BY LUCIANO MARCON / VN SPECIAL WRITER
The Detroit City FC men’s team won the National Independent Soccer Association fall championship against the Oakland Roots, 2-1, on Oct. 2.
The team has won many trophies in the past, but this title is especially significant because this was the team’s first professional season.
The Oakland Roots dominated possession for the first 30 minutes, and this paid off.
Roots forward Johnny Rodriguez headed the ball into the goal off a corner kick in the 27th minute.
Le Rouge struggled to create chances at the start of the second half.
Shawn-Claud Lawson came off the bench in the 62nd minute for forward Yazeed Matthews.
Within four minutes, Lawson scored the equalizer to keep City’s title-winning streak alive.
The goal was Lawson’s fourth of the tournament, and it was also his 51st career goal for the Rouge & Gold.
Coach Trevor James made a chess move on the Roots as he subbed on Ryan Peterson for forward Max Todd in the 75th minute.
Peterson put City in the lead with a chip over the Roots keeper, making the score 2-1.
The two teams entered stoppage time playing to win. The Roots got multiple corner kicks, but City’s Evans Frimpong and Connor Rutz made crucial saves.
Le Rouge won the intense match against the Roots to finish off a difficult season in an even more difficult year.
Captain and defender Stephen Carroll won the tournament MVP for his defensive efforts and leadership, even having played in all five matches with an injured knee.
Defender Tendai Jirira earned a call-up to the Zimbabwe national team, having played every match this season as part of a backline that kept seven clean sheets.
