Tag Archives: Kwadwo Poku

Miami Soccer in Review: The Miami FC brings MLS to Miami in 2017 as Beckham bid nearly collapses

Miami Soccer in Review | The Miami FC forward Kwadwo Poku scores past Atlanta United defender Carlos Carmona to win the club's U.S. Open Cup tie at Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami on June 28, 2017. Photo via The Miami FC.

Magic City Soccer will take the last 10 days of 2019 to review the last 10 years of Miami-Dade County soccer. Today in Miami Soccer in Review, we take a look back at 2017. The Miami FC makes an enthralling U.S. Open Cup run, and Jorge Mas offers a lifeline to a Miami Beckham United ready to quit.

When The Miami FC was announced in 2015. owner Riccardo Silva indicated that the U.S. Open Cup would prove to be as important as league performance. That wasn’t reflected in 2016, when the club was bombed out in its first game by Wilmington Hammerheads FC. In 2017, however, a magical run would show the potential that The Miami FC presented the South Florida soccer community.

Miami FC falls short in penalties; New York Cosmos advance to NASL final

Miami FC

Playoffs are a funny thing. In American sports, playoffs separate the weak from the strong. The contenders from the pretenders. Yet somehow, they also have a way of allowing the underdog to rise to the occasion and steal the spotlight time and time again. Miami FC could have played their very last game and the North American Soccer League modern record for goals, wins, points, and differential could not have saved them.

The Miami FC claims NASL Fall Season title, defeats FC Edmonton 2-1

The Miami FC made history Saturday night, as the team defeated FC Edmonton 2-1 to claim the NASL Fall Season title. The team becomes the first squad to win the Spring and Fall title of the North American Soccer League in the same year.

It wasn’t easy, as the club had to outlast a valiant effort by the Canadian club. Not only that, but outer bands of Tropical Storm Philippe made the conditions beyond wet. However, two goals by Kwadwo Poku broke the league’s team season scoring record (61) and sealed all three points. A loss by San Francisco Deltas to Jacksonville Armada made the points unnecessary for the title, but the team will certainly take the win as they head into the The Championship semifinal.

Not only that, the win gave The Miami FC the NASL record for points in a season (69).

The squad now waits for the conclusion of games on Sunday, as they will either host New York Cosmos or North Carolina FC on Nov. 5 at 5 pm.

Previewing The Match: Miami FC vs. Puerto Rico FC

The Miami FC hosts Puerto Rico FC. Image courtesy The Miami FC.

The highly anticipated rematch between the top two teams in the NASL fall table, The Miami FC and Puerto Rico FC, is here. As we mentioned last week, the fall season has been a reverse of fortune for teams who found themselves at the bottom in the spring. Positions three and four are currently held by Edmonton and North Carolina who need a magical run in this campaign to earn a spot in the NASL playoffs.

North Carolina FC vs. Miami FC: Previewing The Match

North Carolina FC hosts The Miami FC. Image courtesy The Miami FC.

It feels like just about a fortnight ago that we discussed Miami and North Carolina FC. In fairness, it’s been ten days since these two clubs faced off in what was an exciting end to any soccer match. North Carolina were able to steal all three points from Miami by converting their third goal of the night from a set piece.

How have the two teams fared since that match on the fifth of August? Miami came back with a vengeance but suffered some setbacks in a 3-1 victory over the Indy Eleven. North Carolina could only manage a point in a 2-2 draw with the Jacksonville Armada.

Miami FC vs. North Carolina FC: Previewing the Match

The Miami FC hosts North Carolina FC. Graphic by Matthew Bunch. Logos courtesy The Miami FC and North Carolina FC.

After the disappointment against FC Cincinnati in Wednesday’s quarter-final cup action, Miami finds themselves trying to pick up the pieces after losing two games in a row. It’s been a while since Nesta & Company have lost multiple matches in a row. The last time Miami FC dropped repeated matches was towards the end of the fall season in 2016. Dropping three in a row? You have to go back to the nightmarish spring season of 2016. They’ll be hoping to avoid that fate against North Carolina FC.

The Miami FC knocked out of U.S. Open Cup by sluggish performance against FC Cincinnati

The Miami FC faces FC Cincinnati at Riccardo Silva Stadium. Photo courtesy The Miami FC.

Three weeks ago, The Miami FC was the hottest club in North American soccer. Just coming off a 14-game unbeaten streak, the club defeated second-place San Francisco Deltas 7-0 to claim the NASL Spring Season title and had everything to look forward to in a matchup against FC Cincinnati in which it would be favored. Mother Nature intervened and forced a postponement to Aug. 2. Three weeks isn’t that long, right?

For Miami FC and its fans (10,415 of whom showed up Wednesday night — a club record), it feels like an eternity. The club is officially on a losing streak, capped off with the indignity of a 1-0 home shutout to Cincinnati and an ignoble exit from a memorable U.S. Open Cup run.

The Miami FC Spring Season review: Forwards

Forwards of The Miami FC. Photographic by Matthew Bunch. Images courtesy The Miami FC.

The Miami FC has turned into an offensive juggernaut in the NASL. Few teams in the league have the defensive ability to keep up with this group of attackers. Whether it’s blowing teams out by numerous goals or being able to cash in on the lone chance of the night, Pinho, Rennella and Poku have come in clutch all season. Their job has been made much easier thanks to the play of the midfield group that we recapped yesterday. Let’s take a look at the trio’s season so far and their best moments.