In this Magic City Soccer podcast, Matt and Omar discuss the NPSL Sunshine State playoffs, the U.S. Women’s National Team winning the World Cup and the U.S. Men’s National Team falling in the Gold Cup final. Join us, won’t you?
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If the Miami FC expected a stroll in the park against the Jacksonville Armada U-23 side on Saturday, they were sorely mistaken. Aaron Pitchkolan’s men were ready to frustrate Miami at every turn. Despite getting off their early signature early lead, Paul Dalgish’s Orange and Blue found themselves in a contested first half of football. The Armada deployed similar tactics to Naples, however, could they close?
The NPSL Game Of The Week has come to town and it’s spotlights are shining down on The Miami FC. In this Saturday’s regular season finale there is a lot on the line for the Orange and Blue. While they control their own destiny with regards to hosting six of the seven playoff matches, it’s the final one they need a little help with. Before we focus on the pipeline, we need to focus on the now and this Jacksonville Armada U-23 squad.
It was a slow buildup but a euphoric ending for the Miami FC on Saturday night at Barry University. While the worry set in early for the Miami faithful, Naples could not contain the attack for long. For Naples, a result of any type could have earned the west coast club a playoff match at home. It was a couple of familiar faces whose performance would decide the contest in this top of the table fixture.
Soccer is perhaps the only sport where a title fight gets a rematch so quickly. Anthony Joshua would probably offer a king’s ransom to get the opportunity that Naples United have been afforded by the NPSL scheduling matrix. As you may recall, Naples got the early lead against the Miami FC last weekend. However, Miguel Gonzalez would have much to say before the match was over. Can Miami avoid disaster in a rematch?
Saturday’s match up is one of the rarer fixtures that come in the National Premier Soccer League. The league has 91 teams and the sunshine conference is home of the second and fifth team in the league’s power rankings (points per game). Naples United has been perfect so far on the year amassing wins in their five matches. For Miami FC, despite some disappointment their recent form has been outstanding.
When a club goes on a run that includes outscoring their opponents by 32 goals, it’s inevitable that there is a let down coming. Very rarely are dominant performances like the ones displayed by MFC sustained in the long haul. In what may have been the first blimp on the radar since the loss to the Florida Soccer Soldiers, Miami managed to only score one goal by half time. It was the next 45 minutes that showed all the signs of a team ready for a lengthy playoff run.
There is an argument to be made that this form that the Miami FC have been on as of late has been the most impressive run this team has produced. The 2017 U.S. Open Cup run was special, and the 2017 13-game winning streak in the NASL was incredibly impressive. Even in 2018, the club went 10 straight games with a victory to clinch three trophies in the NPSL playoffs. These last four NPSL matches have just been complete domination with a combined scoreline of 33-1.
Miami United are looking like a club that could have made a long run in the U.S. Open Cup had they only had a chance to enter the tournament. Not having dropped a match since their season opener against cross-town rival Miami FC, United have won their last four matches by an impressive margin. Unfortunately for the pink and black, their cross town rivals are outgunning them against the same set of opponents.
Back in 2017 we had a nice little run going here at Magic City Soccer of nailing score-lines of Miami FC matches. If you look back at the preview, we hit the match right on it’s head. It took Miami quite a while, for their standards, to get their first goal of the match. It just took one to open the floodgates and secure three points in Winter Park.
