Mark Segbers – Memphis Flyer

It all looked pretty cut and dried when Skylar Thomas thundered home a header to give Memphis the lead in the second half of its home opener at AutoZone Park. Having played with a man advantage for most of the game, all 901 FC needed was to pass the ball around and run down the clock, or nick a second goal on the break while Atlanta left gaps open at the back. But it’s never that simple, is it? When goalkeeper John Berner went down with an injury near the end of the match, it was up to defender-turned-emergency goalkeeper Mark Segbers to don the gloves and see out a 1-0 home victory for Memphis.

Memphis High Pressing Machine

Coach Ben Pirmann’s game plan continues to pay dividends, at least when it comes to chances created. Despite ceding most of the possession, Memphis loves to get bodies forward into attack, especially after snapping on the heels of Atlanta’s shell-shocked defenders. We saw a great example of that early on, when Kadeem Dacres pickpocketed a defender in the 9th minute and raced towards goal, only to see his shot go narrowly wide of the post.

The high press also saw Atlanta United 2 reduced to ten men in the 36th minute. Dre Fortune nicked the ball off his brother, Atlanta midfielder Ajani Fortune, who in return promptly hauled down his sibling with a tackle more at home at a tense family Thanksgiving football game than a soccer match. That gave Memphis 55 minutes left to play with a numerical advantage. Attackers continued to exploit the extra space after Atlanta turnovers, creating plenty of quality chances, but the right final pass and finishing just weren’t there for Memphis from open play last night.

But that’s ok. A win is a win, and fans saw a dramatic victory play out while Pirmann is still fine tuning the squad. There’s a firm identity already in place, something that we haven’t really seen from 901 FC in the past two seasons. While there might be a long way to go, Pirmann has said he’s ready to put in the work to make Memphis a contender.

Set Piece Solution

For all of Memphis’ aggressive attacking play, it was a set piece that finally saw the team break through in the 75th minute. Laurent Kissiedou whipped in a corner, and Thomas rose head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd to put it past Atlanta goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo for the winner.

But this wasn’t just a lucky corner goal. Memphis had dominated set pieces all game. Just one glance at the field saw a significant height superiority for the home side, and Pirmann took full advantage of that. We frequently saw corners hit to the far post, where a much taller Memphis player would be stationed to head it back across goal to an open man. They didn’t always find their mark, but having big men like Thomas up there always gives an extra option. Look for the team to go back to this well throughout the season.

Superman Mark Segbers Between the Sticks

What should have been a comfortable win suddenly twisted into ten minutes of nerve-wracking anxiety when Berner went down in stoppage time with a no-contact injury. After limping off the field, the horror set in that Memphis had already used its five substitutions, which meant that there was no opportunity to send another goalkeeper onto the field.

Enter fullback Segbers, who quickly pulled on the green goalkeeper jersey and a pair of gloves and sat between the sticks, ready to do his part to secure the win. Atlanta players, meanwhile, were licking their lips. Segbers’ move meant that both teams were now down to ten outfield players, and Atlanta commenced its air raid. And while Memphis held down the fort admirably, one defensive mixup almost saw the three points slip away.

A miskicked clearance led to a ball cut back into the six yard box, where it looked like Atlanta’s Conner Stanley would surely pounce and secure a draw. But Segbers said no. Anticipating the danger, he raced off his line and slid in feet first to smother the shot and save the day for Memphis 901 FC in the 97th minute. Cue jubilant pandemonium from the 5,000+ crowd at AutoZone Park, who had likely been chewing their nails off while waiting for the ref to blow his whistle.

And blow he did, officially marking a victory for Memphis’ home opener. The team’s record now stands at 2-2-2, placing it six of eight in the Central Division on eight points. However, Memphis has played fewer games than every other team in the group, so a few more good results could see the team rocket up the standings.

After a daunting five game road trip to open the season, Memphis has back to back home games, with OKC Energy up next at AutoZone Park this Saturday, June 19th, at 7:30 p.m.

All Square in Oklahoma as Memphis 901 FC Snags a Point on the Road

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.