It was a lovely spring evening at St. Thomas University and the stage was set for a good battle between The Miami FC 2 and FC Kendall, two sides tuning up for some important upcoming games. Indeed this could have been a dress rehearsal for a possible rematch in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. We now know if The Miami FC 2 can negotiate a tricky tie with FC Miami City then the squad will probably line up against FC Kendall or Red Force in the first round.
The Miami FC 2 is looking to add some pop to its midfield, and turning to a familiar (and infamous) name. Attacking midfielder Jeff Michaud has been signed for the 2018 season.
After receiving permission from the United States Soccer Federation to participate in the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, The Miami FC 2 and FC Miami City of the Premier Development League will square off in a “play-in” cup match.
For The Miami FC 2 preseason friendlies had been a cakewalk. South Florida FC and Weston FC had been dispatched rather easily. But the first challenge from a Miami-Dade squad proved to be more challenging.
In a 2-1 result, Miami FC 2 faced and dealt with its first serious challenge of their preseason schedule. But it wasn’t always easy.
Although they are normally an 11-a-side squad in the APSL, a Miami Dade FC beach soccer team is participating in the Campeonato Carioca de Beach Soccer 2018 in Rio de Janeiro.
In a development that would’ve been totally unexpected even two weeks ago, The Miami FC Open Cup possibilities are still alive. The Miami FC 2 has been granted admission into the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. New York Cosmos B and Jacksonville Armada has also been granted admission.
In a statement, the Open Cup Committee said:
“The Committee carefully considered the teams’ exceptional situation which involved all three moving from Professional Division II status in 2017 to solely Open Division league participation earlier this year. Since the move occurred after the Open Division league’s 2018 Open Cup entry deadline in mid-2017, the Committee decided to allow the three teams the opportunity to compete in the 2018 edition of the U.S. Open Cup.”
The teams will have until 4 p.m. on April 2 to confirm that they are participating. Once they have been confirmed, the three teams will enter the competition via a “Play-In Round” scheduled for the weekend of May 5-6. The winners of the play-in round will advance to the First Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on May 9.
Stephen Ross may yet have his soccer team, just not quite the Major League Soccer outfit he may have imagined.
According to Corriere dello Sport – Stadio, one of Italy’s major sports newspapers, Ross has inquired about the ownership of legendary Serie A club AC Milan.
A short roundup of coverage about Miami soccer:
–MiamiHerald.com: Soccer fever is shaking up Peru as they set eyes on the World Cup
Andre Carrillo, with his hair dyed gray, booted in a first-half strike, and Edison Flores used his left foot to knock in a rebound in the second 45, much to the delight of the crowd of 46,893, which was dominated by red-and-white clad Peru fans.
Walter Villa of the Miami Herald writes a recap of Friday’s Peru-Croatia victory, where Los Incas dominated in front of a very pro-Peru crowd. But he also goes into greater detail about what Peru’s participation in the 2018 FIFA World Cup means to the fans.
As you’ve heard Miami may not have a team in the “Pro” leagues this year but that does not mean that there is no soccer to enjoy throughout the Magic City. This season the hardcore soccer fan can take in as many as 19 regular season games between the months of April and July. Miami FC 2, Miami United, and FC Miami City will each have a home slate plus additional games that are played within a 45-minute drive.
It was a game of firsts for The Miami FC 2, yet it seemed very similar at the same time. A new name. A new coach. Many new names.
Yet it was a number of familiar faces who led the way, as Miami FC 2 claimed its first victory, defeating Weston FC 5-0 to open the 2018 preseason at Bobcat Field at St. Thomas University.