-Mensah – D
Steven Juncaj – M
Thomas Suchecki – M
Zachary Reynolds – M
Kyle Nuel – F
Alex Satrustegui – F

DETROIT CITY FC
Starting XI

Nate Steinwascher – GK
Matt Lewis – D
Steven Carroll – D
Anthony Manning – D
Kevin Venegas – M
Jimmy Filerman – M
Cyrus Saydee – M
Maxi Rodriguez – M
Max Todd – F
Connor Rutz – F
Patricio Botello Faz – F

On this hot evening, the first half was sluggish.  Scoring chances were few and far between.

Five minutes into the second half, Patricio Botello Faz found Cyrus Saydee who delivered the ball into the upper corner of the net, to give City the lead.

It looks like security is jotting down the NGS complaint contact info.

A very questionable handball call on Anthony Manning gifted the Stars a PK in the 87th minute which Kyle Nuel converted.

The whole vibe in this match was weird due to the antics of the Michigan Stars leading up to it.  Regardless, City remains undefeated with a four-win, one-draw record and the only two goals scored against them have come from the penalty spot.  On Wednesday, June 2, 2021, they would return to Keyworth to take on the Los Angeles Force.