The mood on the Keyworth Stadium field didn’t match the glorious fall weather in Southeastern Michigan last weekend. The third place teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences of the USL Championship battled to a goalless draw, with battle being the operative word.
From the opening minutes, both teams made it clear that they were playing for high stakes. The Colorado Springs Switchbacks entered the match in an incredibly tight battle for playoff positions out West. They were wound up and succeeded in winding up Detroit City’s players and supporters over the course of a rough and tumble ninety minutes that threatened to boil over.
Just seven minutes into the game, the visitors won a corner and before the kick could be taken a wrestling match broke out in the City penalty area. Haruki Yamazaki, who must be the most fouled player in the league, ended up in a heap after being thrown down by Isaiah Foster. While Yamazaki writhed in pain, players from both teams engaged in pushing and shoving, resulting in no disciplinary action from referee Benjamin Meyer.
That served as a warning of what was to come. The two teams contested every loose ball. They committed some tough fouls and retribution for each came quickly. What didn’t come quickly were scoring chances. Each team only recorded one shot on goal. Neither goalkeeper could claim to be overworked either. Both Carlos Herrera of DCFC and Christian Herrera of Colorado Springs had control of the ball in their penalty areas. As a result the game turned into a battle of attrition in midfield with the two teams having periods of control without really breaking down the opposition.
With tensions running high in the last ten minutes, DCFC had the territorial advantage. Kobe Hernandez-Foster picked up the ball on the DCFC right. Switchbacks midfielder Sadam Masereka came sliding through his legs from behind, sparking the biggest melee of the evening. Yamazaki was first on the scene to express his displeasure and was soon joined by the majority of the two teams. DCFC’s most recent acquisition, 6’6″ forward Chiekhou Nieng cut a path through the Switchbacks to protect his new teammates, earning the respect of the nearby Northern Guard. It took several minutes for order to be restored so that DCFC could take the free kick. Again, referee Meyer only issued a single yellow card to Masereka when several more players from both teams could have easily received them.
DCFC had their best chance of the game in stoppage time at the end. Hernandez-Foster served in a corner kick and Devon Amoo-Mensah met it beautifully with his head. Unfortunately, Amoo-Mensah’s powerful header went just over the crossbar, leaving the two teams where they began: no goals scored.
The result probably did more damage to Colorado Springs than DCFC. The Switchbacks dropped from third to sixth in the Western Conference even though they picked up a tough road point. However, the teams in third through eighth spots in the West are separated by just two points. They could easily go up again or drop after the next round of games.
DCFC held its third spot and still has at least one game in hand over the next three teams. That game will be this week in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Brooklyn FC is second from bottom in the Eastern Conference and all but eliminated from playoff contention. If DCFC can win, they will clinch a playoff spot and open up a five point gap on fourth place Hartford.
It’s a quick turnaround this week as Le Rouge will be back in action again on Saturday against the Birmingham Legion. The Legion is nine points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and also looking at elimination. If ever there was a time for a six point week, this would be it. The team is about as fit as they will be for the rest of the season and has to start building momentum for the playoffs. They have two more home games before two of the toughest away games on the schedule: Louisville and Tampa Bay.
