Week 4 in the Gainbridge Super League featured only three games, but featured several firsts for the young season. One team dropped points for the first time. Another team earned points at home for the first time. A third finally got their first win of the season. Let's take a look at all the action.
DC Power FC 1 - 1 Sporting Jax
Sporting Jax entered DC as the only team in GSL not to drop points in their first three games of the season and primed for an interesting match vs a Power side that had won two consecutive matches, but oddly tend to struggle at home. Defensive miscues deep in their own half put DC on the back foot several times in the first half, but Sporting could not capitalize to take the lead. DC defender Claire Constant broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when she blasted a ball that had be bouncing around just outside of the 6-yard box past Sporting goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg. Sporting didn't trail for long, as just four minutes later, Maggie Illig tapped a loose free kick through traffic and into the net. With the draw, DC extends its undefeated streak to three matches. DC now sit third in the table three points back of Sporting and two behind Carolina. The draw saw two streaks snap for Jacksonville, their three match winning streak and Baylee DeSmit's three game scoring streak.
Carolina Ascent 3 - 0 Fort Lauderdale United
Carolina and Fort Lauderdale entered their Week 4 match with opposite goals in mind. For the Ascent, they were looking to rebound from their first loss of the season, a 2-1 defeat at home to Tampa Bay. Coming off their first win of the season, Fort Lauderdale looked to keep their momentum rolling. Almost immediately, Fort Lauderdale found themselves under pressure from Carolina's high press and conceded two corners in the first 10 minutes. The high press, however, was not the key to unlocking Fort Lauderdale 's defense. In the 10th minute, Jenna Butler played a vertical ball from deep in Carolina's defensive half that found Jill Aguilera at the near the top of the Fort Lauderdale penalty area. Aguilera, who had gotten being two United defenders, played the ball on a hop and volleyed it past Fort Lauderdale goalkeeper Haley Craig, who had come off her line to cut off the angle, and inside the far far post for the first goal of the match. Mia Corbin doubled Carolina's lead from the spot. Just eight minutes later, Audrey Coleman sealed the match for Carolina when she picked up a Mia Corbin through ball which had split two defenders and rocketed it past Craig. Carolina will face Lexington SC on Friday in a rematch of last season's GSL final, while Fort Lauderdale will face Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Dallas Trinity 3 - 0 Brooklyn FC
Though only three matches into the season, neither Dallas nor Brooklyn were experiencing the start they hoped for with neither team having a win entering Week 4. Despite an offseason rebuild of their roster and coaching staff, Brooklyn had lost all three matches thus far and been kept scoreless twice. Dallas entered on a two game losing streak after drawing their opening match of the season. Both teams came out aggressive from the start. In the 3rd minute, Onyeka Gamero launched a shot from outside the 18 yard box that beat Brooklyn goalkeeper Breanna Norris but deflected off the crossbar. A few minutes later, Brooklyn's Carlee Giammona used a nice cut back move to create an open look on goal. However, her touch may have been a bit too strong as she had to lunge at the ball to get it on goal and the shot went just wide of the post. In the 8th minute, Jasmine drove down the right wing to the end line and played a centering pass into the box which Camryn Lancaster directed on one touch toward the far post. Onyeka Gamero put it in the back of the net for her first of the year to give Dallas the lead.
For much of the first half, Hamid was a menace on the right hand side but was lacking a teammate to finish the play. In the 28th minute, Jamie Shepard got in behind the Brooklyn defense on a thrown and played a long cross from the sideline into the box that Seven Castain got on the end of and deposited in the back of the net. That was all the scoring for the first half as the teams went to the locker rooms with Dallas holding a two goal lead.
Brooklyn thought they had halved the Trinity lead in the 60th minute when Tziarra King put a deflected ball into the net, but it was waived off due to offsides. Brooklyn had another great opportunity to halve Dallas's lead in the 78th minute when Lauren Gogal directed a header from inside the 6 yard box toward goal off a corner . Her shot ultimately hit the post and went out. Brooklyn would rue the missed chances as a Dallas defensive clearance in the 88th minute found Jasmin Hamid alone behind the Brooklyn defense. Hamid raced from just inside Brooklyn's defensive half down the field and beat Norris one-on-one to end any hope of a Brooklyn comeback.
Week 5 Matches
Friday, 11 September
Lexington SC vs Carolina Ascent - 7:30 PM ET/6:30 CT - Lexington SC Stadium, Lexington, KY
Saturday, 12 September
Tampa Bay Sun vs Fort Lauderdale United - 7 PM ET/6 PM CT - Suncoast Credit Union Field - Tampa, FL
Sunday, 13 September
Brooklyn FC vs Sporting Jax - 4 PM ET/3 PM CT - Maimonides Park - Brooklyn, NY
Dallas Trinity vs DC Power - 7:30 PM ET/6:30 PM CT
Northland Soccer Game of the Week - Dallas vs DC Power
This week's Northland Soccer GOTW features a Dallas team coming off their first victory of the year and looking to get their season back on track vs a DC team that tends to play better on th road than at home. The Trinity are 1-1-1 at the Cotton Bowl this year. DC have earned 6 of their 7 points on the road after knocking off Brooklyn and the defending champions Lexington. DC's lone point at home this season came in a draw with top of the table Sporting Jax. In their lone meeting with Sporting this season, Dallas fell 2-0 at home. Both teams bring scoring ability to the pitch. Loza Abera leads DC's offense with three goals, one goal back of Lexington's Baylee DeSmit. Four other players have contributed a goal for the power in their four matches this season. Jasmine Hamid and Seven Castain lead Dallas with two goals apiece. The match has the potential to be a high scoring affair with the talent both teams bring to the pitch.
