Miami, June 15 2022
Miami Dutch Lions FC played host to Naples United FC on Wednesday in a makeup contest from a May 29th rainout. MDLFC came into the night with a 1-4 record on the season after falling to Magia FC on Sunday. As for Naples, they came into the match having lost two of their last three matches which pushed their record to 3-2 before the NPSL Sunshine Conference matchup.
From the opening whistle, the game was back and forth with both teams possessing the ball evenly and creating scoring chances off quality touches in the attacking third. The best chance of the first twenty-five minutes came by a shot from Naples that was saved by goalkeeper, Peter Wentzel to keep the game scoreless. As the half moved on, so did the back-and-forth action and the Lions benefited from their back four shutting down Naples elite goal scorer, Limberg Gutierrez. Although it took a long time, the constant pressure against Gutierrez eventually hurt the Lions' defense as Mikhail Mc Comie found himself on the receiving end of a pass created by Naples leading scorer in the 39min. Mc Comie shifted his body and rifled a left footed strike to the near side of a diving Wentzel, eventually hitting the back of the net and propelling Naples in front. The late action in the first half was not done however, as MDLFC marched down the pitch in looks for a quick answer. A corner kick opportunity for the Lions was unsuccessful after a costly handball by winger Damien Baltide, who received a caution for his action. Naples got on their horse and took advantage of the shocking infraction to move the ball up field and blow passed the back line of the home side. It was Jovoney Brown who found himself with a wide-open goal after Peter Wentzel came off his line to deter the one-on-one opportunity and it seemed a forgone conclusion that the Dutch Lions would be trailing by two heading into the half. In one of the most shocking plays, Brown sailed the ball wide of the gaping 24 ft. wide net and allowed the match to hit the halftime break with a manageable 1-0 deficit for the Miami Dutch Lions.
The second half began with as much intensity as the first half ended with. Naples defended the opening attack from the home team well and turned a counter the opposite direction. The back line sent a ball towards midfield which immediately was headed along to a striding Jovoney Brown once again. This time Brown put on a clinic; speeding passed the backs for the Lions and sending the ball home to the far corner of the net. The 47' goal gave the visitors a 2-0 advantage which seemed insurmountable, especially after Brown had overcome his mishap from the first half. The Lions would not lay down without a fight. They showed grit and tenacity just three minutes later when Felipe Alvarez delivered a deviling through ball to center forward Juan Valiente. Valiente had no time to collect as he used his reactionary instincts to flick the ball with the outside of his right foot over the sprawling Naples keeper, Marcelo Gonzalez. The quick answer brought the sides back within a goal of one another as they aggressively battled out positioning in the midfield. Numerous bookings occurred as the half continued with the clubs' making substitutions as they tried to find an edge. At times, it felt like both teams would strike for the all-important fourth goal, but the game ran towards the precipice of the 90' still 2-1 in favor of Naples United. It was Dutch midfielder Thomas Van Djik who created space and then watched that space fold as he was fouled from behind directly outside the box. With Alvarez being subbed out in the second half, it was clear that the man who drew the foul would be the one taking the last opportunity for MDLFC. As Van Djik placed the ball on the turf in anticipation of the free kick, both sides held their breath with time standing still awaiting the result of the last-minute set piece. In the most dramatic fashion, Van Dijk delivered a low arching strike to the near post and watched it graze the hands of the keeper, finding its way into the net for the dramatic equalizer. The Lions dropped back as the seconds ticked off the clock and one last gasp by Naples was saved by Wentzel to preserve the point.
With the draw, the Miami Dutch Lions move to 1-4-1 on the season, with a return to the pitch upcoming when they play Miami United on Sunday. For Naples, they go to 3-2-1 on the season and find themselves back in action on Saturday at Miami Beach CF.
After the game, head coach Robert Stoutenburg used the word "proud" to describe how the team should feel following the resilient draw against one of the top teams in the conference. The head coach also commended the style of play that his team had in the critical points of the game. "Tonight was the first night that we really showed what the Dutch Lions can really do. In the second half we came out with tenacity and a plan. I felt that we completely outplayed them in the second half and tactically we did an excellent job at keeping possession of the ball." Stoutenburg finished up by looking towards the rivalry match that awaits the club this weekend. "We're looking forward to playing Miami United on Sunday. That's going to be a really tough one, so we have to have our best few days of training to make it as difficult as possible for them."