Two goals five minutes apart early in the second half provided the margin of victory for DCFC at Keyworth last Saturday night. Carlos Herrera kept a clean sheet and City walked away from a testy encounter with Indy XI as 2-0 winners.
Le Rouge played their first home game in the league since mid-June on a pleasant summer evening thanks to a brief dissipation of the smoke that had engulfed the area during the week. They dominated the first half without forcing too many dangerous shots at the Indy goal. The midfield trio of Maxi Rodriguez, Kobe Hernandez-Foster, and Abdoulaye Diop dictated the rhythm and pace of the game. Indy rarely got forward to threaten DCFC’s first choice back four.
While being comfortably outplayed Indy resorted to fouling in an attempt to slow down DCFC’s attack. Several hard fouls brought the players together for some pushing and shoving after the whistle. The most fouled player in the league, DCFC right back Haruki Yamazaki found himself on the end of some rough treatment. The home crowd bellowed their dissatisfaction with the referee and the lack of additional discipline applied. DCFC manager Danny Dichio saw things the same way and received a yellow card for his protests. The rough stuff continued until halftime and Dichio came on the field to deliver a lengthy monologue to the officials. He went on making his point for nearly two minutes after the teams headed to the dressing rooms.
Whatever Dichio said at halftime, and he was clearly riled, sank into his team. The home team came out flying to start the second half. Aedan Stanley crossed from the left wing to the far post where Rafa Mentzingen jumped and volleyed in the first goal just two minutes after the restart. City piled on the pressure and five minutes later Mentzingen found Maxi Rodriguez in the same position to deliver the second goal. Having opened up a two-goal margin, DCFC could focus on sealing the win.
Herrera had just three saves to make, although Devon Amoo-Mensah made perhaps the best save of the night with a lunging tackle just after the start of injury time to preserve the shutout. DCFC delivered a convincing win at home, just what they needed.
The win moved DCFC even with the Charleston Battery on 27 points, but DCFC has a game in hand. They are also five points behind the Eastern Conference leaders Tampa Bay. Dichio’s side have won three in a row and will be at home on Saturday night against the Las Vegas Lights. The visitors are not in a Western Conference playoff spot, but just won impressively at San Antonio last weekend.
While Dichio’s team has been winning on the field, the club has claimed a couple of big wins off the field. First, the club announced that Jay Farner, founder and CEO of Ronin Capital Partners, will be making the largest single investment in the club’s history through Ronin Sports & Entertainment Group, the sports investment division of Ronin. As part of the investment, Farner has joined the DCFC Holdings Board of Directors.
“Detroit’s been a large part of my life for many decades, and I’m excited to support DCFC’s growth here in our hometown,” said Farner. “What the founders, supporters and ownership group have built is extraordinary: a passionate supporter culture, a deep connection to the community and a bold vision for the club’s future. With the continued growth of the United Soccer League (USL) and an amazing permanent stadium on the horizon, Detroit City FC is uniquely positioned for success. We believe Ronin’s vast experience in marketing, sports sponsorships and live events will help strengthen the club even more. At Ronin, we have a passion for athletics and for soccer with our COO, Nicole Vallianatos, being a former Division 1 soccer player. We are confident this passion, investment and long-term commitment will help to further secure Detroit City FC’s future.”
Just three days after announcing Farner’s investment, the club had the official groundbreaking for AlumniFi Field, the team’s new stadium. Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield and USL Championship President Jeremy Alumbaugh were among the dignitaries who attended the ceremonies. They were joined by civic leaders and members of the team who have designed and will build DCFC’s new home in Southwest Detroit. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recorded a video message which was played for the assembled guests.
“As a club built from the ground up by Detroiters, this moment reflects years of work, belief and investment from our supporters and partners,” said Sean Mann, Co-Founder and CEO of Detroit City FC. “Breaking ground on AlumniFi Field brings us one step closer to creating a forever home for our supporters and a development that reflects the pride, history and future of this city.”
“This is exactly the kind of neighborhood investment we want to see across Detroit,” said Mayor Sheffield. “This property sat vacant for far too long 一 now this redevelopment is creating lasting benefits for Detroiters. It will extend beyond the project itself with direct support for neighborhood organizations, local hiring, small businesses and improvements that residents will benefit from for years to come.”
The stadium opening has been pushed back to 2028, reflecting the club’s realization that 2027 was far too aggressive a goal to achieve. As a result, the team will play the 2027 at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck. While everyone waits for the brand new stadium, there will be a little more time to create the kind of nostalgia only an old ground like Keyworth can.
