HUNTSVILLE – Stalemate. Even Steven. Draw.
The Huntsville City Football Club has played two games in its second MLS NEXT Pro soccer season, and the results have been mixed. The Boys in Blue played Chattanooga FC and Orlando City B to draws, the most recent a wet home opener Friday at Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium.
Those two results gave HCFC two points each match, but the club missed out on an extra point both times after falling in the penalty kick shootout. A 1-1 draw against Orlando, in which HCFC lost 4-3 in PKs afterwards, lingered as one that might of gotten away.
“Definitely a step in the right direction,” HCFC head coach Jack Collison said. “Dominate the game for large parts, play with real energy. Just struggled a little bit (Friday); ran out of ideas a little bit in the final third, which is the toughest part of the game.”
With rain falling on the pitch, Joel Swanga scored his first goal of the season on a header from Brennan Creek’s corner cross in the 26th minute to put HCFC up 1-0. Orlando tied the game at 1-all behind a goal from Justin Ellis in the 35th minute.
Otherwise, Huntsville controlled most of the action as the game summary reveals: Shots (HCFC 14-12), Shots On Goal (HCFC 5-1), Blocks (Orlando 4-3), Total Passes (HCFC 519-283), Passing Accuracy Percent (HCFC 85.4-74.6), Total Crosses (HCFC 17-4).
Collison said he saw progress in his players during the latest draw.
“I’m really pleased with them,” he said. “Would be nice to be sitting over a couple more points on the board, but ultimately as long as they’re doing the right things and then working hard and asking the right questions, I think that’s a really good standard set over two games and lots of promise and lots of hope there.”
Huntsville City FC will be back in action Saturday at 7 p.m. CT against Columbus Crew 2 at the Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium. Tickets for the match can be purchased here.
Game notes
Huntsville City:
- Has scored in all but one match at Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium all-time
- Is unbeaten all-time in home openers
- Alexis Cerritos made his Huntsville City FC and MLS NEXT Pro debut
- Scott Cheevers, Brennan Creek, and Maximus Ekk made their first Huntsville City FC and MLS NEXT Pro starts
- Brennan Creek recorded his first assist of the season
- Isaiah Johnston served as team captain for the second time this season
- Joel Sangwa scored his first goal of the season
While a couple of points have escaped the squad, as Collison pointed out, “Two games in and still unbeaten.”
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our email newsletter to have all our smart stories delivered to your inbox.
