Thursday, April 21

Zum Schneider FC 03 II vs Stal Mielec NY (3-1)
A solid mid-week performance lifted Zum Schneider FC 03 II over Stal Mielec NY, 3-1.

In a team effort, Zum II used wide passes on the smaller Roosevelt Island pitch to pinball around Stal for 90 minutes. Stephen Ojo opened the scoring with a free kick from the left early on. But despite holding a lead possession wise the home side couldn’t find the back of the net again. That changed when Conor Pellas came on after halftime. The substitute facilitated multiple attacks and assisted on his team's final two goals. Ojo and Alberto Poleo both found the net in the final 45 minutes.

A last second strike off a turnover cost Zum II the clean sheet. However Zum has momentum and will play the struggling Beyond FC next week.

Saturday, April 23
Manhattan Kickers vs FC Sandžak (2-1)
No goal scorer information provided by FC Sandžak 
The battle at the bottom of the Division 1 table is just as important as the fight for the championship. Saturday’s lone match saw Manhattan Kickers create more space between themselves and the second relegation spot. The team bested FC Sandzak, 2-1, on Randalls Island.

The Kickers had four reserve team players pull double duty after winning their game, 1-0, just prior. Dennis Kachintsev, one of those players who also coaches the reserve team, got Manhattan on the board early. Staying compact defensively, the home team limited Sandzak’s chances. The second goal came in the 70th minute when Bryan Baracaldo fed Mustafa Mohamandi through the middle. The visitors cut the deficit in half not long after but failed to equalize before the final whistle.

Manhattan and two other teams sit at 17 points each, six above 11th place Stal Mielec NY. 

Sunday, April 24
New York Athletic Club vs Polonia SC (7-1)
No goal scorer information provided by Polonia SC
An early game seemingly ended early as New York Athletic Club needed little time to take control against Polonia SC. William Liam Daniels notched a hat-trick, assisted on all three goals by Dorian Wirz, all in the second half.

Frankie Agrest started the scoring in the third minute scored on a floated far post free kick. NYAC dominated possession and a high defensive line gace Polonia little room to make long passes. Peter Ceesay and Matt Swain both scored within the first thirty minutes to make it 3-0. Ceesay was assisted by Daniel Laranetto while Swain was helped by Grand Conaghan and Laranetto.

Daniels' performance in the second half stole the show, but there were other key players. Polonia got a goal back early to cut the lead down to 3-1, but failed to gain any more momentum. The final minutes of the game saw one last goal. Former Columbia teammates Larenneto and Swain matched up with the latter slotting in his team’s seventh score.

Beyond FC vs New York Shamrock SC (1-10)
No goal scorer information provided by either team
New York Shamrock SC kept pace in the top four with a clear victory over Beyond FC. The defending Division 1 champions are four points before first place with time running out.

Richmond County FC vs Kelmendi FC NY (3-2)
Richmond County FC kept their title hopes alive with a critical 3-2 win over Kelmendi FC NY on Sunday night. Efe Kaynar opened the scoring late in the first half, assisted by Bljedi Bardic. Pierre Payen and Ady Gaye both scored in the second half to secure the much needed three points.

Kelmendi tied the game twice with goals in the second half but allowed an 88th soul crusher off a deflection.

Borgetto FC vs Hoboken FC 1912 (2-3)
One week after taking the Division 1 lead, Borgetto FC traded places with Hoboken FC 1912. The New Jersey team are back in the top spot following a 3-2 win over last season’s Division 2 champions.

Hoboken head coach Steve Korfiatis explained that his team knew Borgetto’s game plan coming in and played accordingly.

“We decided to sit deep, absorb their pressure, frustrate Borgetto by allowing them little to no space in the dangerous areas of the pitch and then break quickly and expose their defense shape on transition. The game plan worked and we largely kept Borgetto to a few long range shots and set pieces throughout the match.  In the first half I'm not sure they had a single clear cut chance on our net.”

Meanwhile, Hoboken had multiple chances to get on the board first. Borgetto held firm with a few saves by their keeper and defenders while 1912 missed the mark on other attempts. The lone goal came when Dante Petrocelli found a great ball to James Reed who broke the defensive line and finished calmly with his left foot.

The second half was largely like the first for the first 20 minutes. Borgetto had possession but failed to threaten Hoboken in the dangerous areas in our defensive third. That changed in the 65th when the referee awarded Borgetto with a penalty after seeing a handball in the box. One successful attempt by John Sebastian Rodriguez and the game was tied, 1-1.

The game turned after this point. Over the next ten minutes, Borgetto were shown two red cards (one for dissent and the second for violent conduct). Despite being up two players, Hoboken only went up in the 82nd minute. A great move and cross from the returning Timor Tcherniavski found Tommy Lozowski who finished in the low corner. A third came in the 90+1st when Kevin Halliday assisted Camilo Rosero on a chip over the goalkeeper. Borgetto responded with a stoppage time shot off a set-piece by Joseph Blasetti and nearly tied the game one minute later before the final whistle blew.

“Overall it was a really composed and mature match from our players,” Korfiatis said. “They worked extremely hard as a team, and as a whole performed better as a unit than Borgetto. Individually Borgetto had a good team but collectively we were the better side. The boys executed the game plan well, sacrificed hard off the ball and we took the 3 points and moved to next week.”