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Liza Wellford Fletcher Stadium to Rise at U of M

The University of Memphis has announced plans to build a new stadium for its soccer and track-and-field teams. Liza Wellford Fletcher Stadium will be named in honor of the St. Mary’s Episcopal School teacher who was abducted and murdered while on an early-morning run in September 2022. A 2006 graduate of Hutchison School, Fletcher played soccer for two seasons at the U of M and was a member of the 2007 team that won the first of 14 conference championships for the program under coach Brooks Monaghan.

“Our student-athletes deserve a place that reflects their accomplishments,” said U of M athletic director Ed Scott during a press conference Tuesday on the South Campus, where the new stadium will rise. “The importance [of this stadium] goes way beyond the bricks and mortar. It will honor the legacy of Liza Fletcher. I didn’t get the chance to meet Liza, but I’ve heard wonderful things about her. As a girl dad, there’s a special place in my heart when we can honor a young woman.”

The first phase of the stadium project will include the construction of a grandstand, press box, and locker rooms at an estimated cost of $7 million. Having played for many years at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex and more recently on the South Campus (with temporary bleachers), Tiger soccer will gain its first on-campus facility, a “home” as Monaghan emphasized during his remarks.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some remarkable young ladies,” said Monaghan, “and Liza was undoubtedly one of them. Liza was not the most gifted soccer player, but her dedication, her spirit, her work rate, and her smile were unmatched. She was a leader, a friend, and a true beacon of light for anyone who knew her. I can’t help but feel this is the perfect way to honor her legacy.”

A construction timeline was not announced but when asked about goals for completion of the new stadium Monaghan emphasized, “as soon as possible.”

For more information on the stadium project, visit lizaslight.org.

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Sports Upper 90

901 FC Rolls On with Victory in Tulsa; da Costa in, Goodrum Gone

Rodrigo da Costa is Memphis' latest acquisition. (Credit: 901 FC/USL Championship)

Aaron Molloy warned them, to be fair. His first-half left-footed pile driver had thundered off the crossbar after some nifty footwork, but the Irishman was in no mood to show such mercy again. So when Molloy collected a layoff just outside the box in the 2nd half, it was no surprise that his shot found its way into the bottom corner to give Memphis a 2-1 victory over Tulsa. The 901 FC captain is leading by example, and the rest of his teammates are following suit. And that’s a good thing, since the last couple days have seen a sizable shake-up at the top of the pitch.

Early-season foibles aside, 901 FC have been humming along nicely under coach Stephen Glass. They haven’t quite yet achieved the stoutness of Ben Pirmann’s peak last season, with goalkeeper Bill Hamid having to make several crucial stops last Friday. But everything’s moving in the right direction, as evidenced by the team’s current seven-match unbeaten streak in the USL. A big part of that is the dynamic midfield duo of Molloy and Jeremy Kelly, who are helping Memphis control possession (an average of 55 percent-per-match so far this season) and frequently pop up in goal-scoring sequences. The two bossed Tulsa’s midfield last weekend, leading all players on the field with 63 and 60 completed passes, respectively.

And most crucially, Molloy scored the winner with his first goal of the season, while it was Kelly’s deflected shot that led to 18-year-old Nighte Pickering opening the scoring for Memphis. Pickering eased into action after he signed last season before breaking out with a debut bicycle kick goal, but his importance to the team is growing. In seven appearances, he has two goals and two assists, and already looks like he belongs among the rest of last season’s Eastern Conference semifinalists.

Memphis has gone goalscorer-by-committee, with plenty of players contributing to the attack. Luiz Fernando leads the way with four goals and two assists in nine appearances (evidence of his own growing influence on the team), while three players are sitting on two goals scored. That’s just as well, since last season’s top scorer Phillip Goodrum has been ice cold in league play since he accused Memphis of blocking his exit over the summer. But that’s immaterial now, as 901 FC announced Monday that Goodrum would be headed to Tulsa, in exchange for Rodrigo da Costa and an undisclosed transfer fee.

It’s a bit grating to see another high-caliber striker depart, but it just hadn’t been clicking for Goodrum in Memphis this season. But newcomer da Costa should provide yet another high-quality option for an attack that already boasts Laurent Kissiedou, Bruno Lapa, and Dylan Borczak, among others. The Brazilian debuted in USL in 2019, and since then has notched 36 goals and 25 assists. This season, he’s got three goals and one assists in nine appearances, and in terms of chances created, his 30 is second only to … that’s right, Molloy. da Costa can function as both a midfielder and an attacker, giving Glass another option to unleash as part of a fluid attack.

Memphis doesn’t play again until Saturday, June 3rd against Miami FC. That should give da Costa plenty of time to bed in and help Memphis move up from its 6th position in the Eastern Conference Standings.

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Sports Upper 90

901 FC Falls to Loudoun in Season Opener

Jeremy Kelly should be a key player for 901 FC again this season. (Credit: USL Championship)

Memphis 901 FC approached the new season with a sense of excitement, and a heightened set of expectations, after last season’s run to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Former head Coach Ben Pirmann had departed to the Charleston Battery, but Scotsman Stephen Glass arrived to lead a team which had kept much of its talented core intact. But nothing comes easy in the USL, and an opening day 3-1 loss to visiting Loudoun United reinforced that point.

The caveat here is that this was by no means a bad overall performance. For the first time in 901 FC history, there was continuity among the squad, showcased foremost in the midfield, with critical players Jeremy Kelly (pitching in with 8 goals and 10 assists last season) and Aaron Molloy (also 8 goals and 10 assists) lining up alongside each other in midfield. Memphis had more shots (15-9) and held more possession (53 percent), but Loudon came out on top in several key moments during the game. Indeed, the visitors signaled their potential danger early when Kalil ElMedkhar’s fourth minute diving header squirmed past Memphis keeper Drew Romig, but the offside flag kept the score at 0-0.

The warning was not heeded, however, as Memphis found themselves down 2-0 within the first 12 minutes. The first Loudoun goal, admittedly, was an astounding sequence of one-touch passing that carved the defense open before Tommy Williamson slotted his shot past Romig for 1-0. Just three minutes later, 901 FC defender Graham Smith turned the ball over with an errant pass just outside his own box, and Zach Ryan’s deflected finish left Memphis down two goals. 

That’s a pretty big hole to climb out of, but Memphis gave it a go, and summer signing Bruno Lapa was the catalyst for the fightback. The forward stole the ball on the halfway line before driving forward solo, eventually playing a perfect pass in for Laurent Kissiedou, who settled before firing past Hugo Faroux at the near post to reduce the deficit.

But the match turned following a bizarre kerfuffle in the 2nd half. Loudon midfielder Houssou Landry started what looked like a series of patronizing pats on Kissiedou’s head after a coming together. The 901 FC midfielder took exception and swung his arm back while walking away, and hit Landry on what looked like his collarbone. Landry, however, went down clutching his face, and after deliberation, he received a yellow card for simulation. The referee also deemed that Kissiedou’s action constituted “violent conduct,” and sent him off with a straight red card, leaving Memphis to play with 10 men for the rest of the contest.

But 901 FC continued on unperturbed and did their best to attack Loudoun’s goal. Star striker Phillip Goodrum had a couple of decent looks saved, while Jeremy Kelly, Carson Vom Steeg, and Dylan Borczak all had decent chances to level the score. But while pushing for an equalizer, Memphis players were caught upfield in stoppage time and conceded a garbage time third to Ryan. A disappointing way to start the season, especially after spotting the opposition two goals within the first quarter hour, but on the overall balance of play, there’s no need to worry. This is still a very talented squad that can generate high quality chances, and most of these players are familiar with each other.

But looking ahead, there are a few wrinkles to examine. Coach Glass decided to experiment with Rashawn Dally at left back for opening day, and … it didn’t work. Dally, after all, is a forward, not a defender. He brings a lot of good qualities to the table, but that position is just not his game. Loudoun could be selective about their pressing, choosing to funnel the play over to Dally while they defended, and could usually count on him to cough up a turnover with which to spring their own attack. 

Up top, it was always going to be interesting to see how Goodrum fared. Not too long ago, the striker sounded off with a pretty withering comment at a press conference:

“I had opportunities to go into Major League Soccer and go into Europe this offseason, and the club held me back from that. So I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t devastated to be back here. But look, I signed a two year contract, and so I’m here one more year. So play it out and see how it goes and hopefully we can go set a record and win some championships this year.”

That’s not what you want to hear from your record goalscorer heading into week one. And, of course, that’s only one half of the story, but it doesn’t help having an unsettled player. The striker wasn’t his usual sharpshooting self on Saturday, but still got into decent positions. It might be soon, or it might be a little longer, before he’s back in the right headspace. But in my mind, Goodrum has banked some credit after his stellar last season (22 goals!). He’s a pro, after all, and pros get on with it even if things aren’t going their way. (On a side note, the kit man probably needs to double check his work, as evidenced by the noticeably misspelled “Goodum” on the back of Phil’s jersey on Saturday.)

Up next weekend is a home match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday, March 18th at 4 p.m.

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Sports Upper 90

USA Ties Wales in World Cup Opener

(Credit: Peter Kováč | Dreamstime.com)

The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) kicked off its 2022 Qatar World Cup campaign in Group B on Monday against Wales. The U.S. led after a dominant first half thanks to a Timothy Weah goal, but a resurgent Wales clawed back the deficit with a late Gareth Bale penalty, leaving the final score knotted at 1-1. Elsewhere in Group B, England smashed Iran 6-2.

Samuel Cicci: Greetings, soccer fans. Delighted to have you here for our local World Cup coverage at the Memphis Flyer. I would like to thank my employer for letting us host our quadrennial soccer blog, The Workmanlike Performers, on the site. Every four years, I convene with my acquaintance Matthew Hein to give updates on all things World Cup, but for this column we’ll just be focusing on Team USA’s exploits throughout the tournament.

So let’s get started! There were a few question marks surrounding who would make the starting lineup, but you felt that the Wales opener was certainly a winnable game. How do you feel about the 1-1 result after leading for the first 80-odd minutes?

Matthew Hein: Honestly, it was a frustrating result. We didn’t know what to expect going in, since the USMNT’s form had been uneven leading up to the tournament. But instead of a flat performance, we really took control of the game early on, looking calm in possession and not giving Wales any chance on the counter. 

However, it felt that a switch had been flipped at halftime, and the U.S. just was trying to hold on for the last 45 minutes. To give away an equalizing goal on a rash penalty always feels bad but, in the end, the result was probably fair. 

SC: I agree, but it rankles after going through the first half in cruise control. It’s been a long time since the U.S. has looked so confident in possession, but that’s on us for not adding another goal while we were on top. The goal was fantastic, with Josh Sargent holding up play to make space for Christian Pulisic, who dribbled forward and slid a clever pass in for Weah to convert. But beyond that, I’d argue that many of our players were guilty of overcomplicating things, always looking to make an eye-catching, yet low-percentage pass, rather than building up play organically. And there were certainly plenty of opportunities to do that in both halves. 

Defensively, I was supremely impressed in the first half with how we throttled service to the Welsh frontmen of Bale and Daniel James. They couldn’t get a kick! Centerback Tim Ream at 35 years old has had an impressive career renaissance and was a big part of our dominance. But in the second half, it was almost as if we hadn’t done any scouting on Kieffer Moore. The 6’5 Welsh mountain of a man pretty much had his way with our defenders, Ream included, whenever he was on the ball. Is it worrying that we couldn’t cope with direct play once Wales had a big man up front? Or was this a product of the U.S. being too passive after gaining the first-half lead?

MH: Overall, I think our centerbacks may well be the weakest part of the team, and while Moore is certainly a handful physically, they will have a much stiffer test with England’s Harry Kane next time, so I do think it is a cause for concern. I couldn’t really tell if the USA’s passivity was an intentional play to protect its lead or the product of some mental and physical struggles that pushed us on to the back foot. 

SC: Worth noting, too, that we have one of the youngest teams in the tournament, and they were getting the stuffing kicked out of them all game. Not that that’s an excuse, but it does play a role.

MH: Our forwards and midfielders had done a lot of running to close down Welsh possession early in the game, and that led to some tired legs in the 2nd half. This left more for defensive midfielder and captain Tyler Adams to do, as he was far and away USMNT’s best player. Adams was everywhere, from thwarting Welsh attacks before they started to cleaning up sloppy mistakes. Even Berhalter seemed to recognize his players were tiring, making four substitutes before the 75th minute. Do you think those substitutes were the right move? 

SC: For the most part, I think so. We were clearly tiring, and there were some injury concerns too, with both Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah looking banged up. Bringing on Brendan Aaronson is a no-brainer, since he’s a human battery and has been performing well in the English Premier League this season. Haji Wright in for Josh Sargent gave us some extra legs up top and a more pronounced focal point when we were under pressure, and the forward got his head to a couple of crosses. Kellyn Acosta in midfield was … okay?

MH: Hey, Acosta made one of the biggest plays of the game! If he doesn’t take down Bale late on, the U.S. might have even more regrets about this match. 

SC: That’s true! When our goalkeeper Matt Turner charged out to clear a long ball forward, he left the goal wide open, and with Bale gearing up for a long-range strike into an open net, Acosta hacked him down and potentially saved the point. But overall, I just think Acosta’s level is noticeably lower than our other options in midfield. I can understand DeAndre Yedlin coming in at right back, since Sergiño Dest had started to fade. But sending on … Jordan Morris? Where, oh where, in the world was Giovanni Reyna?

MH: Many pundits predicted that Reyna, the 20-year-old attacker playing for Borussia Dortmund, would start the game, as he is the most skilled playmaker on the roster. While he also has had injury issues, he was healthy and available for this game. Hopefully, we can see him soon. 

SC: He is by far our best weapon against low block defenses like Wales had today, but the only excuse I can think of is that Berhalter was afraid he would be kicked into the ground and aggravate one of his many injuries. But a low block likely won’t be what we’re up against when we face Group B powerhouses England on Friday. They raced out of the blocks with a 6-2 victory over Iran on Monday. Do we have a shot? What key pieces do we need out there to compete?

MH: We’re the clear underdogs, but in a single game, we always have a shot. We have a lot of young talent who can cause problems for the England defense in transition. It’s hard to know if we should be impressed with England’s win — Iran may just be a bad team, or were distracted by everything going on at home for them. The England match might call for a start for Aaronson, whose ceaseless running and quick decision-making will be necessary as the USMNT try to play on the counter. 

SC: Plus, Aaronson plays against those English guys every week. I just hope that everyone who had a niggling injury is okay in a couple days’ time. Our best players are notoriously injury-prone, after all. But we’ll end on a positive note. We’re back at the World Cup after missing out in 2018, and we got a point in our opening match! And just this morning, we saw Saudi Arabia upset tournament favorites Argentina. It’s all to play for.

USMNT plays England on Friday, November 25th, at 1 p.m.

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Sports Upper 90

Stephen Glass Named New 901 FC Coach

There will be a fresh face on the sidelines at AutoZone Park next soccer season. On Tuesday, Memphis 901 FC announced that it had agreed to terms with former Atlanta United manager Stephen Glass to become the team’s new head coach.

“It’s a true testament to our club’s reputation, our passionate and growing fanbase, and our dedicated front office that we were able to attract the depth of world-class coaches who are excited for the future of Memphis 901 FC,” said 901 FC principal owner Peter Freund. “From the very start of our search process, Stephen was always our targeted first choice and I am thrilled to welcome him to the 901 FC family.”

Glass originally joined MLS side Atlanta United in 2018 as the academy coach, before being promoted to head coach of the USL’s Atlanta United 2 in 2019. He then presided over Atlanta United’s First Team as interim head coach during the summer of 2020, before returning to coach the USL side. Most recently, he coached Aberdeen FC in the Scottish Premier League. 

As a player, Glass played for Scotland at the international level. At club level, he played at Aberdeen FC for five seasons before moving to Newcastle United in the English Premier League. He also had stints at Watford, Hibernian, and the NASL’s Carolina RailHawks.

“We, as a club, couldn’t be more excited for what Stephen will bring to 901 FC. His knowledge of the American soccer landscape as well as his international managerial experience will allow us to continue to build on our recent success,” said 901 FC sporting director Tim Howard. “It has been satisfying to not only land our top target but to know how eager Stephen is to get to work.” 

The announcement follows the departure of USL 2022 Coach of the Year, Ben Pirmann, who had been in charge of the team since 2020, and just last season led 901 FC to its best ever run, which ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The club last week announced that Pirmann had accepted an offer to become head coach of USL rival Charleston Battery.

Losing Pirmann is a big blow for 901 FC, but the organization hopes to build on a stellar 2022 season by retaining multiple key players. Glass has previously coached several of them, including last season’s top goalscorer, Phillip Goodrum, and midfielder Laurent Kissiedou.

“I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to come to Memphis and look forward to building on the success that was enjoyed last year,” Glass said. “There is a great group of players returning who I am sure are hungry to give the fans many more nights like those enjoyed last season. I look forward to seeing everyone at AutoZone Park in 2023.”  

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Sports Sports Feature

901 FC to Open Soccer-Specific Stadium

An aerial rendering of the planned 901 FC stadium at Liberty Park. (Credit: 901 FC/Odell Sports & Entertainment Studio)

Soccer fans will soon be saying adios to AutoZone Park, and hello to a brand new stadium dedicated completely to soccer.

On Tuesday, Memphis 901 FC and the City of Memphis announced plans to build a new, 10,000 capacity stadium within Liberty Park. Odell Sports & Entertainment Studio and LRK will partner to design the stadium, which will be built on the site of the Mid-South Coliseum.

The stadium will have 7,500 fixed seats, as well as suites, clubs, and large covered gathering spaces to accomodate large parties and special events. The new stadium will also be able to host other special events, including concerts and additional long-field sports. 901 FC’s new home is expected to be ready in time for the start of the 2025 USL Championship season.

“When we launched our football club in 2019, we had two dreams,” said 901 FC sporting director Tim Howard. “The first was to compete at the highest level and win a USL Championship. Today, we are proud to be in the playoffs for our second consecutive season, this time as the second seed. The second goal was to build a proper soccer stadium with a world class pitch for our club that rivals that of Louisville or any of the great new venues being built in the United States and Europe for soccer. Today we move closer to that dream.” 

Alongside the new stadium, 901 FC will develop two adjacent state of the art soccer fields, which will act as 901 FC’s training home along with potential academy, League 2, and a women’s professional teams.

An aerial rendering of the planned 901 FC stadium within Liberty Park. (Credit: 901 FC)

It is a huge statement of intent for 901 FC, which currently shares AutoZone Park with the MiLB Memphis Redbirds. Having its own dedicated stadium will allow the team to grow its brand and provide one of the best match-day environments in the USL.

901 FC kicks plays its first ever home playoff match at 7 p.m. this Saturday, October 22, against Detroit City FC in the quarterfinals. Memphis locked up the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference after finishing the regular season with a 3-0 away win against FC Tulsa last Saturday.

The new stadium is part of Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s $684 million plan to renovate sports stadiums in Memphis, including the FedExForum, Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, and AutoZone Park. Strickland plans to ask the state of Tennessee to invest $350 million towards the plan.

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Sports Sports Feature

901 FC’s Nighte to Remember

Nighte Pickering celebrates after scoring a spectacular first career goal. (Credit: Ryan Beatty/901FC)

Some players hit the ground running. Others like to hit the ground scoring. Literally, in the case of Memphis’ new signing Nighte Pickering.

The 17-year-old, who had joined the team just two days prior to Saturday’s game, decided that he didn’t have time to wait around to open his professional account. The teenager’s acrobatic bicycle kick late in the game marked his first goal in Memphis blue, and 901 FC’s final tally en route to a smooth 3-1 victory at AutoZone Park.

Last Saturday’s victory made it two relatively simple wins on the bounce. New York Red Bulls II didn’t threaten much back on August 3rd, and the same went here, with Memphis dominating the first half completely, almost taking the lead when David Egbo tapped in from close range, but the forward was adjudged to have been offside by a hair. And just a minute later, Memphis actually fell behind when caught out by a quick counter attack, former 901 FC player Rashawn Dally squaring for Prince Saydee to smash in from close range in the 37th.

But 901 FC doesn’t like losing this season, and midfielder Aaron Molloy just a few minutes later blasted in an equalizer, smashing his shot from outside the box past a helpless Yannik Oettl in the Hartford goal. And then just a couple minutes after that, Molloy tallied his eight assist of the season after he sent in a delicious swerving set piece delivery that defender Zach Carroll was all too happy to head in from close range, putting Memphis up 2-1 at halftime.

Memphis continued to dominate after halftime, but the clear icing on the cake was Pickering subbing on to score his first professional goal. Pouncing on a poorly headed clearance in the Hartford box, he launched himself into the air and hit his overhead kick goalward. As he hit the ground, the ball flew into the back of the net, cuing wild jubilation from the crowd and his teammates. Not bad for a first goal at the pro level, eh? That’s a player oozing with confidence and already feeling at home in the league, and no matter where his career goes from here, he’ll always have that.

Nighte Pickering’s acrobatic goal sealed 901 FC’s 3-1 victory. (Credit: Ryan Beatty/901FC)

So how dominant was 901 FC in this game? Take a look at the maps below. On the first touch map (901 FC players represented by brown circles), numbers 7 and 19, fullbacks Patrick Seagrist and Rece Buckmaster, respectively, held an average position almost inside the Hartford half. Meanwhile, only four Hartford players had an average position inside Memphis’ half, and not very far upfield. And in the heat map below, Seagrist and Buckmaster had an enormous amount of touches in the attacking side of the pitch, more so in the first half, but that continued into the second half as well.

(Credit: USL)
(Credit: USL)

And the team put on a clinic while resting top scorer Phillip Goodrum. Not a bad day at the office, reflected by 901 Fc’s 21 shots (15 inside the box) to Hartford’s 10. And Molloy nabbed himself another spot in the USL’s Team of the Week.

The win moves the team up to 14-5-3 on the season, and third in the Eastern Conference standings. Next up is a trip to the Steel City to face the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday, August 13th. And the break should give head coach Ben Pirmann time to incorporate new signing Jackson Brady, who signed a 25-day contract with the team on Monday.

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Sports Sports Feature

901 FC Takes Three Points in New York

Jeremy Kelly opened the scoring in a 2-1 away win for Memphis. (Credit: USL/New York Red Bulls II)

As Aaron Molloy’s 70th-minute cross curved closer to Phillip Goodrum, most fans could be forgiven for already being on their feet. For if there’s one sure thing this season, it’s that Goodrum is just going to keep on sticking the ball in the back of the net. But long before the forward headed in his 13th goal of the season, it was pretty clear that 901 FC’s winning ways would continue on a trip up East to challenge New York Red Bulls II. Before some hasty retyping during the last few minutes of the game, the bulk of my report simply detailed how easy it all was for Memphis. A late consolation goal for New York brought up a few nerves, but it didn’t really matter; Memphis was always the dominant side during a 2-1 victory at MSU Soccer Park.

Really, the game was all but wrapped up by halftime. But with one caveat: Somehow, Memphis had only managed to score one goal! After a first half in which 901 FC opened fire on the New York net, the boys in the white away kits had somehow only managed to score once. The first 10 minutes were a clear indication of Memphis’ dominance, with 901 FC recording a staggering 70 percent of possession and some nice passing sequences to get into good scoring positions.

The 17th minute opener followed one such passage, midfielder Chris Allan eventually finding a streaking Jeremy Kelly in the box, who despite sprinting all the way upfield, looked like he had all the time in the world as he steadied himself and shot past Red Bulls keeper Giannis Nikopolidis at the near post to make it 1-0 to Memphis.

All the while, Goodrum made himself a menace with a few good chances, and others chipped in as well. 901 FC’s sheer dominance, in terms of possession, winning the ball back, and locking down any Red Bull attacks never truly put the performance in doubt. In fact, New York only really had one chance of note coming in the 2nd half, with Zachary Ryan poking the ball wide in a 1v1 situation in the 60th minute. Otherwise, center backs Zach Carroll and Graham Smith, along with fullbacks Rece Buckmaster and Patrick Seagrist, locked down almost every New York incursion with ease.

And Goodrum scored what would be the eventual winner in the 70th minute, cushioning a header from Aaron Molloy’s cross past Nikopolidis. That made it a lucky 13 goals for Goodrum this season, and his fourth game in a row with a goal.

Then in the 76th, Seagrist rolled the ball across the box for substitute Derek Dodson, who just missed out on connecting for a tap-in, and the forward then couldn’t quite finish immediately after when pouncing on some slack New York passes. But shoutout to Dodson, who did what any good sub should do and made the most of all of his touches. Out on the right side, he had his way with the New York backline, frequently winning challenges, turning his marker and charging in behind, and delivering into the box to create chances for his teammates.

And honestly, other than missed chances, it was about as comprehensive a performance as you’ll see, the win almost as straightforward as they come. New York’s high defensive line and scattered pressing was suicidal against a team as adept to moving the ball upfield as Memphis. And even when a couple of the starters subbed out, the new blood kept the game ticking over nicely. After dominating possession in the first half, the second 45 saw Memphis take their foot off the gas a bit and swat away what little New York threw at them.

Of course, this is still soccer, so in the 87th, New York broke from their own half and charged into open space, Jordan Adebayo-Smith calmly finishing past Trey Muse to reduce the deficit to 2-1. Memphis quickly reasserted themselves just two minutes later, with Laurent Kissiedou playing in Dodson to a huge swathe of space on the right side of the box, but substitute David Egbo unfortunately couldn’t make a proper connection on his teammate’s inch-perfect cross. Egbo continued to get into good positions and had another late chance saved by Nikopolidis.

Ultimately, New York just didn’t really do enough to test Memphis. Now, 901 FC are up to third in the Eastern Conference, and next up this Saturday are Hartford Athletic at AutoZone Park.

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Sports Sports Feature

901 FC Draws Away to Indy Eleven

Phillip Goodrum, left, scored his 12th goal of the season to earn Memphis a point on the road. (Credit: USL/Indy Eleven)

It’s quite amazing how unbothered 901 FC can consistently look as they soak up (usually nonthreatening) pressure against most opponents. And when they recover possession, it looks like FIFA as they string passes together, break the press, and find themselves with an overwhelming numbers advantage heading into the opposing final third. Of course, their work in possession isn’t bad either (which is mostly what we saw in Indiana) when it’s called for, and that’s a credit to coach Ben Pirmann, who was recently nominated for the USL mid-season coach of the year. Probably goes without saying that he should receive a nice pay bump for the work he’s done so far.

Last Saturday, Indy Eleven was set to provide a different kind of challenge from what Louisville posed the week before. Our Kentucky opponents, #1 in the Eastern Conference, on July 16th played like they had a higher floor than most USL team’s ceilings. Indy, meanwhile, hadn’t been able to score in quite a long time. But anything can happen in soccer, which is why we love the sport. 901 FC had the first swing, with Luiz Fernando hitting the crossbar in the fourth minute, with a couple follow-ups also failing to find the back of the net. And a few lucky bobbles just minutes later went Indy Eleven’s way as they took the lead in the ninth minute, scoring their first goal in 459 minutes (wow!). And to compound our misery, Fernando hit the post after cutting in and unleashing a curler. Sometimes things just don’t go your way. And in the 22nd, some slick interplay in crowded spaces ended with Chris Allan slotting it past Sean Lewis, only for the offside flag to pop up.

But in the 23rd, Memphis finally did equalize with an incredible play across the board. A lofted through ball found Rece Buckmaster completely alone in the Indy box. The defender froze to draw out Lewis, and then stealthily slid a ball close to the back post for Phillip Goodrum to poke in for his 12th goal of the season. Fernando was then at it again in the 30th, cutting back in onto his left and forcing a good save from Lewis. And a minute later, Fernando played an inch-perfect pass to Derek Dodson, who shot straight at Lewis.

And that was pretty much the tale of the first half. Memphis’ attack factory churned out chance after chance. Indy’s strong press faded after the start, and all the chances were going 901 FC’s way. Such was the direction of traffic that fans could be forgiven for scratching their heads and wondering how we’d only scored once.

Indy’s press did come back out to start the second half, but whenever they threatened danger, a Memphis defender was there to mop things up. And Niall Logue set up Fernando in the Indy box early on, but he underhit his pass to set up a teammate, seeing another good chance squandered. And Memphis just continued to carve their way through the Indy midfield and back line, with Fernando usually at the center of every passage. In the 90th minute, the ref frustratingly blew the whistle instead of playing an advantage which could have seen Memphis 2v2 against the Indy defense. In fairness, we saw that kind of call go both ways, which is annoying for both sets of fans. And in one late scare, Indy worked one last headed chance through Manuel Arteaga, but goalkeeper Trey Muse came up big with the save.

A draw was a very frustrating result for 901 FC, but the overall performance continued a fine string of form that Memphis has put together this season. All game long, the players picked Indy apart with surgical precision. The well-oiled midfield machine constantly worked the ball around onrushing defenders and out to the wings, where a rotating player would drive into the open half-spaces left by the Eleven’s press. There, they could either loft a ball past the Indy back line, as happened for Goodrum’s equalizer, or ping a couple of passes around in tighter spaces as they worked their way into the box. Both approaches worked, but a couple of times Memphis’ final ball just let them down. For now, Memphis remains in third in the Eastern Conference standings. And if you noticed, a return to a 32-page Memphis Flyer means we have room for soccer columns in our pages again! Our 901 FC coverage has been away for a while, but hopefully I’ll be back with you all again, dear readers, for our next match away to New York Red Bulls II on August 3rd.

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Memphis 901 FC Announces 2022 Schedule

Captain Leston Paul will return to Memphis for the 2022 season. (Credit: Eric Glemser)

In only a couple of months, AutoZone Park will be filled with screaming fans roaring their team to victory. Memphis 901 FC today announced its schedule for the 2022 regular season.

The organization will host 17 home games between March and October, with the home opener against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds set for Saturday, March 12. In the full 34-match slate, Memphis will have home-and-away bouts against each Eastern Conference rival and also contest exciting matchups against eight Western Conference opponents, with four at home: Oakland Roots (March 19), LA Galaxy II (May 18), Phoenix Rising FC (July 9), and Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (October 5).

At the end of the season, the top seven teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences will qualify for the 2022 USL Championship Playoffs.

Fresh off its first playoff appearance last year, 901 FC has already started constructing its squad for the upcoming season. The team recently announced the re-signing of captain Leston Paul, defender Zach Carroll, and midfielder Laurent Kissiedou. The squad also permanently signed former loanee Niall Logue and acquired Irish midfielder Aaron Molloy.

Most matches will stream on ESPN+ with a select few set to air on ESPN or ESPN2. The broadcast schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

View the full schedule on 901 FC’s website.