Cleveland SC Battles to a 1-1 Draw Against Michigan Rangers FC in Final Home Match of the Season
On Friday evening, June 28th, Cleveland SC faced off against Michigan Rangers FC at North Olmsted High School for the final home match of the season. Determined to even the score after a tough 5-0 loss in their previous encounter, the team was ready for redemption. Fans turned out in large numbers, eagerly anticipating the rematch.
Following a midweek victory over Erie Commodores FC, several changes were made to the starting lineup. Tapiwa Mushonga replaced the injured Alexandru Rumleanschi, while Daniel Koniarczyk and Logan Penton started in the midfield, and Jaden Wright and Ethan Jacobs slotted into the attack.
The first half began with several fouls on both sides, and defenders cleaning up long ball passes. Ryan Polling showed his talents in goal, grabbing balls out of the air from corners and making simple saves that led to counterattacks. Jaden Wright and Stanislav Koval proved difficult to defend as they won several free kicks. In the 18th minute, Daniel Koniarczyk had a shooting chance from 30 yards out but put it slightly over and wide, missing a great opportunity. Jaden Wright picked up a yellow card in the 24th minute after jumping into a Michigan defender while trying to win the ball.
In the 31st minute, Ryan Polling made two big saves, first stopping a shot from the edge of the box and then saving the rebound to keep the match 0-0. Later, Cleveland SC moved up the pitch, and Ethan Jacobs placed a great cross across the box, but no one could get on the end of it. Ryan Polling continued to command his box, getting on the end of crosses and leading his backline. The first half ended with the match still 0-0, with the defense standing out by minimizing Michigan's attacks and winning the ball at every opportunity.
The second half began similarly to the last match against Erie, with a quick goal within the first five minutes. Jaden Wright scored in the 49th minute off a brilliant cross from Stanislav Koval, reversing the roles from the last match. This goal gave Cleveland SC momentum, leading to opportunities as Michigan struggled and made mistakes. Tapiwa Mushonga showed his value as a step-in, making last-ditch tackles and not allowing any easy crosses.
Michigan Rangers midfielder Sean Keane picked up a yellow card in the 60th minute after shoving Daniel Tregansin off the ball. A few minutes later, Logan Penton received a yellow card after dragging a Rangers player to the ground, the team's second yellow of the match. Cleveland SC made their first substitution of the game with Julian Pellegrini coming on for an injured and exhausted Jaden Wright. Stanislav Koval won a free kick at the edge of the box after being fouled by Nicolas Baigrie, who picked up Michigan’s second yellow card. In the 71st minute, Hayden Heffner made his debut in place of Ethan Jacobs, and a few minutes later, Brenden Swann came on for Logan Penton. In the 81st minute, Ryan Polling made another important save to keep the score at 1-0.
In the 84th minute, Michigan Rangers FC won a penalty after Uleto Fuentes held a Michigan player from getting a shot on goal. Chris Mendez stepped up to take the penalty and coolly slotted the ball into the corner to make it 1-1. From there, the game became more open, with both teams getting chances to take the lead as defenses started to make more mistakes. Stanislav Koval won another free kick after being dragged down by Aaron Deppe, who received a yellow card for the foul. Shortly after winning a corner, there were shouts from the Cleveland attack for a handball by the Michigan defense in the box, but the official denied it. In the final seconds, Ryan Polling made the biggest save of the game, putting his body on the line to collect the ball after a big touch from a Michigan attacker.
At full-time, Cleveland SC drew 1-1 with Michigan Rangers FC. Ryan Polling demonstrated that he is one of the best goalkeepers in the region with key saves that kept the match level. The first draw of the season puts Cleveland SC in third place with a record of 5-1-3, totaling 16 points. Cleveland would remain unbeaten at home this season with a record of 4-1-0. The team’s final match of the season will be an away trip against Flower City Union in Rochester, New York, on Saturday, July 6th, at 6 PM at the Rochester Community Sports Complex. Flower City Union will host Michigan Rangers FC on Tuesday, July 2nd at 7 PM, which will help clarify what result Cleveland SC will need in the final match to secure a playoff position. The match can be streamed on Flower City Union’s YouTube Channel. For the latest standings, view the league table here.
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