Match Preview: Cleveland SC at Buffalo Stallions
- Cleveland SC
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Cleveland SC looks to stay unbeaten as it heads back on the road for a second early-season meeting with Buffalo.
Watch Live: Cleveland SC at Buffalo Stallions
Saturday, May 23 | 7:00 PM
North Tonawanda, New York — Cleveland SC will return to the pitch this Saturday on the road to face off against a familiar opponent this season in the Buffalo Stallions.
In the opening match of the season, Cleveland SC welcomed Buffalo to George Finnie Stadium and came out on top with a thrilling 3-0 win. That opening match saw an opening goal within the first minute of the season from Abdou Faye.
That opening goal paved the way for two second-half goals en route to the 3-0 victory in matchweek one.
Following that first match, the club went on the road and headed north to play another team from upstate New York in Rochester NY FC in a less exciting game that ended with a scoreless draw, 0-0.
Cleveland SC still has not found itself in the loss column to start the season, and it will be looking to continue the solid soccer that it has been playing so far this season in the second game already against the Buffalo Stallions.
While Cleveland has played another game after the opening match against Buffalo, the Stallions have not played another game since the opener, giving them a week’s rest leading up to the game.
The Stallions are still looking for their first goal of the season, but the week off will certainly give them plenty of time to draw up a game plan following the 3-0 loss at the hands of Cleveland.
As for Cleveland, it will not only be looking for its second straight win over Buffalo, but it will be looking to get back onto the scoreboard as well, as a 3-0 opening game was followed by a more disappointing 0-0 result the week after.
In the opener against Buffalo, Cleveland set the tone right away with that opening goal from Faye, allowing the club to set the pace of the game and to take control of possession.
The possession throughout the game was huge for the club, as they did not allow the Stallions to get comfortable going forward on attack.
That defense and possession eventually led to some breakaway opportunities for Cleveland, which netted two goals in the second half from Noah Sandahl and Hakim Musabbah to clinch the win.
The opening match of the season laid a great blueprint for the type of soccer that Cleveland wants to play, which is not only fast-paced but tactical and controlled. If the club can get back to that style of play after a scoreless match against Rochester, they should find themselves back in winning ways.
Match Information - Cleveland SC at Buffalo Stallions
📍 North Tonawanda High School Stadium - 405 Meadow Dr, North Tonawanda, NY 14120
🗓️ Saturday, May 23, 2026
⏰ Kickoff at 7:00 PM EDT
🎟️ Tickets are available HERE and at the gate.
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Can’t make the trip? Watch the match live from home through the stream link above, or follow along with live updates on Cleveland SC’s X and Instagram.
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