MAKING OURSELVES AT HOME – Detroit City FC’s three-year undefeated streak on the road – Unofficial Detroit City FC Digital History

On March 12, 2022, Detroit City FC played their inaugural match in the USL Championship in Texas, against San Antonio FC. It was a close affair, but City came up short 1-nil.

It was City’s first loss on the road in over 44 months.

The previous loss on the road was when City ended their NPSL campaign with a 4-3 loss in Kalamazoo on July 7, 2018. The following season, with the intent of moving up the US Soccer pyramid and becoming a professional club, the team signed Trevor James as General Manager and Head Coach. Under his leadership, the team went undefeated on the road in 32 matches.

During this time, it is tricky to define what a road match is. We opened the 2020 NISA Spring Season in February, 2020 with a win on the road in Los Angeles. The COVID pandemic postponed then cancelled the remainder of the season. I count that match because it was a league match that would have counted but for the pandemic. I did not count any matches in the 2020 NISA Fall Tournament. Though it was held without fans in the stadium, every match was played at Keyworth Stadium which is City’s home field. I did count every match in the 2021 NISA Legends Cup Tournament because every match was played at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. And I did not count the penultimate match in the 2021 NISA Fall Season scheduled to play in Los Angeles which was cancelled due to the number of Force players testing positive for COVID. The match was deemed a nil-nil draw.

Below are the 32 matches in which City amassed 26 wins and 7 draws, with an amazing goal differential of +59 (70 goals for, 11 goals against), and 22 clean sheets over the course of 1,344 days (3 years, 8 months, 5 days).

The traveling Northern Guard Supporters – the Rouge Rovers – have a motto: Don’t get up, we’ll make ourselves at home. That’s pretty much what City did during this remarkable stretch. They made themselves at home on their host’s pitch and left with 1 or 3 points, and sometimes a trophy.

NPSL Regular Season

May 12, 2019: Michigan Stars 0, Detroit City FC 1
May 27, 2019: FC Indiana 0, Detroit City FC 5
June 9, 2019: Grand Rapids FC 0, Detroit City FC 0
June 16, 2019: Toledo Villa 0, Detroit City FC 5
June 22, 2019: FC Columbus 0, Detroit City FC 3
July 7, 2019: AFC Ann Arbor 1, Detroit City FC 3
July 13, 2019: Kalamazoo FC 1, Detroit City FC 3

NPSL Member’s Cup

August 24, 2019: Napa Valley 1839 0, Detroit City FC 4
September 14, 2019: Milwaukee Torrent 0, Detroit City FC 1
October 5, 2019: Chattanooga FC 0, Detroit City FC 1
October 12, 2019: New York Cosmos 1, Detroit City FC 2
October 16, 2019: Michigan Stars 0, Detroit City FC 1

NISA 2020 Spring Season
February 28, 2020: Los Angeles Force 0, Detroit City FC 2

NISA 2020 Fall Season
August 22, 2020: Michigan Stars 0, Detroit City FC 0
September 9, 2020: New York Cosmos 0, Detroit City FC 0

NISA 2020 Fall Championship (all matches played at Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI)

NISA 2021 Legends Cup (all matches in Chattanooga, TN)

April 13, 2021: Cal United Strikers 0, Detroit City FC 0
April 16, 2021: Stumptown AC 0, Detroit City FC 2
April 22, 2021: 1904 FC 0, Detroit City FC 1
April 25, 2021: Chattanooga FC 0, Detroit City FC 3

NISA 2021 Spring Season

May 7, 2021: New Amsterdam FC 0, Detroit City FC 1
May 12, 2021: Cal United Strikers 0, Detroit City FC 3
May 15, 2021: 1904 FC 1, Detroit City FC 3
May 22, 2021: Michigan Stars 1, Detroit City FC 1