Cleveland SC Heads to Rochester for Season Finale Showdown with Playoff Spot on the Line!
Get ready, Cleveland Soccer Club fans! On Saturday, July 6th, our boys travel to Rochester, New York, for the final match of the regular season, with a playoff spot in the Great Lakes Conference on the line. The match kicks off at 6 PM at Rochester Community Sports Complex Stadium.
Cleveland is coming off a two-match homestand at Drive Morris Stadium, where they secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Erie Commodores FC and a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Michigan Rangers FC. Cleveland currently sits in fourth place in the NPSL Great Lakes Conference, three points ahead of fifth-place Flower City Union. Flower City Union will be playing their fourth match in a row at home, where they have gone 1-1-1.
It's all or nothing! A win or draw for Cleveland SC will secure a spot in the first round of the conference playoffs, where we could face either Steel City FC or Akron City FC. However, a win for Flower City Union would see them tie with us on points and take the playoff spot due to the head-to-head tiebreaker. This match is crucial, and every bit of support counts!
This will be the first time Cleveland SC faces Flower City Union, who joined the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) this season after previously competing in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) from 2022-23. Flower City Union had a successful run in 2023, finishing sixth in the regular season and winning the 2023 NISA Championship.
Many fans may recall a former Rochester club, the Rochester Lancers, from 2016-21 and remember some exciting past encounters. Cleveland SC holds an overall record of 4-2-1 against the Lancers, including a wild and memorable 120-minute 6-4 victory in the 2019 NPSL Midwest Region Semifinals in Detroit, Michigan. Relive some of those thrilling moments here on our YouTube Channel.
Vote Stanislav Koval for NPSL Player of the Month for June!
9 goals and 3 assists in 8 matches
Ticket Information
If you live in the Rochester area or plan on traveling to support the club, tickets can be purchased in advance on the Flower City Union website. Tickets are priced at $12 for general admission or $20 for midfield section seats. We hope to see you there! Tickets can be purchased directly on the website HERE.
Follow the Match Live
If you can't join us in Rochester, you can still catch all the action live. Tune into the Flower City Union YouTube Channel for real-time coverage. Watch the live stream HERE.
Meet Our Opponent: Flower City Union
Flower City Union, led by Head Coach Jordan Sullivan, currently holds a 4-1-4 record this season. Sullivan will miss this match due to a suspension following a post-match altercation on June 30th against Erie Commodores FC. Flower City will also be without key players Tamas Nagy and Alexander Vega due to continued suspensions from the same match. Their recent form includes a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Michigan Rangers FC, with a last-minute goal in stoppage time. The club is led by Rodrigo Gomes de Almeida, who has netted seven goals this season, supported by Tamas Nagy, Ryan Curtis, and Dylan Rice, each with three goals.
Club Notes
Cleveland SC (5-1-3), under the guidance of Head Coach Joe Jovanovski, is determined to secure a playoff spot. With a recent 1-1 draw against Michigan Rangers FC, the highest Cleveland SC can finish is third in the conference, provided the Rangers slip up in their final match against Southern Indiana Guardians. However, the most likely scenario is finishing fourth with a win or draw on Saturday. A loss would mean missing the playoffs, handing the spot to Flower City Union. Coach Jovanovski will rely on stalwart Ryan Poling to anchor the defense and the dynamic duo of Stanislav Koval and Jaden Wright to find the back of the net.
Let's bring the energy, Cleveland! Show your support and cheer on our team as they fight for a place in the playoffs. #WeAreCLE
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