Match Report | Ambassadors FC Ohio vs Cleveland SC

Battle of Ohio Belongs to Cleveland SC Again in Matchup Against AFC Ohio

CANTON, OHIO – Cleveland SC continued its strong run of form on Saturday night, defeating Ambassadors FC Ohio 2-0 in another impressive performance in the Battle of Ohio.

The victory completed a season sweep over Ambassadors, with Cleveland winning the overall series by a combined score of 5-0 across the two meetings.

Once again, Cleveland’s defense proved to be the foundation of the result.

The club recorded its sixth clean sheet of the season, continuing what has become one of the strongest defensive campaigns in the Great Lakes Conference. Goalkeeper Colin Monroe was perfect throughout the evening, while the back line of Rodrigo Bandeira, Davide Carmignani, Alan Jerkovic, and Alec Nagucki remained organized and disciplined from the opening whistle to the final minute.

Cleveland SC wasted little time getting on the scoresheet. Just seven minutes into the match, Abdou Faye opened the scoring after finishing off a setup from Gio Petoussis. The goal gave Cleveland an early advantage and energized the team.

The pressure continued, and Cleveland doubled its lead in the 19th minute when Hakim Musabbah found the back of the net. The goal marked another important contribution from one of Cleveland’s most dangerous attacking players and gave Cleveland SC complete control of the match before the midway point of the first half.

With Cleveland’s two leading goal scorers delivering early, Ambassadors found themselves chasing the game for the remainder of the evening.

The two first-half goals proved to be all Cleveland needed. While opportunities became more difficult to create in the second half, Cleveland never looked uncomfortable. Rain throughout the final 45 minutes created challenging conditions on the wet turf, making possession difficult for both teams and limiting attacking opportunities.

Even with the weather becoming a factor, Cleveland remained composed and continued to dictate the match defensively. Ambassadors struggled to generate sustained pressure and were never able to mount a serious comeback effort as Monroe and the back line protected the clean sheet.

Photo Credit: Joey Jirmasek

The victory keeps Cleveland firmly in the race at the top of the Great Lakes Conference standings. With the three points, Cleveland moves level with Erie Commodores FC at 22 points. Erie still holds an advantage in points per game with a match in hand, but Cleveland’s latest win ensured the club kept pace in what continues to be a tightly contested conference title race.

Next up for Cleveland is a matchup against Flower City Union at George Finnie Stadium on Saturday, June 20, at 7 p.m. The evening will also serve as Youth Night presented by Titans United, with all kids receiving free admission to the match.

The last meeting between the two clubs was one of Cleveland’s most dramatic victories of the season. On Matchday 6, Nico Romero delivered a stunning winner in the 95th minute to secure a massive three points on the road.

Flower City currently sits fourth in the Great Lakes Conference with a 2-3-4 record, but the standings do not tell the entire story. The club enters the weekend following a convincing 4-0 victory over Niagara 1812 and previously earned a 1-1 draw against Erie, the only match this season in which the conference leaders failed to collect all three points.

Those results serve as a reminder that Flower City is a dangerous opponent capable of competing with anyone in the conference. Cleveland will need to prepare accordingly as it looks to continue its winning form and welcome a strong crowd to George Finnie Stadium for Youth Night. Get your [TICKETS HERE].

Stay Connected

Keep up with all the latest news and updates from Cleveland SC on our website and social media platforms: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.