The host Bucks outshot the Cleveland Force 10-2 in the second half and it took a 74th minute goal to help Flint City eventually claim a 1-0 victory over the Force in a USL-League Two Central Conference quarterfinals match at Atwood Stadium at Kettering University.

Palmer Ault (Butler University) scored of a rebound and the Flint City defense held firm to lift the home-standing Bucks into the Round of 16. Flint City (12-1-3, 11-1-3 USL-League Two) will host Fort Wayne FC (13-2-2, 9-2-2) at 5 p.m. Sunday at Atwood with the right to advance to the Central Conference finals on the line.

The conference finals will take place July 26 at a site and time to be determined.

Flint City dominated a majority of the contest, especially in the second half, before finally breaking the plane. Josemir Gomez (Butler University) blasted a shot that was knocked aside by Cleveland goalkeeper Zoltan Nagy (Duquesne University), but an onrushing Ault closed in to clean up the loose ball and tuck it into the back of the net for the game’s only goal.

“You got to keep doing it, keep attacking,” said Bucks coach Paul Doroh. “We created some good moments. We got out wide of their shape and we were able to get Malik (Henry) in and Palmer (Ault) in and we were able to slip in others, too. Josemir (Gomez) did a good job of holding on for shots and combining with others. So, it just boils down to patience because with the pressure it was only a matter of time. But you also have to be disciplined enough on the other side of the ball that you don’t give something away and get caught on a counter or something like that. We talked about that at halftime, too.

“The boys did a great job and we finally were able to put one in,” continued Doroh. “It was high tempo with a lot of action, a lot of support from the crowd, so we were able to ride that until we got (the goal) and then that really got the crowd going.”

The Bucks outshot Cleveland 16-7 overall, including 8-3 with shots on frame, and even held a 10-2 edge on cornerkicks. The Force did challenge late in the final six minutes second minutes plus seven minutes of stoppage time but could only muster a pair of shots wide of the goal and one cornerkick.

The Force (5-3-5, 5-3-5) only had three shots on goal in the first 30 minutes of the contest and did not push a shot on frame in the entire second half.

Anchored by center back Jonas Buechte (University of Akron), the Bucks’ backfield frustrated the Force into turning the ball over whenever they broke midfield. Jakub Grzesiak (Oral Roberts University) notched the shutout on three first-half saves.

It marked Flint City’s sixth shutout inside USL-League Two play and seventh clean sheet overall in 2024. They deserve some credit, whoever we have playing back there (on the back line).”

“I have been pleased, for the most part, about our defense and the way they have played all season,” noted Doroh. “In a lot of our games we don’t give up a ton of chances."

FORT WAYNE ADVANCES

Fort Wayne FC dropped a 3-2 double-overtime contest to the Flint City Bucks in last year’s Round of 32 in a game played down in the Fort Wayne area.

Fort Wayne will get its rematch with the Bucks this year, as they will play against host Flint City Bucks on Sunday.

Fort Wayne FC had to work some serious overtime before downing Midwest United FC 1-0 in a shootout Friday night that went to six rounds to decide the winner. FWFC edged out Midwest 5-4 on penalties to prevail.

INJURY TIMEOUT

The aforementioned Palmer Ault went down with a knee injury in the 78th minute and after over a four-minute delay was taken out of the game for precautionary reasons. It is uncertain if Ault will be available or not for Sunday’s game.

HOME SWEET HOME

During its 29-year run, the Bucks have host legions of postseason games and even Central Conference, semifinals or North American/National title games. This weekend the Bucks will also host the Central Conference semifinals on Sudnday.

After the weekend, the USL-League Two pick various locations to host four conference finals on Friday and then two North American semifinals on Sunday.

The Bucks held the finals in both 2016 at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac in 2016 and then again the finals up at Atwood Stadium.

“There’s non place like playing at home here at Atwood Stadium,” noted Doroh after Friday’s game, which brough out close to 4,000 fans.

USL-LEAGUE TWO CENTRAL CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS-GROUP A

(July 19-21 at Atwood Stadium, Kettering University, Flint, Mich.)

Friday, July 19

Game 1 – Fort Wayne FC 1, Midwest United FC 0 (2OT, SO, 5-4 on penalties)

Game 2 – Flint City Bucks 1, Cleaveland Force 0

Sunday, July 21

Game 3 – Flint City Bucks vs. Fort Wayne FC, Central Conference Semifinals, 5 p.m.

(Winner advances to the USL-League Two North American Central Conference finals next week on a date, location and time to be determined.)

USL-LEAGUE TWO CENTRAL CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS-GROUP B

(July 19-21 at Shea Stadium, Peoria, Illinois)

Friday, July 19

Game 1 – Des Moines Menace 2, Bavarian United SC 0

Game 2 – Peoria City SC 2, Thunder Bay Chill 0

Sunday, July 21

Game 3 – Des Moines Menace vs. Peoria City SC, 1:30 p.m.

(Winner advances to the USL-League Two North American Central Conference finals next week on a date, location and time to be determined.)

USL-LEAGUE TWO POWER RANKINGS

(Through July 13)

1. Asheville City SC

2. Seacoast United Phantoms

3. Western Mass Pioneers

4. Little Rock Rangers

5. Flint City Bucks

6. Long Island Riders

7. Ventura County Fusion

8. Ocean City Nor’Easters

9. Corpus Christi FC

10. Lionsbridge FC

11. Virginia Beach United

12. Des Moines Menace

13. United PDX

14. Peoria City

15. FC Motown STA

NOTE: There are a record 128 teams spread over 18 different divisions in the USL-League Two in the United States and Canada.

USL-LEAGUE TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

(formerly USISL Premier League; USISL Premier Developemntal Soccer League, USL- Premier Developemntal League)

YEAR NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONS RUNNERS-UP

USISL Premier League

1995: Richmond Kickers San Fransisco United

1996: Central Coast Roadrunners Richmond Kickers

USISL Premier Developemntal Soccer League

1997: Central Coast Roadrunners Spokane Shadow

1998: San Gabriel Valley Highlanders Jackson Chargers

USL-Premier Developmental League

1999: Chicago Sockers Jackson Chargers

2000: Chicago Sockers Mid-Michigan Bucks

2001: Westchester Flames Calgary Storm

2002: Cape Cod Crusaders Des Moines Menace

2003: Cape Cod Crusaders New Orleans Shell Shockers

2004: Central Florida Kraze Chicago Fire Reserves

2005: Des Moines Menace Orange County Blue Star

2006: Michigan Bucks Laredo Heat

2007: Laredo Heat Michigan Bucks

2008: Thunder Bay Chill Laredo Heat

2009: Ventura County Fusion Reading Rage

2010: Portland Timbers U23s Thunder Bay Chill

2011: Kitsap Pumas Fresno Fuego

2012: Forest City London Michigan Bucks

2013: Austin Aztex Thunder Bay Chill

2014: Michigan Bucks Des Moines Menace

2015: K-W United FC Michigan Bucks

2016: Michigan Bucks Calgary Foothills FC

2017: Charlotte Eagles New York Red Bulls U-23

2018: Calgary Foothills FC Des Moines Menace

USL-League Two

2019: Flint City Bucks Des Moines Menace

2020: No season, cancelled due to Covid restrictions

2021: Des Moines Menace North Carolina Fusion U23

2022: Ventura County Fusion Long Island Rough Riders

2023: Ballard FC Lionsbridge FC

2024: To be determined

MOST NORTH AMERICAN/NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

4 – Flint City Bucks/Michigan Bucks

2 – Des Moines Menace

2 – Ventura County Fusion

2 – Cape Cod Crusaders

2 – Chicago Sockers

2 – Central Coast Roadrunners

1 – Ballard FC

1 – Calgary Foothills

1 – Charlotte Eagles

1 – K-W United FC

1 – Austin Aztex

1 – Forest City London

1 – Kitsap Pumas

1 – Portland Timbers U23

1 – Thunder Bay Chill

1 – Laredo Heat

1 – Austin Aztex

1 – Central Florida Kraze

1 – Westchester Flames

1 – San Gabriel Valley Highlanders

1 – Richmond Kickers

MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews

(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer of teams or players with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com, or call 248-884-1051. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com.)