MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
BY DAN STICKRADT
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST | WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
Michigan Soccer Network | Premier Media Group
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FLINT, Mich. – Sometimes goals will not come easy.
Constant pressure and remaining in attack mode may eventually pay off.
It sure did in the second half Friday for the Flint City Bucks.
Finally.
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.)
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