The Magic City has officially been booted from the 2018 U.S. Open Cup with Miami United’s loss to Orlando City last night at Ted Hendricks Stadium. Despite a strong run through the first four rounds of the tournament, the match was over before it started. Orlando City proved a point that they were taking this tournament seriously under third-year coach Jason Kreis.
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.
This could very well be it! The final game against the San Francisco Deltas has been rescheduled and it is going to be played. The Miami FC and the Deltas will face off for the final time in the regular season tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Bay Area. Despite Miami having a 2-1-1 advantage during the year, this game will essentially decide the fall campaign in the NASL.
Miami FC bounced back and looked like the team that all their supporters know and love yesterday in Indianapolis. After dropping points in their previous two games against the San Francisco Deltas, which brought the overall first seed in to question, the turnaround was massive for the club. Indy looked outmatched from the start and saw their season officially end after the final whistle.
Before we get started on the very rare double recap article below, we want to apologize for the lack of structure over the recent weeks. After Hurricane Irma, it is safe to say that we have been in quite a lull. Everyone in the Magic City Soccer family is safe and our families are doing well. Now, back to the NASL season already in progress.
It took a little while, but The Miami FC shook off its post-Hurricane Irma rust and showed its quality against Miami United FC’s APSL squad, 6-0.
Well let’s be honest, perhaps soccer is the last thing on your mind at the moment. Nobody could blame you and we strongly urge that you finish up your hurricane preparations before even thinking about attending tonight’s Miami FC game against the New York Cosmos. Our preview is going to be short and to the point because we still have some prep work to do ourselves and we will probably not be in attendance.
After getting out Puerto Rico with three points despite giving up plenty of chances, Miami FC had to return home and get ready to play the same club again. Entering the game Miami had not allowed a single goal since Eamon Zayed’s 88th minute tap in three weeks ago. Would Miami’s back line hold up? Would Mason Trafford make an appearance?
It’s been a while since Miami FC have faced off against the football club from “La Isla Bonita,” Puerto Rico FC. These teams know each other well although it doesn’t really seem that they play often. Perhaps that’s because these games have been less notable than those against other NASL foes.
Miami needed to provide an answer to its critics coming into Saturday’s game against Indy Eleven. Boy, did they ever make a response. After a miserable start to the fall campaign, that includes the end of the cup run, Miami returned with a similar flair that we had gotten used to in the spring.