Match Report | Niagara 1812 vs Cleveland SC
- Cleveland SC
- 1 minute ago
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Cleveland SC Back in the Win Column After Dominating 5-0 Win Over Niagara 1812
NIAGARA, NEW YORK – Cleveland SC responded exactly how great teams are expected to respond.
Coming off its first defeat of the season against Erie Commodores FC, a match that was delayed more than three hours due to severe weather and finished late into the night, Cleveland traveled to the United States-Canada border looking to make a statement. The team did exactly that, dominating Niagara 1812 from start to finish in a convincing 5-0 victory.
The result was a complete performance on both sides of the ball and showcased the resilience of a squad eager to put a difficult loss behind it.
Defensively, Cleveland was outstanding once again. With Colin Monroe in goal and a back line consisting of Rodrigo Bandeira, Davide Carmignani, Ryan McQueen, and Alan Jerkovic, Cleveland recorded its fifth clean sheet in just eight matches this season.
Cleveland wasted little time finding the score sheet, striking early and often. In the 12th minute, Gabe Gotting delivered a free kick directly into the box, finding Jack Jenkins in space. Jenkins settled in and finished with his right foot to give Cleveland an early lead.
The pressure continued throughout the opening half, and Cleveland doubled its advantage in the 23rd minute. Hakim Musabbah pressured the Niagara defense, forcing a turnover deep in the attacking third before finishing for his third goal of the season.
With control of possession and momentum firmly in hand, Cleveland headed into halftime holding a comfortable 2-0 advantage.
The second half brought more of the same.
Just three minutes after the restart, Nico Romero delivered a beautiful pass into the penalty area where Luca Piazza was waiting to slot home Cleveland's third goal of the night in the 49th minute.
While Niagara struggled to generate meaningful chances, Cleveland continued to push forward and create opportunities. The pressure paid off again late in the match as Gabe Gotting found the back of the net in the 81st minute to make it 4-0.
The final blow came six minutes later when Bartu Yakkan capped off the dominant performance with a goal in the 88th minute, giving Cleveland its fifth and final tally of the evening.
All in all, it was exactly the type of bounce-back performance Cleveland needed after suffering its first loss of the season. The club returned to the win column in emphatic fashion while also keeping pace near the top of the Great Lakes Conference standings.
The weekend proved even more beneficial for Cleveland as Erie dropped points in a draw against Flower City Union. The result leaves Erie atop the conference with 22 points followed closely behind by Cleveland SC at 19 points, and keeps the race for first place very much alive heading into the final stretch of the season.
Next up for Cleveland is a rematch against Ambassadors FC Ohio, a side that suffered its first loss of the season at the hands of Cleveland in a 3-0 win at George Finnie Stadium. Ambassadors currently sit ahead of Cleveland in the standings based on points per game. With playoff positioning becoming increasingly important, the matchup could have major implications in the Great Lakes Conference race.
Next Match
Cleveland SC travels to Malone University this Wednesday, June 14, to face Ambassadors FC Ohio. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM EDT.
Cleveland's next home game is Youth Night at George Finnie Stadium. All kids get free admission to the match to watch Cleveland SC take on Flower City Union on Saturday, June 20th at 7:00 PM EDT. Get your [TICKETS HERE].
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