Last Saturday, Detroit City FC lost a tough match against Lexington SC 1-0 at Keyworth Stadium. The teams entered a match crucial to both, because they were both trying to improve their playoff positions. Lexington came in with an identical record to DCFC of eight wins, eight draws, and eight losses. The end result moved Lexington from sixth to fourth in the Western Conference while dropping DCFC
to seventh. With five games to go, DCFC is in peril of slipping all the way out of the playoffs. Indy XI won their match with Birmingham on Sunday to pull within three points of Le Rouge.
The two teams played this game like a playoff game. They played hard and fast. They passed the ball crisply around the back and through midfield. Tackles flew in. The league made the right decision to send referee Muhammad Hassan to this game. He asserted himself when necessary, never letting the intensity of the game get out of hand.
He gave an early yellow card to Gael Gilbert of a foul on Jordan Adebayo- Smith for an off the ball incident that sent the DCFC man tumbling, pulling the game back for a free kick when DCFC failed to gain an advantage from the run of play. That set the standard for a well run game.
For the second straight game, Detroit City started without its top attacking players. Ben Morris and Rhys Williams are long term absentees, but Ates Diouf and Darrin Smith also missed out. Smith took a place on the bench, but questions about his fitness remain. When DCFC needed a goal late in the game, Danny Dichio opted to bring on midfielder Abdoulaye Diop instead. Diop is normally a defensive midfielder and made no impact on the desperate finale.
Even without their top attackers, how DCFC put up a goose egg in this game remains a mystery. Jordan Adebayo Smith started up front due to their injury crisis. He finally demonstrated the physical attributes that spurred DCFC to pick him up this year.
During the first half he blew past defenders with the ball creating numerous opportunities. Some he missed. Other chances eluded his teammates. This was serious center forward play. Every element of his game was spot on.
He just failed to do the one thing center forwards have to do to be successful: score goals.
Smith was hardly the only DCFC player to whiff when it mattered most. Haruki Yamazaki gave an excellent account of himself as the right wing. He provided regular service to the front line and tough defense at the back, but like the rest of the team could not finish when it mattered. Just a minute into the second half, Smith contributed one of many storming runs down the left side and crossed. The ball fell to Yamazaki, but he failed to make solid contact from the area of the penalty spot and the chance went to naught.
Sebastian Guenzatti had a rare start and missed his share of shots, too. He headed wide just before the hour from a Jeciel Cedeno cross. Cedeno had a shot turned away not long after that by goalkeeper Logan Ketterer amid a flurry of opportunities in the second half.
DCFC created more than enough opportunities to win the game. Their inability to do so will cost them dearly. After giving away their last away game in New Mexico, starting a four game homestand with a loss will sting. Now DCFC goes into this Saturday’s game against top of the league Louisville City needing to right the ship once again.
Louisville City has only lost one game all season. They have been utterly dominant. However, they were on top of the league last year and lost in the first round of the playoffs. They have returned this year determined to correct that error. They have no fewer than nine players with at least two goals and nine who have at least two assists. Everybody is a threat to score or set up a goal.
They are also tied for the league lead in fewest goals allowed with 19 after 25 games. They come into Keyworth on Saturday having won their last four matches in a row. It’s a powerhouse team facing a DCFC side stripped of its attacking strengths. Dichio has to hope that Darrin Smith and Ates Diouf can return for what will be another tough night for the faithful.
DCFC has five games remaining, the first three at home and the last two away. Given their recent form, making the playoffs, forget hosting a playoff game, might come down to the last game at Tampa. Even the woeful Rowdies have moved within four points of the final playoff spot, so they may yet have something to play for on the last day of the regular season.
