Fresh off a thrilling draw in its second match, Memphis 901 FC made the trek to Oklahoma City on Saturday to face conference rivals OKC Energy for the first time. The Oklahomans looked ripe for the taking, having only mustered two draws and three losses in their first five matches. And but for an incredible goal line clearance, Memphis very well could have walked away from the stadium with three points. While the team rued some missed chances, the 0 – 0 draw saw the defensive line celebrate a first clean sheet of the season.
Kadeem Dacres the Key to Success
Dacres put on a show against Atlanta, tallying a goal and an assist in a comprehensive attacking performance. He attempted to go one better this time around, constantly harrying the OKC Energy defenders and generally causing trouble wherever he went. If 901 FC is going to succeed this season, it seems more than likely that success will be built around Dacres’ dynamic play (and his budding partnership with fullback Mark Segbers). He was a constant menace, whether making penetrating runs, cutting inside and shaking his markers, trying to tee up teammates, or getting on the end of crosses.
And while 901 FC struggled to get quality strikes off, Dacres came closest to breaking the deadlock with his redirection of midfielder Laurent Kissiedou’s shot, denied only by OKC defender Conor Donovan’s miraculous goal line clearance. Unfortunately, Dacres’ desire to create something out of nothing cost him a second yellow card when he was booked for a pretty clear dive in the 89th minute. That means a one-game suspension, and 901 FC will be without its best attacker for next weekend’s match against Indy Eleven. That’s an unfortunate headache for head coach Ben Pirmann, but if we’re looking for the silver lining, it’ll be a prime opportunity for someone else to step up and show what they can do.
Shooting Boots Left at Home
Memphis already looks like a much more fluid attacking team than last season, so far having been consistently able to create chances in the opponent’s box. But sticking the ball in the back of the net might just be the hardest part of the game, and 901 FC still has some work to do when it comes to finishing. Memphis took 14 shots in Oklahoma, but only one was on target. That’s not great, but it’s still early days yet.
Don’t forget, the squad saw massive turnover in the off-season, and a good chunk of the squad joined up right before the start of the season. It’s understandable that some of the players are still finding their feet, and growing familiarity should eventually breed more confidence in front of goal. Plus, we haven’t even seen what the likes of injured new signing Roland Lamah can do yet. At the very least, the chances are coming. Expect a few more to hit the back of the net before too long.
Defense Holds Firm Yet Again, But Needs to Stay Alert
Defender Zach Carroll has stepped up and marshaled the defensive troops for the first three matches. Against OKC, he led the team in blocked shots, doing his part to keep the home team off the board. In goal, John Berner picked up another man of the match award after making four saves. We’re only three games in, but the keeper already looks like a fantastic acquisition for the team.
And while the Energy were kept at bay for most of the game, there were a few slips in concentration that almost cost Memphis. In the 39th minute, Skylar Thomas got a little lax on the ball and was stripped by OKC’s Frank Lopez, leaving the forward with just Berner to beat. Then in the 49th minute, the defense went to sleep on a quick Oklahoma free kick, with Berner coming up big to save from Villyan Bijev. These kinds of slips can be costly in tight games. But nitpicking on two isolated incidents aside, the defensive unit looks much stronger this year. It’s still early yet, but the pieces for a successful season are there. For now, a tough test awaits Memphis on June 5th at Indy Eleven, one of the league’s strongest teams.