Detroit City FC (NISA) vs Livonia City FC

July 28, 2021
NISA Independent Cup Great Lakes Region Match
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI

Detroit City FC 10, Livonia City FC 0
DCFC: Jimmy Filerman (Cyrus Saydee) 2′
DCFC: Yazeed Matthews 22′
DCFC: Kevin Venegas (Connor Rutz) 35′
DCFC: Kevin Venegas (Tendai Jirira) 59′
DCFC: Pato Botello Faz (Anthony Manning) 63′
DCFC: Yazeed Matthews 68′
DCFC: Anthony Manning (Darwin Espinal) 71′
DCFC: Roddy Green 82′
DCFC: Darwin Espinal 84′
DCFC: Yazeed Matthews (Darwin Espinal) 85′

Attendance: 4,757

This is the second of three NISA Independent Cup Great Lakes Region matches. A cliche’ David vs Goliath pairing as Livonia City FC play in the Midwest Premier League, where our U-23 team (who beat Livonia twice, 5-0 and 2-0 respectively) reigned supreme.

It is also that time of year. The annual beach party match in the Northern Guard Supporters’ section. Plenty of water balloons to toss around.

Speaking of our U-23 team, tonight they would receive the East Division Champion trophy they earned with their 13-win, 1-loss record.

The U-23s receive their trophy prior to the match.

DETROIT CITY FC
Starting XI

Armando Quezada – GK
Javan Torre – D
Anthony Manning – D
Stephen Carroll – D
Cyrus Saydee – M
Connor Rutz – M
Kevin Venegas – M
Jimmy Filerman – M
Maxi Rodriguez – M
Yazeed Matthews – F
Pato Botello Faz – F

It took just 62 seconds of play before Jimmy Filerman opened the scoring for Detroit. A beautiful cross-field pass from Yazeed Matthews found Filerman, who fed the ball forward to Cyrus Saydee. Saydee one-touched it back to Filerman who then fired a hard high shot past the Livonia keeper.

In the 22nd minute, as the ball flew in from the far side, Kevin Venegas headed the ball to Pato, who in turn headed a shot on goal. The rebound from the keeper’s save sailed to Yazeed Matthews who struck it clean into the gaping goal.

In the 35th minute, a three-way give-and-go from Kevin Venegas to Yazeed Matthews to Connor Rutz. Rutz forwarded the ball into the path of Venegas who caught it and deposited it into the Livonia goal.

City ended the half with a 3-nil lead. The match was as heavily one-sided as one might assume.

City made three substitutions, and kept on rolling. In the 59th minute, Tendai Jirira brought the ball down the near side and delivered a cross that Kevin Venegas took a head to, directing it into the net.

Four minutes later, Darwin Espinal, along the same channel, delivered a cross that Anthony Manning headed to Pato Botello Faz who guided it into the open goal.

Five minutes after Pato’s goal, Javi Steinwascher forced a Livonia defender to turn the ball over to Yazeed Matthews who fired it past the Livonia keeper. 6-nil.

Three minutes later, Anthony Manning heads home goal #7 from a Darwin Espinal free kick.

After an eleven minute break in the scoring, City potted three more goals within three minutes. First, Tendai Jirira broke down the near side again and delivered a cross into the box. A Livonia defender chested it down, but Roddy Green took control of the ball with his back to goal. Green turned on the defender then fired and scored. Then Darwin Espinal took advantage of a Livonia turnover and fired the ball in the far corner of the goal.

Finally, a give-and-go bit of passing between Darwin Espinal and Yazeed Matthews resulted in Z making the extra point on the touchdown scored in the second half.