Tag: 901 FC

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USL Announces 2021 Season Format, Opening Dates

CREDIT: USL Championship

USL Championship

Following a Board of Governors meeting, the United Soccer League (USL) announced that teams would begin the 2021 season on or about May 1st.

As opposed to the usual Eastern and Western conferences, the league will see teams split into four separate divisions. A 32-game slate will run for 27 weeks, with the season expected to conclude in October, followed by playoffs in November.

To account for any necessary flexibility, the Board has approved teams to begin play anywhere between April 24th and May 15th. Stay tuned for specifics on Memphis 901 FC, as further details will be forthcoming over the next few months, but may be subject to changes due to COVID-19. The full release can be read below:

The USL Championship announced on Thursday following the league’s Board of Governors meeting that the 2021 regular season will begin on or about May 1, see the teams split into four divisions, and will contain a 32-game slate running across 27 weeks through the end of October with playoffs scheduled for November.

In voting for a flexible start date, the Governors have approved for clubs to begin play anywhere between April 24th and May 15th. Further announcements on scheduling, divisional alignment, and playoff structure will be made in the coming months, and the league will continue to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 crises in the event that alterations to the format need to be made.

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901 FC Ends on a High Against Birmingham

CREDIT: Eric Glemser

That’s a wrap, folks, as one of the weirdest sporting seasons in memory came to a close for 901 FC. Despite not having much left to play for, an action-packed 90 minutes at AutoZone Park saw standout performances from the Memphis squad, including a certain red-hot striker. When the dust settled, 901 FC watched the curtain fall after dismantling Birmingham Legion 3-1.

And as early as the 10th minute, 901 FC was setting the tone for how the rest of the game would play out.

Eric Glemser

Striker Cal Jennings wheels away in celebration with midfielder Duane Muckette after scoring the opener in Memphis’ 3-1 win over Birmingham.

After a Birmingham turnover, the ball made its way to midfielder Jose Baxter, who quickly turned and played a ball over the top for Cal Jennings to chase. The striker’s left-footed shot stung the palms of Birmingham goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg, but the blueprint was clear: Jennings would have spaces to attack.

That same duo was heavily involved as Memphis took the lead on 36 minutes. Baxter danced his way around the top of the box before slipping in fullback Rece Buckmaster down the right, whose first-time cross was poked home by the outstretched toe of Jennings.

The Legion equalized shortly before halftime, Bruno Lapa having a second bite of the cherry after collecting his own shot’s rebound off the post and slotting it past Jimmy Hague. But after the break, normal service resumed. On 54 minutes, Keanu Marsh-Brown seized on a poor cross-field pass from JJ Williams and headed the ball into Jennings’ path. After a few deft touches, the attacker made no mistake and made it 2-1 to Memphis.

At this point, it seemed that every time the ball fell Jennings’ way, Memphis would score. Baxter duly obliged this school of thought again in the 86th minute, cleverly backheeling a pass in front of the goalscorer, who brushed off his marker as if it were nothing and buried the shot to complete his hat trick.

The whistle blew at 3-1 in Memphis’ favor, the team’s second win in a row, both by the same scoreline. At the heart of it all? Cal Jennings. The University of Central Florida grad has dispelled any notions about who should be starting up top for 901 FC next year, with a ludicrous eight goals in his last four matches (nine goals for the season in 14 appearances). Along with signing a new head coach, retaining Jennings should be top priority in the offseason.

Eric Glemser

Captain Marc Burch announced his retirement upon the conclusion of 901 FC’s season

Behind the attack, Memphis’ midfield looked impressive for the full 90. Tommy McCabe has been an astute acquisition on loan, while Baxter put himself at the heart of every good move. They rotated seamlessly alongside Duane Muckette; every time one played a pass, there would always be two other passing options, creating triangles all over the pitch and allowing for quick ball circulation. Most intriguing, however, was the return (in my opinion) of peak Muckette. At his best, the Trinidadian international is a constant outlet, capable of breaking pressure and playing penetrative passes. He looked a bit off-color for most of the year, but reminded us of the immense quality he possesses.

Focus now shifts to the offseason, where the organization will have to make some big decisions on player acquisition and retention, including figuring out how to replace retiring captain Marc Burch.

For some deeper musings on how this season unfolded, be sure to pick up next Wednesday’s issue of the Flyer.

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With One Match Remaining, 901 FC Looks Ahead

CREDIT: 901 FC

With year two coming to a close, 901 FC has the chance to set a positive tone for the offseason. Everyone saw the graphic plastered up on the ESPN feed during last weekend’s 3-1 away win vs. the Charlotte Independence: If Memphis had won all the games in which it had gone ahead in Group G, then the team would have easily topped the group. Instead, defensive inconsistency frequently saw the team drop valuable points in the race for a playoff berth.

901 FC

Cal Jennings proved too much for the Charlotte defense to handle during 901 FC’s 3-1 win.

Despite a frustrating campaign, the squad and interim coach Ben Pirmann began the healing process with last Saturday’s victory over Charlotte. A shaky early 20 minutes culminated in a soft concession to Charlotte’s Dane Kelly, but from there, 901 FC flipped a switch and put on about as comprehensive a performance as we’ve seen this season. Midfielder Jose Baxter picked up his first goal with a sublime curler from outside the box after great work from Keanu Marsh-Brown. Cal Jennings continued his hot run of form with menacing runs throughout the 90, constantly tormenting Charlotte’s backline and helping himself to two more goals.

The defense, meanwhile, kept a level of focus that we haven’t seen in quite some time. There were none of the risky mistakes that we’ve seen over the course of the season from both center backs and fullbacks, and constant communication kept Charlotte from finding swathes of space to exploit.

And yet, the narrative for the game could have been so much different. Memphis took to the field with only 14 players on their roster; several had been cut from the squad due to violating some unspecified team rules. That meant the team had zero margin for error when it came to substitutions and injuries. Additionally, 901 FC had no chance of qualifying for the playoffs, while Charlotte looked to snag first spot in Group G. And yet, what we saw out there in Charlotte was a collective buy-in that said the squad wouldn’t give up. It would have been easy to phone it in for the remaining couple of games, but there was urgency, precision, and fight.

As mentioned before, Jennings made it his personal mission to race toward the Charlotte defense and keep them off balance. Marsh-Brown could easily be spotted chasing the opposition into his own defensive half to recover the ball. Tommy McCabe and Leston Paul were totally locked in at the center of the pitch, spinning and playing quick vertical passes to unlock their opponents. And at the back, goalkeeper Jimmy Hague recovered from an early error to make several crucial stops and keep Charlotte off the board in the second half.

The season didn’t pan out as the organization wanted, but the staff and the players know that. It was a season of fine margins, but Pirmann and the squad know they can do better. “At the end of the day, we can say ‘we were this far away from this many games,’” said Pirmann at a press conference earlier this week. “I know they put the graphic up during the game about the what if, but hopefully there are no more what ifs. Hopefully we can look at it and say this is what we’ve done, this is where we want to maintain standards, and then keep going from there. Whether it’s life or its 901 FC, there are a lot of learning lessons.”

While there won’t be any playoffs after year two, the team has shown what it’s capable of achieving at its peak, and I think that ceiling is certainly that of a playoff team. For now, it’s clear that the players have bought in to what Pirmann is selling, and the best thing they can do is go out with a bang after a run of positive results.

901 FC closes out its season at AutoZone Park against Birmingham Legion tomorrow, October 3rd, at 7 p.m.

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901 FC Dismisses Head Coach Tim Mulqueen

CREDIT: Eric Glemser

Eric Glemser

A poor run of results this season led to the dismissal of 901 FC head coach Tim Mulqueen.

In a press release, 901 FC announced the dismissal of head coach Tim Mulqueen, effective immediately.

Assistant coach Ben Pirmann has been named interim head coach, and will manage the team in the next match against Louisville City this Saturday. Pirmann, who joined the staff in December 2018, has previous experience as a head coach, having spent six years in charge of Detroit City FC of the National Independent Soccer Association.


The announcement follows Sunday’s 3-2 loss to North Carolina FC, in which Memphis squandered a two-goal advantage.

“Tim was the first coach in 901 FC history and we are incredibly grateful for his countless hours and dedication to the club,” said principal owner Peter B. Freund. “That said, our goal from day one has been to build a winning culture and compete for a USL Championship and so far we have fallen short.”

Mulqueen was selected as the franchise’s inaugural head coach in August 2018, before the team launched in Spring 2019. In just under two seasons, he oversaw 11 wins, 11 draws, and 24 losses.

“Mulch’s [belief and hard work] never wavered as he took on the task of leading 901 FC from its inception,” said sporting director Tim Howard. “We are proud that he will always be the first head coach in our franchise’s history. Unfortunately, the results have fallen short of our expectations. I wish Mulch nothing but the very best in his future coaching endeavors. The club will quickly move forward in conducting an international search for our next head coach.”

901 FC elaborated on the dismissal and a new coaching search at a press conference later this afternoon.

Today’s a tough day,” said 901 FC president Craig Unger, “and ultimately as we have said in our statements, that it’s about wins and losses, and our goal was to compete and compete quickly.”

My hat goes off to him, difficult times,” followed Howard. “An expansion club is very difficult to get up and running, and this year for everybody it’s been very difficult. Through trying times he’s been very steadfast in his work and his dedication to the team. Sports is very unfortunate in that when a team doesn’t perform and results don’t come the way we like, the manager suffers for that.

“We want to bring someone in who has a reputation of winning because that’s what our fans expect. As we start to do our due diligence, that’s part of the process. Our reach is thankfully far and wide, so we’ll leave no stone unturned trying to find the right manager to be our next head coach.

We’ve promoted Ben Pirmann to interim head coach for the remainder of the season. As we’ve told Ben, it’s his car to drive now. We’re going to sit back and observe, and he’ll be part of that coaching search process given that results go our way and we like what’s happening. We felt right now, given that results were trending in the wrong direction, that we needed to cut ties with coach Mulqueen and move forward. And it gives us, and him, time to move on to the next thing. The more time we have to find our next head coach, the better we’ll do.”

This season’s coronavirus-hit USL campaign has been tough for 901 FC, with only two wins from 12 matches so far. Memphis is directly competing with three others team in Group G for a playoff spot, but sits last on 10 points with 12 matches played.

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901 FC’s Matt Hundley Takes Control in North Carolina

CREDIT: Eric Glemser

How about Matt Hundley’s left foot? There are a lot of games I feel 901 FC should have won this season, but judging by the eye test, yesterday’s match away to North Carolina FC was not one of them. When the home team’s DJ Taylor nodded in unmarked to equalize in stoppage time, it looked like it would be another night of frustration. But Hundley had the final word, the substitute pulling a rabbit out of a hat to hand Memphis three points in a 3-2 victory.

Eric Glemser

Rafa Mentzingen – pictured here at a home game at AutoZone Park – opened the scoring for 901 FC in the first half against North Carolina

We’ve seen plenty of narrow, one-goal losses where Memphis, statistically, has outplayed its opponent in every department except scoring. And sure, while putting the ball in the back of the net is the most important thing, it was frustrating to see so many good performances go to waste. But last night, 901 FC showcased a clinical approach to goal that has been lacking all season. Sure, Memphis rode its luck for large stretches; some of the chances NC missed have to be seen to be believed. But in crunch time, all that matters are the three points.

There were a few flashes of promise for 901 FC outside the goals, but NC pretty much ran the show all night. The home team held 68 percent possession, outshot Memphis 25-7, and had 10 corners (Memphis had 0). It felt like jumping into a soccer version of Freaky Friday; we’ve seen Coach Tim Mulqueen set up the squad to be proactive in its play for most of the season, so it’s rare to see Memphis on the back foot like this. For much of the night, 901 FC looked sluggish.

Tommy McCabe, Jose Baxter, and Jean-Christophe Koffi started in midfield, but the press was disjointed at times, leaving NC free to play into space and isolate the Memphis defenders. Manny Perez, in particular, caused 901 FC no end of trouble racing in down the left side of our defense and sending in quality service that NC contrived to squander time and again. Up top, Brandon Allen chased down long balls and hassled defenders, but didn’t receive much in the way of service from his teammates.

Memphis struck first, with a type of play we’ve seen many times this season: a lofted ball over the top down the right flank. Mark Segbers (and his late runs) is usually the recipient of this kind of pass, but with the fullback out of the team tonight, Rafa Mentzingen picked up the slack this time. In the 30th minute, Baxter swiveled away from pressure in the center circle and first-timed a pass into the Brazilian’s path, who made several stepovers before cutting inside and smashing a shot past NC keeper Alex Tambakis at the near post.

NC remained on the front foot through the rest of the first half and much of the second, but in the 75th minute, substitute Cal Jennings took down a long ball and caressed it into McCabe’s path. The midfielder played it out to Hundley, who sprinted upfield before delicately cutting onto his left and placing the ball underneath Tambakis and into the far corner for 2-0.

That’s when the game should have been done and dusted, but NC cranked the pressure up to maximum and battered Memphis’ increasingly creaky defense. First, Robbie Kristo struck to make it 2-1 in the 86th minute. And when the fourth official indicated that there would be nine minutes of stoppage time, it seemed likely that there would be another late concession. Sure enough, Taylor was inexplicably left unmarked in a packed Memphis box in the 91st to nod home for 2-2. It was a script we’d seen all too often this season. Memphis has had trouble holding on to a winning position this season, and NC seemed well poised to get another. But while I was busy holding my head in my hands, the Memphis players were dusting themselves off to have one last crack at a winner.

In the 98th minute, with everyone forward, Liam Doyle flicked a pass towards Zach Carroll, who played a ball out wide to Hundley. The substitute forward controlled it on the end line and didn’t look to have much on. But with a quick shimmy, he cut back into the box and wrapped his foot around the ball, cleverly bending it around NC defender Conor Donovan and into the far corner to secure the victory.

Hundley magic aside, 901 FC didn’t have much going for it this game. NC found it very easy to break through both the midfield pressure and the defensive lines. NC’s Perez in particular got behind many times, and again, it’s hard to believe how many good chances the home team missed. But a win is a win, and points are going to be at a premium in the run-in. 901 FC only has five games remaining, and is third in Group G on 10 points (level with NC, who have played one less game). Charlotte, in second, is on 18 points. Realistically, they might be too far ahead to catch, but with 15 points up for grabs, there’s still a chance. For now, Memphis has the chance to bloody NC’s nose again in a rematch on Sunday. Can 901 FC make it five out of five down the stretch? It just might have to.

901 FC faces off against Group G opponents North Carolina FC at 5:00 pm Sunday, September 13.

Watch highlights from the match here.

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A Tale of Two Halves

Mark Segbers will line up for 901 FC in its home opener against Atlanta United 2 on June 16th. (901 FC/Eric Glemser)

It was the best of halves. It was the worst of halves.

For 45 minutes, Memphis put in one of its best performances of the season last weekend against the Charlotte Independence in North Carolina. But at halftime, a large lightning storm delayed the game, and the resulting electricity powered a machine to resurrect Charlotte’s Frankenstein monster, and the home team emerged reborn for the second half. In the space of just 16 minutes, 901 FC conceded three unanswered goals en route to a 3-2 defeat on the road.

Eric Glemser

Fullback Mark Segbers scored his first goal of the season, and was Memphis’ best performer on the night

Let’s start with the good stuff, though. Captain Marc Burch finally made a full start after a lengthy injury battle, and replaced Zach Carroll in the starting lineup. The rest of the back four remained unchanged in front of goalkeeper Jimmy Hague, and in the first half, the defensive unit had almost nothing to do.

The opening 45 minutes were all Memphis. The entire team pressed in unison, starving Charlotte of any space and pinging around quick passes that left the Independence chasing shadows. Midfielders Duane Muckette, Leston Paul, and Michael Reed were keenly aware of each other’s positioning and shifted to cover every time Charlotte threatened to break through the lines. In fact, the only real scare for Memphis was a highly acrobatic effort from Tresor Mbuyu that crashed off the crossbar.

Offensively, Memphis was ruthless and efficient, its slick passing machine humming along nicely and getting into good positions. In the 13th minute, the players produced what was almost a carbon copy of Keanu Marsh-Brown’s winner against St. Louis earlier this month. This time, it was Duane Muckette who turned into space in midfield and spotted a wide-open Mark Segbers making a run in behind. The former’s looped ball over the top found the fullback, who this time took the ball inside and hit his shot between Charlotte keeper Brandon Miller’s legs for 1-0.

Memphis saw out the rest of the half in complete control, but lightning storms at halftime caused a delay upwards of 45 minutes. That put a stop to 901 FC’s momentum, and allowed the Charlotte squad to take an extra breather and regroup. I don’t know what it was after the break (perhaps complacency?), but Memphis seemed unprepared for a reinvigorated Charlotte.

What rankles the most is that, in the 50th minute, Memphis should have put any lingering nerves to rest after scoring its second goal. Muckette and Segbers combined in the midfield third before the latter’s deep cross found Rafa Mentzingen unmarked at the far post, who took his volley with one touch to score his first goal of the season.

From there, though, it was all downhill. The Memphis press was no longer effective, with Charlotte easily playing through the midfield. And with Memphis’ center trio all having committed bodies forward, it left the 901 FC back four isolated against onrushing Charlotte attackers. Sloppy play made it too easy for the Independence to get back in the game, and the catalyst for the 16-minute turnaround came from the home team’s Dane Kelly, USL’s all-time leading scorer. Burch just missed his kick on a potential clearance in the 53rd minute, and Kelly pounced to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

In the 59th minute, Hague spilled a shot back into the center of the box and took down the attacker in his rush to reclaim the ball. Just like that, it was 2-2 after the resulting penalty was tucked away. Then, in the 69th minute, fullback Rece Buckmaster misjudged a long ball and Charlotte’s Luke Haakenson latched on to the pass. He beat Hodge all too easily as he cut inside and scored past Hague to make it 3-2 to Charlotte.

The pendulum swung wildly from one extreme to another in this game. If you told me at halftime that Charlotte would be the eventual victor, I’d have said you were crazy. After the first period, Memphis had held its rivals to zero shots on target. Unfortunately, the second half saw the reemergence of defensive frailties that had mostly been tamped down on in recent performances. 901 FC showed over the last month that it possesses the right players to string together some impressive attacking moves, but these kind of defensive showings will undermine any good efforts.

If Burch retains his spot in the side, as captain, it will be his responsibility to marshal the troops when things start to go wrong. Judging by the frailty shown in the second half (coupled with some of the performances from earlier in the restart) the upcoming match against runaway Group G leaders Birmingham Legion will require a strong and vocal leadership presence on the pitch. Memphis shouldn’t have let this lead slip at 2-0, but these things happen in soccer. Now, as always, on to the next.

901 FC travels to face Birmingham Legion this Saturday, August 22.

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Keanu Marsh-Brown Strikes to Give 901 FC a First Victory of the Season

CREDIT: Eric Glemser

It was more than just relief when Keanu Marsh-Brown saw his match-winning shot ripple the net in the second half of 901 FC’s game against St. Louis at AutoZone Park; it was wholly deserved. Memphis had strung together two stellar performances in their prior matches, yet inexplicably walked away with only two draws to show for their efforts. But the first win of the season has been coming, and 901 FC’s 1-0 home win against St. Louis FC is just rewards for a hat-trick of impressive performances.

Eric Glemser

Keanu Marsh-Brown celebrates after scoring the winner in 901 FC’s 1-0 victory over St. Louis.

I’ll just get this out of the way now: This is basically the Keanu Marsh-Brown (KMB) edition of my weekly match analysis. Since USL’s return to play, he may be Memphis’ most dynamic and consistent performer, especially in recent matches. If you look back, most of the good things this team produces offensively come through Marsh-Brown. His fleet feet have been possessed of late, quickly shuttling the ball up field, smashing powerful free kicks on frame, bamboozling his opponents, or putting in off-the-ball runs to create space for teammates. He’s the puppet master, with defensive marionettes calamitously dancing along to the tug of his strings. Hyperbole? Maybe, but take a look at the three biggest offensive plays from last weekend’s game. You’ll see a recurring theme.

First, in the 15th minute, my favorite midfielder Duane Muckette hit a nice pass out to Rece Buckmaster on the wing to spread the play. The fullback played a sweeping ball into the box, which found its way to … you guessed it, Marsh-Brown. A St. Louis defender got a little touch on the ball, however, so KMB couldn’t sort his feet out and placed the shot right at the keeper. Even though he didn’t score, it was a great start; right place, right time isn’t always a teachable skill, but putting yourself in a scoring position is half the battle. Also, credit is due for Brandon Allen’s run on the same play. He faked like he was running to the far post, but then quickly darted closer to the near post and just missed getting his foot on the end of Buckmaster’s cross. That, in turn, left Marsh-Brown wide open for his attempt.

Second, and most significant, was the goal. In the 54th minute, Marsh-Brown again arrived at the right spot to seal Memphis’ first victory. This whole play, however, was flawless in its execution. Midfielder Jean-Christophe Koffi had space on the ball and looked up to see fullback Mark Segbers darting in behind St. Louis’ defensive line. His exquisite chipped pass over the top found the defender, who squared for the onrushing Marsh-Brown to smash the ball into the roof of the net. As I tweeted on Saturday, that’s a wonderfully crafted sequence that you might see in Europe’s top leagues. The team obviously hasn’t had its confidence dented by lackluster results.

Immediately after the goal, KMB once again made a big impact, albeit in a more indirect way. Segbers held up the ball just outside the St. Louis box, eyeing three defenders blocking his way. Marsh-Brown looped behind him and darted out to the wing, pulling St. Louis’ Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé with him. That left a slight opening for Segbers, who duly obliged and burst into the 18 to draw a penalty. While Allen’s tame effort was easily saved, it luckily didn’t make a difference on the night.

While the contributions might not have been as all-action as recent matches, Marsh-Brown is currently powering Memphis’ offense. Coach Tim Mulqueen looks to have given him license to work his magic, and it’s paying off. On a night where the opponent keyed in to hinder Allen’s impact, it was important that someone step up to ease the scoring burden.

Defensively, things were once again pretty tight at the back. Tristan Hodge looks to have firmly seized the second centerback berth alongside Zach Carroll, and the pair didn’t allow St. Louis too many good looks at goal, giving Tim Howard a clean sheet. While I predicted St. Louis would play mostly on the counter like in recent weeks, they actually held more possession with 57.7 percent of the ball. But Memphis managed the game well. For the time being, it looks like Mulqueen has settled on his preferred lineup. That should only serve Memphis going well, especially with tougher tests on the horizon.

As it stands, 901 FC is second in Group G on five points, but has played at least one more match than its other group rivals. Up next this weekend is a tough home matchup against North Carolina FC, which has tallied a draw and a win since returning to action.

901 FC returns to action this Saturday, August 8th, at 4 p.m.

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901 FC Gathers Momentum with Saint Louis Looming

CREDIT: Eric Glemser

A draw in the USL gets you one point, but sometimes such a result can feel like a win or a loss. For Memphis 901 FC, it probably hews closer to the latter. Having dominated for almost 90 minutes during a first home game after project restart, Tim Howard and co. left home turf with a 2-2 draw against the visiting Charlotte Independence.

So far this season, 901 FC has two points off two losses and two draws. The last two matches have seen Coach Tim Mulqueen’s men put out some pretty impressive performances, but to keep the momentum going, they’ll need two things we saw last weekend against Charlotte: a collective commitment on both sides of the ball, and moments of individual brilliance. Yes, that may seem obvious, but when even the best laid plans aren’t quite coming off, it takes a little bit of stardust to unlock a stubborn defense.

Eric Glemser

901 FC celebrates Brandon Allen’s opener in the 16th minute.

Through the first quarter of an hour, Memphis kept Charlotte from having any sort of sustained possession in dangerous areas. That dominance paid off in the 15th minute via the left-sided players all working together. From a throw-in on Memphis’ defensive half, Rece Buckmaster made a long toss forward, which was flicked on by Rafa Mentzingen. Striker Brandon Allen, who had dropped deep, bodied a Charlotte out of the way to clear path for Keanu Marsh-Brown, who duly obliged and raced upfield. The winger drew the attention of two Charlotte players, leaving them disorganized in transition and opening up a large vacuum of space outside the Independence’s box. When Marsh-Brown was fouled on the wing, Mentzingen, who had followed up the play, latched on to the loose ball and drive into the 18. He easily skipped past the Charlotte backline before crossing to Allen, who tapped in at the back post. It was a good team goal, with players operating on the same wavelength, reading each others’ positioning, and playing off the open space to craft a quality goal.

Eric Glemser

Fullback Rece Buckmaster produced a fine individual effort for 901 FC’s second goal against Charlotte.

901 FC’s second goal encapsulated that oh-so-crucial individual magic sometimes required to win games, but again, was helped along by Memphis’ sustained pressure. Putting defenders through unrelenting spells of pressure is more likely to lead to a mistake, and that’s exactly what happened when Allen sent in a cross in the 56th minute. Charlotte centerback Hugh Roberts whiffed on his attempted clearance, leaving the ball bobbling in the box. Buckmaster, who had stayed forward after a counterattack, seized on the loose ball, faked out Roberts as he cut left, and then calmly slotted into the back of the net. It’s the kind of composure you expect from a seasoned attacker, not your fullback, but it was just rewards for Memphis’ dominant performance.

On the defensive end, both goals conceded can be chalked up to freak occurrences. The first Charlotte equalizer came out of nothing in the first half, the product of a set piece cheaply given away outside the box in the 51st. For the second equalizer, well, it sure looked like centerback Zach Carroll got shoved to the ground in the build up. Unfortunately, it was a no-call from the referee.

Either way, Memphis can take a lot of positives from last weekend’s performance. The Carroll and Triston Hodge pairing seems very solid defensively, while adding Leston Paul to the midfield gave it more steel, especially when Mentzingen and Michael Reed worked their socks off to help out the backline. That solidity will be crucial in tomorrow’s match at AutoZone Park.

The visiting Saint Louis FC is coming off two wins against quality opposition (Indy Eleven and Louisville City). However, Saint Louis was outshot 39-9 in those matches, also riding its luck against some poor finishing from the opposition. Tomorrow’s visitors don’t create many chances, but have proved to be clinical with what they do produce. Memphis will need another fully committed showing from its defense and midfield to avoid giving Saint Louis, and its danger man Tyler Blackwood, a sniff of goal. If 901 FC plays like it did last weekend against Charlotte, Bluff City may very well see a first victory of the campaign.

Quick Notes

– I’m curious to see what Cal Jennings can produce in a full 90 minutes. He’s had a huge impact off the bench, scoring late against Atlanta and creating a gilt-edged chance for Duane Muckette against Charlotte.

– Eleven of Memphis’ 17 shots came inside the box. If just one or two more of those goes into the back of the net, these tight draws will turn into wins.

– AutoZone Park deftly handled fans returning to the stadium. Craig Unger and 901 FC are certainly going the extra mile to ensure that everyone closely follows safety protocols to the letter.

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Rough Restart for 901 FC in Birmingham

CREDIT: photo by Eric Glemser

There was always a chance this could happen; with several months of inaction, some teams would surely adapt to the protracted season better than others. While there were some promising signs in Memphis’ 3-0 loss to Birmingham Legion, a sequence of unfortunate errors ultimately doomed 901 FC to a rough road loss. But despite the defeat, Memphis must quickly turn its attention to Saturday’s match in Atlanta.

On paper, the statistics paint a pretty good picture of Memphis’ play. The team held the possession advantage (52 percent), made more passes than Birmingham, and had a significantly higher tackle success rate. In fact, Memphis was superior in almost every statistical facet of play, except for where it mattered: quality chances. Birmingham Legion newcomer Bruno Lapa scored twice on his debut, the opener a volley into the ground that looped over goalkeeper Tim Howard and into the net in the 22nd minute (was it on purpose or a bit of luck? I can’t say).

photo by Eric Glemser

901 FC goalkeeper and part-owner Tim Howard was unhappy with the Memphis defense in Birmingham.

The next two goals conceded were hard to watch from a Memphis perspective. The defense was all at sea in transition, applying minimal pressure as Lapa was played in down the left before making an easy square for Brian Wright to tap home the Legion’s second in the 31st minute.  On the third, centerback Liam Doyle and midfielder Michael Reed both stopped and waited for an offsides flag that would never come. By then, Lapa was in behind to cut in and shoot for his second and Birmingham’s third on 41 minutes. To cap it off, centerback Zach Carroll received a red card for pulling back Wright when the attacker was clean through in the 59th minute.

Coach Tim Mulqueen can’t budget for individual errors like he saw on Wednesday in his game plan, but since going 2-0 up against Indy Eleven in the first game of the season, Memphis has now conceded seven goals without reply. It’s a cause for concern, but the next few games should provide a clearer picture of whether this is a long-term issue. Doyle was imperious after signing for Memphis last season, while fullbacks Mark Segbers and Rece Buckmaster are both new to the squad. Defenses take time to gel properly, but it will have to be quick in the USL’s new format. With Carroll suspended for Saturday’s game against Atlanta United 2, we may see Marc Burch return to the starting XI; his veteran experience should be useful for a disorganized Memphis backline.

photo by Eric Glemser

Centerback Liam Doyle (left) and Howard tussle with Birmingham forward Brian Wright.

On the offensive end, Memphis put only one shot on target. Last year’s top scorer Brandon Allen uncharacteristically blazed over the bar from inside the six-yard box in the first half, while Duane Muckette also blasted high a presentable chance. On a positive note, new signing Cal Jennings came on in place of Allen in the 62nd minute for his first professional appearance. The forward gamely challenged for balls up top, making his presence felt, getting into the box, and holding up play well to bring other runners into the attack. It was a decent cameo for the Central Florida graduate, and has me excited for what he might be able to produce at this level.

The poor performance can hopefully be attributed to a prolonged absence of play for a side still bedding in many new players. But with matches every few days, there’s not a whole lot of time to adjust. Tomorrow, 901 FC visits Atlanta United 2; our opponents are coming off their own loss (2-1 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies), but since they played a man down for almost the entire game, it’s hard to gauge what kind of threat they’ll pose to Memphis. Last season, 901 FC lost its home match against Atlanta 1-0, but won away 2-1.

In other news, AutoZone Park has received approval to allow a limited number of fans back into the stadium for home matches. With proper social distancing and safety regulations, about 1,000 fans should be able to attend matches and cheer on the squad.

Memphis 901 FC plays Atlanta United 2 away on Saturday, July 18, at 6:30 p.m.

Birmingham Legion 3 – 0 Memphis 901 FC highlights can be viewed here

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Sports Sports Feature

901 FC Learns Group Opponents for Regular Season Return

CREDIT: photo courtesy Memphis 901 FC

With the United Soccer League (USL) season set to return on July 11, 901 FC learned its placement in the league’s provisional format for the remainder of the 2020 season. Set in Group G, the team will compete against Birmingham Legion, Charlotte Independence, and North Carolina FC.

“This group will be great for our club, our fans, and our supporters as we form strong regional rivalries with these teams,” says 901 FC President Craig Unger. “We are excited to see our full schedule and return to the pitch.”

photo courtesy Memphis 901 FC

Goalkeeper and part-owner Tim Howard gives instructions during the season opener against Indy Eleven

The new USL format sees teams separated into eight groups based on region. Each squad will play a total of 16 regular season matches, including matches played before the league was suspended on March 12th. Factoring in the season opener against Indy Eleven, Memphis will play only 15 more regular season games. That means 901 FC will face off with each team in its group four times for its first 12 games. The remaining three matches, according to the USL, will be played against “teams that fall within a similar geographic region” (this is speculation only, but potential matchups for these games could include Saint Louis FC, Atlanta United 2, or Louisville City FC).

Schedules will be balanced to feature eight home and away games, but that may change for some organizations based on venue availability due to COVID-19. The top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs, with group winners paired against runners-up in the round of 16.

The rest of the regular season will be played over a 13-week span set to conclude on the weekend of October 2nd-4th. The USL is expected to release a full schedule with dates and times in the next few weeks.

In addition to the group format, the return to play will feature some temporary rule changes. The number of available substitutions per match jumps from three to five, although coaches will have only three opportunities to make their five substitutions (a halftime sub will not count against total opportunities).

901 FC’s Group G opponents finished above Memphis in the 2019 Eastern Conference standings:

7. North Carolina FC (56 points)

10. Birmingham Legion FC (43 points)

13. Charlotte Independence (38 points)

15. Memphis 901 FC (34 points)

In head-to-head matchups, Memphis came away with two draws and four losses. However, each loss was by only a single goal.

Before the season was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, Memphis showed positive signs in a 2-4 home loss to Indy Eleven.