In the 2026 Home Opener, Detroit City FC came out of the gate fast with a 3-nil victory over Brooklyn FC.

Darren Smith scored two goals in the opening half. The first came from a long, downfield pass by Devon Amoo-Mensah which dropped ahead of Smith who ran on to it and scored in the 3rd minute. Twenty-nine minutes later, Kobe Hernandez-Foster’s free kick from the left side dropped just inside the box. Headed away by a Brooklyn defender, the ball fell for Smith once more, who volleyed it past Kayne Rizvanovich for a 2-nil lead.  To put the exclamation point on the match, Maxi Rodriguez was the recipient of another long ball, this time from keeper Carlos Herrera. Maxi dribbled the ball toward goal, with Brooklyn’s Roco Romero all over him. Maxi stopped at the top of the box, allowing Romero to pass by, then served an exquisite pass through to Chisom Egbuchulam. Brooklyn’s Vuk Latinovich slid in to try to block the City forward, but Chisolm chipped it over he and the keeper in the 85th minute.

The match opened with a minute of solidarity, and the players stood in protest of working under an expired collective bargaining agreement with the league.

First match of the season. First win of the season. First clean sheet of the season. And 50th victory by the club in USL Championship league play.

The Numbers

Scoring
DCFC: Darren Smith (Devon Amoo-Mensah) 3′
DCFC: Darren Smith 32′
DCFC: Chisom Egbuchulam (Maxi Rodriguez) 85′

Attendance: 5,559

Possession: Detroit 42.5%, Brooklyn 57.5%
Shots: Detroit 15, Brooklyn 7
Shots on Target: Detroit 5, Brooklyn 2
Corner Kicks: Detroit 6, Brooklyn 1
Fouls: Detroit 17, Brooklyn 14
Yellow Cards: Detroit 1 (Alex Dalou),
Brooklyn 2 (Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Jaden Servania)

Starting Eleven

Detroit City FC

Carlos Herrera
Haruki Yamazaki
Callum Montgomery
Devon Amoo-Mensah – Captain
Derrick Silva
Kobe Herndandez-Foster
Ryan Williams
Maxi Rodriguez
Jeciel Cedeno
Darren Smith
Ates Diouf

Subs:
Chisom Egbuchulam for Darren Smith 58′
Abdoulaye Diop for Kobe Hernandez-Foster 80′
Preston Tabort Etaka for Jeciel Cedeno 80′
Alex Dalou for Ates Diouf 90′
Rio Hope-Gund for Haruki Yamazaki 90′

 

BROOKLYN FC

Kayne Rizvanovich
Thomas Vancaeyezeele
Roco Romeo
Vuk Latinovich
Malik Pinto
Jaden Servania
Taimu Okiyoshi
Shaan Hundal
Christopher Olney Jr.
Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. – Captain

Subs:
Ryan McLaughlin for Thomas Vancaeyezele 45′
Stefan Stojanovic for Shaan Hundal 56′
Tommy McNamara for Malik Pinto 56′
Peter Mangione for Jaden Servania 65′
Abdoulaye Kante for Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. 84′

 

Officials:
Rodrigo Albuquerque – Head Referee
Adam Cook – Assistant Referee
Ricardo Ocampo – Assistant Referee
Fourth Official – Ryan Homik

 

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