Match Report | Flower City Union vs Cleveland SC

Photo by Gary Wiggins

Cleveland SC Battles Back for Wild 3–3 Draw Against First-Place Flower City Union

Rochester, NY – In a match packed with playoff-level intensity and dramatic momentum swings, Cleveland SC showed its trademark resilience once again, earning a vital point on the road with a 3–3 draw against previously unbeaten Flower City Union on Sunday evening. Powered by the red-hot form of striker Nicolas Vagujhelyi and a gutsy stoppage-time equalizer from Cian Tunney, Cleveland left the Rochester Community Sports Complex with its playoff hopes very much alive.

It didn’t take long for Cleveland to make their presence known. Just four minutes into the contest, Vagujhelyi found himself in the right place at the right time. After a defensive miscue by Flower City Union, Cian Tunney broke in behind the back line and fired a shot on goal. While Union goalkeeper Jax Flugal got a hand to it, the rebound fell perfectly to Vagujhelyi, who coolly slotted it into the net. The early goal marked his fifth in just three matches — a remarkable run in what was only his second start of the season.

Goalkeeper Ryan Poling, making his second consecutive start, followed the opening goal with a confident first-half performance. In the 11th minute, he bravely came off his line to cut down an onrushing Flower City attacker and made another critical save in the 23rd minute from close range, keeping Cleveland ahead as Union began applying more pressure.

Vagujhelyi nearly doubled his tally in the 29th minute after a sensational cross from Tunney, but his attempt flashed just wide to the left. For a stretch in the middle of the first half, Cleveland controlled possession and tempo, pressing high and probing the Union defense with a series of dangerous balls into the box.

But the momentum shifted in the final moments before halftime. In the 40th minute, Flower City’s Nathan Masucci danced through two Cleveland defenders and rifled a right-footed shot past Poling to tie the match at 1–1. Just three minutes later, Union struck again. Joshua Baraka’s long chip up field bypassed the Cleveland back line, and Gavin Eagon found himself alone on the left wing, finishing cleanly to send the hosts into the locker room with a 2–1 lead despite being second best for much of the opening 45 minutes.

The second half began with both sides looking to assert themselves, but quality chances were hard to come by. That changed in the 64th minute when Cleveland found their breakthrough. Tamas Nagy delivered a perfectly placed cross into the box, and Cian Tunney rose to meet it, hammering home a powerful header to level the match at 2–2.

Union answered quickly. In the 77th minute, Dylan Rice found space in the box and took a hard shot that deflected off a Cleveland defender and looped into the net. Initially credited as a Rice goal, it was later ruled an own goal — an unfortunate break for a Cleveland side that had clawed its way back into the match.

But if this Cleveland SC team has shown anything in 2025, it’s heart. Down 3–2 and desperate for points to stay in the postseason hunt, the squad pushed forward with renewed urgency in the final minutes. In the third minute of stoppage time, Tamas Nagy uncorked a dangerous shot from the edge of the box that forced a tough save from Flugal. The rebound found its way to Noah Sandahl, who, in one final act of desperation, lofted a curling ball back into the mixer.

Once again, it was Tunney who delivered, rising above the defense to nod in his second goal of the night and send the Cleveland bench into celebration. The final whistle blew just moments later, with Cleveland having stolen a crucial road point from the undefeated conference leaders. “Grit, work, determination” as Head Coach Joe Javanovski said earlier in the week — that’s what the team needed on Sunday.

Photo by Gary Wiggins

With the draw, Cleveland SC improves to 3-2-2 on the season and holds fifth place in the NPSL Great Lakes Conference — just outside the playoff cutoff. Flower City Union, who entered the match with a perfect 5–0–0 record and had conceded only three goals all season, were forced to settle for a point and saw their streak snapped. Impressively, Cleveland managed to match that defensive total in a single match, scoring three against the conference’s most dominant back line.

Cleveland SC is starting to gain momentum at the right time in the season. After falling behind in each of their last three matches, the squad has clawed back each time, led by standout performances from Vagujhelyi, Tunney, Nagy, and Poling. With three regular season matches remaining, every point matters, and this result proves that Cleveland can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the league.

Looking ahead, Cleveland returns home on Saturday, June 21st, for what could be a pivotal match in the playoff race. Their opponent: Syracuse FC, a team still searching for its first win of the season. The opportunity to secure three points at home couldn’t come at a better time.

And it’ll be a night for the future of Cleveland soccer: Youth Club Night at George Finnie Stadium. All kids wearing their youth club jerseys will receive free admission at the gate. Kickoff is set for 7 PM, and fans are encouraged to bring the whole team for a night of fun under the lights!

Visit here for more info on Youth Night

As the postseason push continues, Cleveland SC needs all the support it can get! Tickets are available online. Come show your support for the boys in Orange and Black in the final stretch of the season!

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