Golden Limousine Match Preview: AFC Ann Arbor vs FC Columbus

The Mighty Oak may have dropped their first league match of the season last Friday, but Head Coach & Sporting Director Eric Rudland has his men ready for Friday’s contest against third place FC Columbus, a match with major postseason implications.

“Tactically we move forward with our system and the way we want to play. It’s all about our response as men, how we prepare and how we approach the match. We need to refine some decision making in the final third and continue to work with individual players in certain situations, but aside from that we want to keep the ball, defend with 11 players and do what we’ve done well all season,” said Rudland.

Three points this Friday will be the result that clarifies it all with the opportunity of locking up a postseason berth as well as securing the Great Lakes Conference Championship for the second year in a row. The Mighty Oak have been in control of their own destiny all season and will have one more opportunity to decide their fate. If they drop points on Friday with a draw or loss, AFC can surely still make the playoffs as their final match is against FC Indiana who have  a -46 goal differential on the season, but they’ll need some other results to go their way to ensure a first place finish.

As always, to Rudland it comes down to preparation and mentality. FC Columbus are coming off a big 2-1 win against Grand Rapids FC in Columbus last Sunday, playing 70+ minutes with only ten men after Ezra Armstrong was shown red card for violent conduct according to the league’s official match report. The infraction also means Armstrong, the starting left back, will be suspended for Friday’s match in Ann Arbor.

“We need to be good everyday this week in training and enter the match with a clear understanding of how to break them down and how to neutralize their strengths. We have to be good going forward, we have to patient and pick the right moments. Without the ball we need solid individual & small group defending,” said Rudland.

In addition to suspensions, this part of the season can always be tricky for managers as they’re dealing with many moving parts including player departures, injuries and potentially card accumulations. Rudland shed some light on what to expect in regards to Friday’s line up.

“I’m sure every team in the league is juggling player availability to some degree and we are no different. Our GK Mike Novotny is no longer with us. He’s left for a trial in Europe. He was fantastic for us and we think he has a bright future in the game. With that said, we feel really good about our other available options. Stanley Okumu is still nursing a groin issue so he may or may not be available. And we have to take into consideration our mid-week Milk Cup match. We had a number if men play heavy minutes so we need to look at ground covered and see where players are at physically going into Friday,” he added.

The match is set for 7PM at Skyline High School and the first 100 fans will receive a FREE seat cushion courtesy of St. Joseph Mercy Health System while Probility Physical Therapy will be providing free injury assessments.

Tickets for Friday’s match are available here. To stream the match, click here.

The Opponent

FC Columbus is the new kid on the block having joined the league and Great Lakes Conference this season. The unknown of FC Columbus has definitely caught clubs by surprise and as they currently sit, have the second highest max possible points in the table.

At their home field, they did well to get numbers behind the ball to try and slow down Ann Arbor’s press as much as possible, but The Mighty Oak held on in the end, winning 2-1 while bringing back a crucial three points to Ann Arbor. FC Columbus were successful in spoiling Ann Arbor’s streak of keeping opponents scoreless which finally ended after 488 minutes. Being the first, and only one of three, Great Lakes Conference teams to score on AFC shows the talent this side has.

They’re also dangerous on the counter which is especially impressive seeing how many they’ll have behind the ball defensively at times. They’re able to break and counter extremely quickly and have one of the top strikers in the region in Dimani Camara.

“They have a good system in place. They’re athletic and have found ways to be dangerous going forward. Their midfield has a good balance and the front 3 have caused problems for opponents In every match,” added Coach Rudland.
 

Team sheet will be released Friday morning.

Golden Limousine Match Preview: AFC Ann Arbor at Kalamazoo FC (Milk Cup Semi-final)

The Michigan Milk Cup defending Champions, AFC Ann Arbor, will travel to Kalamazoo on Tuesday for the 2018 semi-final match and their third match against KZFC this season. The winner will advance to the Milk Cup Finals to take on Lansing United of the Premier Development League on July 4th.

Tuesday’s match comes ahead of arguably the biggest match of the season this Friday when Ann Arbor hosts FC Columbus and a win for The Mighty Oak will secure the 2018 Great Lakes Conference Championship. But advancing to the finals of the Milk Cup is important to the club and Coach Rudland has his men ready.

“It's always hard to play a team three times in one season, especially having just played one another last weekend. Kalamazoo did a good job maximizing their potential this Saturday in Detroit and we have to respect the fact that they've been very good at home this season. They may make some small tweaks or changes for Tuesday but for the most part at this point of the seasons teams have found their identity and are who they are. So for us it's just about focusing on executing our match plan in an effort to advance,” said Rudland.

A midweek match ahead of a conference clinching league matchup means tapping into the depth of the roster once again.

“The team on Tuesday will feature changes from our group last Friday in Grand Rapids. We have some players who have been knocking on the door in training and deserve a run, so Tuesday is a great opportunity for them. We want to blend in a few of our veteran players as well to make sure the team has good balance in terms of positional play and experience,” added Rudland.

Tickets for Tuesday’s match can be purchased here. Follow along for updates on Twitter. No plans to stream the match have been confirmed at this time.

The Opponent

Kalamazoo FC is coming off a solid road performance earning a tough point against hosts Detroit City this past weekend. The 1-1 draw showed that Kalamazoo will play hard to earn every result regardless of the implication of the match.

Knowing their NPSL postseason hopes are dead, the opportunity to continue their cup run will be the extra motivation Kalamazoo will need to see if they can earn their first win over AFC Ann Arbor in club history.

AFC traveled to Kalamazoo for a league match back in May that ended in a 0-0 draw, but Ann Arbor weren’t short of chances in the scoreless match.

“When I look back at our last visit to Kalamazoo it wasn't a matter of creating chances because we did a good job of that. We carried play for spells of the match and were good at getting to goal. Their GK on the day was very good and we squandered some chances that we wished we could have had back. So taking our chances is really the focus,” commented Rudland.

Note: Former AFC Ann Arbor player Dumisani Munyangay (2016 team) is know playing his second season with KZFC and had one of the best scoring chances for his side in the last meeting between the clubs 10 days ago.

Team Sheet will be released Tuesday morning.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

The Cup

In the event the after 90 minutes (plus stoppage time) the score remains tied, the teams will play two-additional 15 minute halves of extra time. If at the end of that extra time (120 minutes) the score remains tied, the winner will be decided from penalty kicks following FIFA rules (5 kick method).

Golden Limousine Match Preview: AFC Ann Arbor at Grand Rapids FC

Association Football Club Ann Arbor is competing in only it’s third season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). In the first two seasons, The Mighty Oak finished second in 2016 and first in 2017 in the Great Lakes Conference, arguably one of the most talent loaded regions in the country.

Now, three quarters through their third regular season, Coach Rudland has his side exactly in the position he had hoped they would be, in control of their own destiny. With just three regular season matches to go, Ann Arbor can secure the 2018 Great Lakes Conference Championship with two wins. A win on Friday night will also guarantee AFC a third consecutive postseason berth.

The two clubs have strong ties as both were founding members of the former Great Lakes Premier League in the 2015 season before jointly leaving to join the NPSL for the 2016 campaign. Grand Rapids finished first and Ann Arbor second in just the first season that these two teams competed in the Great Lakes Conference. Houseman Field had always been an obstacle for The Mighty Oak until last year’s 2-1 thanks to Yuri Farkas’s game winner which secured the 2017 conference title for Ann Arbor. The two sides find themselves in a familiar situation with Ann Arbor sitting atop the table with Grand Rapids close behind.

“I think we were in the same position late in the 2016 season, sitting as the top two teams in the league during our inaugural campaigns So from day one both teams have shown they can compete and position themselves for postseason play. Last year we won the league at Houseman when we visited, so we are looking forward to heading over there again,” said Coach Rudland.

“We're definitely not hanging our hats on our previous results or looking past the next match. We are well aware that everything is about the next match and focusing on the process of preparation. Our objective has been to control our own season and in order to remain in that position we need to be prepared for Friday's test,” he added.

One of the reasons Rudland and his side continue to find success is the mentality and work ethic of the players, and of course the depth of the roster.

“The collective mentality of our group has been very professional. Guys put in an honest day's work every time they train. Sometimes you get a mixed bag of mentalities with summer teams, but our men have bought into our approach and the way we go about our business. To see guys still fighting to get into the 11 and the 18 keeps our staff sharp and creates a competitive environment for the players,” said Rudland.
 

The Opponent

Grand Rapids has won four of their last five matches to bring them up to the second spot in the table while gaining some serious momentum heading into the final stretch of Great Lakes Conference play.

There are a few things to keep an eye out for come Friday night.

We’re all familiar with Grand Rapids not-so-secret, secret play aka the long throw in. Even when teams are prepared to defend against this, GRFC have found ways to capitalize especially when on their home pitch. Keep an eye out for this tactic and be sure to take note on The Mighty Oak’s approach to defending the long throw.

Their attackers are athletic and dangerous. Last Sunday’s 2-0 win over Detroit City FC came from goals by Scott Doney and Morris Kamara, both of whom have proven to be a handful for a number of NPSL defenders. Ann Arbor will need to be extra alert when GRFC looks to counter utilizing Doney’s height and strength in addition to Kamara’s speed.

Add in the final ingredient of beating the first place team and you’ll realize just how big this match is for Grand Rapids Football Club. Expect a battle come Friday night at Houseman.

Team Sheet will be released Friday afternoon.

Ann Arbor Cruise to 4-0 Win Over Kalamazoo FC

After a crucial 1-0 win last Sunday against rival Detroit City FC, AFC Ann Arbor played one of its most complete games of the season against Kalamazoo FC to earn three more points, stay unbeaten in NPSL play, and remain atop the Great Lakes Conference.

From the kickoff The Mighty Oak were poised and confident, knowing how crucial this game was for the standings going forward. AFC Ann Arbor’s possession of the ball and movement off the ball created havoc for Kalamazoo FC.

The final ten minutes of the first half proved to be one of AFC’s best sequences all season. AZ Liadi opened the scoring at the 32nd minute, after stealing the ball from a Kalamazoo Midfielder. AZ proceeded to cut through the heart of Kalamazoo’s defense and rip a shot from the top of the eighteen.

Two minutes later The Mighty Oak were on the attack again after the defense warded off a press from Kalamazoo. This time, Man of the Match, Michael Shaikly rocked a shot upper-ninety after receiving a center ball from Chris Odhiambo to give AFC a 2-0 advantage.

In the 41st minute a service from Breno Stapcinskas from the back found its way to Serge Gamwanya who found himself looking at a 3 on 1 situation for the Mighty Oak. Gamwanya advanced the ball before passing it to a streaking Jordan Montoya who finished with a beautiful one-timer at the edge of the box to give The Mighty Oak a 3-0 lead.

The Mighty Oak unsatisfied with the margin continued to press in the waning minutes before halftime and once again they were rewarded for their efforts. The duo of Shaikly and Odhiambo struck again, as Shaikly tallied his second goal off a quick shot in the box, and Odhiambo was once again the man with an assist.

AFC Ann Arbor came out in the second half with a 4-0 lead and Kalamazoo had no answers. The Mighty Oak played the second half as a complete unit, possessing most of the play in the final third. Although AFC AA didn’t score in the second half

AFC’s defense warded off every chance Kalamazoo had, the midfield dictated possession, and the forwards took smart opportunities on net.

The win tonight marks the sixth clean sheet for The Mighty Oak in NPSL play this season and improves their overall record to 7-0-2 in the Great Lakes Conference.

Next, AFC Ann Arbor will travel to Housemann Field Friday, June 22 at 7:30pm, to take on Grand Rapids FC in a critical match up between the top two teams in the conference.

Golden Limousine Match Preview: AFC Ann Arbor vs Kalamazoo FC

Two-thirds into the regular season AFC Ann Arbor have managed to earn twenty out of twenty-four possible points, remain unbeaten while conceding only two goals and to break more than five club records to date. It’s been a great start but Head Coach & Sporting Director Eric Rudland hasn’t lost an ounce of focus on what his side set out to accomplish.

“The effort and mentality of the men so far has been solid. We don’t take anything for granted and we know that there’s plenty of work still to be done on the training page and in our remaining matches. We want to continually evolve & grow as a group, so we know that process is still in full swing,” said Rudland.

The Mighty Oak are coming off four matches in nine days playing back to back league matches each of the past two weekends. Those four matches equal one-third of the twelve match Great Lakes Conference regular season schedule and were against some of the toughest opponents, making it the most crucial stretch in the season for AFC. The challenge proved to be tough but Ann Arbor prevailed earning ten of twelve points beginning with a convincing 2-0 win over Grand Rapids FC before capping it off with a massive 1-0 road victory against Detroit City FC this past Sunday.

In each of the first thirds of the season, Ann Arbor left points on the table earning draws at Kalamazoo and vs Milwaukee. This Friday, The Mighty Oak will host KZFC at Skyline High School with a bit of a chip on their shoulder after being held scoreless in Kalamazoo. With a convincing result, AFC hopes to make it clear they’re the better of the two sides.

With no more double-match weekends the rest of the way, the men will be fighting for their spot in the lineup as the rotation now adjusts to match the scheduling.

“We told the group before first session this week that we’re in a normal rhythm of one match per week, so our objective is to pick the top 11 and the top 18. We don’t need to think about a player rotation or resting players. We can just focus on managing the workload throughout the week to make sure that our top players are fully fit and at maximum capacity for each match from here on out,” added Rudland.

There’s no doubt Ann Arbor has proven itself as one of the best teams in the NPSL, and much of that credit goes to the man at the helm, Eric Rudland. The club is now competing in its third season in the league and to date, Rudland’s record is a staggering 25-6-6 (includes postseason). His ability to recruit talent across the globe while mixing in the top local players has proven to be a formula hard to duplicate for other clubs.

“Eric is the driving force behind all of our success on the pitch,” said Chairman, Bilal Saeed.

“He’s proven his ability to recruit, develop and manage players and of course earn results. But the most valuable thing he brings to the club is the culture he’s helped build by bringing in guys who understand our commitment to the community and building a family atmosphere within and beyond the club,” added Saeed.

Rudland is known to talk about how “this is a players game” and the ability to earn results lies completely on them once the whistle is blown. He’s not the type to take credit for what his team has went out and earned, but it is without a doubt his blueprint and strategy that have made The Mighty Oak the team to beat in the Great Lakes Conference.

 

The Opponent

Drawing in their first meeting of the season meant different things to each club. For Kalamazoo, it was proof they could hold strong defensively and stay organized against the pressing Ann Arbor side. Although they were unable to get three points, it was the first point Kalamazoo had ever earned against AFC, so it meant more to them than it would to most teams. For Ann Arbor, it was points left on the table with a copious quantity of chances that came up short.

Kalamazoo desperately needs three points to have any real playoff chances and win at Ann Arbor would be the perfect fuel to get some momentum into the final stretch of their season. They’ll put up a huge fight and will be well coached and ready to make adjustments as needed but if Ann Arbor execute their usual game plan and can finish their chances they should be too much for Kalamazoo to handle.

Note: These two sides will meet again outside of league competition in the Michigan Milk Cup Semi-finals on June 26th at Mayor's Riverfront Park in Kalamazoo. 

Tickets

Adults- $8 online // $10 at the gate

Youth- (Ages 4-12) $5 online // $6 at the gate (Kids 1, 2 and 3 get in free; Kids under 13 dressed as their favorite soccer star or superhero will receive free admission to Friday's match.)

Main Street Hooligans

The “COYYYYYYYYYYMOOO” chants are something you’ll definitely notice at every AFC Ann Arbor match this season (home and away). The Main Street Hooligans, the independent supporter group of The Mighty Oak, have been a staple in the stands at every match and continue to make their presence felt each match, more this year than ever before.

“At the end of the day our support is what helps draw energy and passion during matches. Our players really do feel a sense of connection that drives us to perform. To see the Main Street Hooligans coming out in numbers at home and making trips to support us on the road has been phenomenal. We know the sense of pride our supporters have and they’ve made a big impact in our season so far,” said Rudland.

Give them a follow on social media and sing along at matches and show your pride for AFC!

Main Street Hooligans Social Media: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook

TEAM SHEET FOR FRIDAY JUNE 15TH VS KALAMAZOO FC

 

Ann Arbor Downs Detroit for Second Time This Season

The Mighty Oak best Detroit City FC again, 1-0 to sweep their rival in regular season play for the second year in a row. Chris Odhiambo scored the lone goal in the 54th minute to help Ann Arbor bring back three points from Hamtramck.

“This is a good result for us and keeps us in control of our own destiny. We still have a lot of important matches coming up but we are still in a position to achieve our objectives,” said Head Coach & Sporting Director Eric Rudland.

Association Football Club Ann Arbor came into Keyworth Stadium atop the Great Lakes Conference with 17 points; Detroit City FC was sitting in third with 10 points. Both teams knew this was a pivotal game.

Smoke filled the first few minutes of the game as Detroit City came out in full force to support their squad. AFC undeterred by the atmosphere came out with high energy that lasted for the full ninety minutes. There was a definite big game feel in the stadium as both teams flashed moments of danger throughout the first half, the majority of which coming from the Mighty Oak.

In the 24th minute Michael Shaikly was fouled at midfield, Captain Jack Cawley took the free kick with little hesitation, as he saw Detroit City’s keeper off his line. Cawley’s shot was on target and narrowly saved.

Azzad Liadi (AZ), The Mighty Oak Man of the Match, was all over the pitch from start to finish. AFC Ann Arbor’s offensive push came through AZ, who was relentless on the ball. At the 40th minute AZ sent a corner into the box that was met by the head of Joseph Okumu. The header took an unfortunate deflection right to the keeper's hands and the game remained scoreless. The teams went into halftime knotted at zero.

That Mighty Oak defense, which has dominated all season long, continued to make their presence known into the second half, warding off every chance Detroit City had.

The defense was rewarded in the 54th minute when Serge Gamwanya was able to put together a nice one-two sequence with AZ near midfield to open up a path down City’s sideline. AZ made the run and crossed the ball into the box where Chris Odhiambo was able to get just enough of a touch on the ball to beat Detroit City’s keeper near post. The goal was Odhiambo’s first with the team and couldn’t have come at a better time, giving The Mighty Oak a 1-0 lead.

Following the goal tensions ran high between both teams with players from each side being cautioned by the referee. In the 62nd minute Novotny was able to punch away a dangerous corner in the box.

In the last ten minutes of play, AFC continued its attack with a decent attempt from Gamwanya that was just over the top bar. Not a minute later Odhiambo looked to add to his first goal with a beautiful touch in the box. However, he was unable to get solid contact with the ball.

Detroit had a chance to tie the game in the 82nd minute with a cross that bounced around in the box. Fortunately for AFC the Detroit striker was unable to get a centering touch on the ball as it bounced off his chest and out of bounds.

The win tonight earns AFC Ann Arbor three more points to help keep AFC atop the table and marked the fifth clean sheet for The Mighty Oak in NPSL play this season. AFC Ann Arbor’s overall record improves to 6-0-2 in the Great Lakes Conference. Next, AFC Ann Arbor will host Kalamazoo FC at Skyline High School Friday, June 15 at 7pm.

Golden Limousine Match Preview: AFC Ann Arbor at Detroit City FC

The memory of the 2017 Midwest Region Final is something Ann Arbor supporters will never forget. The heartbreaking game winner by Detroit City’s Tyrone Mondi came in stoppage time in dramatic fashion. Mainly because of the part we all remember the most: playing with only 10 men, down 2-0 and fighting and clawing back to level things up late in the match.

When that chapter had closed and the 2018 campaign had begun, only seven players from that roster would return, starting a new chapter in the southeast Michigan rivalry (Ann Arbor leads the all time series 3-1-2). The two sides met in Ann Arbor back on May 13th and spent all 90 minutes of regulation deadlocked at zero; until Alec Lasinski drew a foul on the left wing about thirty yards out, which set up Jake Rosen’s beauty of a ball into the box finding the leaping Martieon Watson to score the game-winning goal in stoppage time.

It was an electric atmosphere after that goal and a thrilling way to end the first NPSL match at the new home venue, Skyline High School. But the work was just beginning for AFC as it was only their second league match of the season.

Now, through seven matches in Great Lakes play, The Mighty Oak remain unbeaten (5-0-2) and atop the conference table with 17 points.

With only five NPSL regular season matches remaining, each point becomes crucial to secure first place and ensure a berth to the postseason. Take away the history between these two clubs and tomorrow’s match remains just as important because of the implications it will have on who makes the playoffs.

“I think it’s become clear that the Great Lakes is competitive this year, there’s a lot a parity and everyone across the league has dropped points. We’re still in a position where we control our own destiny, and we want to keep it that way, so that makes tomorrow’s match important,” said Rudland.

When it comes to controlling their own destiny, Rudland knows they need to improve on finishing and capitalizing on the numerous chances being created. In both draws this season, Ann Arbor has not lacked scoring chances but couldn’t find the go-ahead in either match.

“If we’re not creating chances, that comes down to our system and our approach,  and if that’s the case we need to change things tactically . I don’t think that’s the case because we are creating chances, we’re just not capitalizing on them. I think we saw that in the Kalamazoo game a few weeks back and obviously again last night vs Milwaukee. We’re talking with our finishers about focusing on the next play, staying positive and paying attention to the details so our quality can increase in front of goal. We still feel really good about all of our men and I believe that our attacking players will continue to create & capitalize for us,” added Rudland.

The Opponent

Ben Pirmann on tonight’s 1-1 draw in Columbus. #DCTID pic.twitter.com/caYV8oakcD

— Detroit City FC (@DetroitCityFC) June 9, 2018

In similar fashion to Ann Arbor, Detroit is coming off a Friday night 1-1 draw, and both teams feel as if points were left on the table. Coach Ben Pirmann expressed his concerns about starting off sluggishly and knows that if his team can bring 90 minutes of intensity and passion to the pitch that they’ll be a tough side to defeat.

Both sides have seen changes to personnel since the first meeting and are playing the second part of a two match weekend.

“I know our team has changed a bit since we saw  One another back in early May, and it looks like they have changed as well. So we have to take different personnel into consideration and look to create the right match ups,” said Rudland.

Team Sheet for Sunday, June 10th at Detroit City FC

AFC Ann Arbor Remains Unbeaten, Top of Great Lakes Conference

The second matchup this season between AFC Ann Arbor and the Milwaukee Torrent finished in a 1-1 draw, after a late stoppage goal from the Torrent. The draw extends Ann Arbor's NPSL home unbeaten streak to ten matches (last NPSL home defeat was in July 2016) and keeps them atop the Great Lakes Conference with seventeen points. 

The Mighty Oak came out in a 4-3-3 formation looking to use Laskinski, Breitmeyer and Montoya up top to force pressure and force Torrent mistakes. Both teams played a physical, possession heavy first half, with limited goal scoring chances.

Jordan Montoya had two decent chances, his first from distance and second off a cross. Both opportunities were handled by the torrent defense and goalie.

Ann Arbor's best chances on goal in the first half came in the 40’ and 41’ minute. Lasinski broke through Milwaukee’s back line but was met by the Torrents keeper who pressed off his goal line to make the save. Midfielder Ciao had has chance to put AFC on the board with a bouncing ball inside the eighteen. His shot was wide of the goal. Both teams headed into halftime tied.

Although the second half started much like the first with slow play and a focus on possession, as the game wore on, AFC found more opportunities and dictated play for much of the second half.

In the 54th minute Turnbull beat his man and made a run down the far sideline to set up a cross to a streaking Breitmeyer who found himself alone in the box. Unfortunately KB9 could not handle the bounce on the ball and his shot missed inches wide.

A few minutes later Turnbull had another cross that sailed over the box to a waiting Lasinski who was able to head the ball to the top of the six where AZ was waiting. Once again though The Mighty Oak could not get the ball in the back of the net as AZ’s shot was wide of the goal.

The Mighty Oak had another opportunity in the 70th minute after a foul was committed at the top of the Torrents box. The subsequent free kick lacked pace and was gathered by the keeper.

Continued pressure by AFC AA started to wear on the Torrents backline and in the 85th minute The Mighty Oak had another free kick just outside of the eighteen. Serge Gamwanya took the free kick looking to beat the keeper on the back post. His shot found itself over the wall and one hopped in the box before beating the outstretched hands of the Torrents keeper to give The Mighty Oak a 1-0 lead.

Just when it looked like AFC Ann Arbor would come away with three points, in the third minute into stoppage, a cross from the far side of the field from Milwaukee found itself on the foot of a Torrent player. After an initial blocked shot/cross the ball was shot in to tie the game at one apiece.

After the game Head coach Eric Rudland thought The Mighty Oak, “did create some scoring chances and got better as the game went on with the changes we made and the guys we brought on. It helped us change the match, but at the end of the day when you create chances you have to be able to put them away.”

Despite the result the draw improved The Mighty Oak’s record to 6-2-0, still having yet to lose in NPSL play. Next, Association Football Club Ann Arbor will travel to Keyworth Stadium this Sunday, June 10; to seek a regular season series sweep of their rival, Detroit City FC and remain atop the Great Lakes Conference Table.

Golden Limousine Match Preview: AFC Ann Arbor vs Milwaukee Torrent

With one less team in the Great Lakes Conference this season, The Mighty Oak will play a total of twelve league matches (compared to fourteen last year), which means they’ve reached the halfway point of the 2018 campaign.

It’s been an impressive start to say the least as the club has set multiple club records along the way earning a 5-0-1 overall record and a possible 16 of 18 points. AFC Ann Arbor started the season with 488 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal when FC Columbus barely snuck one past Mike Novotny this past Sunday.

This team has shown their depth and strength but the second half of the season will provide a new set of challenges as they’ll have to face opponents a second go-around. Teams will make adjustments based on their first contest as well as what they’ve seen potentially work for other clubs. Add in the fact that the first place team always has a target on their back and you realize the mental toughness The Mighty Oak will need to show to stay focused and determined during the second half of Great Lakes play.

“Obviously from a results standpoint we are in a good spot, however we aren't taking anything for granted. Our staff and players all have a clear understanding of how much work will be required to push through the second half of the season. From a football standpoint we still have a lot of progress to make as a unit both with and without the ball. We are trying to make progress day in and day out on the training pitch so we can stay in a position to achieve our objectives,” said Head Coach & Sporting Director Eric Rudland.

Last season, Ann Arbor lost only and drew only once in matter of fourteen regular season matches, and that draw was at home against Milwaukee. The Torrent are a talented side and will be looking to steal points from the table toppers come Friday evening.

“Milwaukee have been competitive in every match this season, so we expect them to come into us with their strongest side and put a lot of energy into the match. Every match presents different situations both tactically and personnel wise, so we are planning on their shape and the players in their team to be different from back in the beginning of May,” added Coach Rudland.

The Opponent

Milwaukee is known to have its ups and downs as they often time have to adjust their lineup due to suspensions and red cards. Midfielder Drew Ruggles who was out for the first meeting between the two sides due to a red card suspension from 2017 will be in the lineup for Milwaukee come Friday, and the Torrent are a different team with him on the pitch.

As the Torrent aim to steal three road points on Friday from The Mighty Oak, they’ll aim to play a physical match and do whatever they can to throw AFCAA off of their game plan.

CLICK HERE FOR TEAM SHEET VS MILWAUKEE TORRENT

Golden Limousine Match Preview: AFC Ann Arbor at FC Columbus

Association Football Club Ann Arbor is off to a strong start this season, having earned thirteen points in just five matches, as they remain atop the Great Lakes Conference table. One of the most impressive things about the run so far is that The Mighty Oak have yet to concede a single goal.

Ann Arbor will travel to Columbus on Sunday afternoon for the first meeting between the two clubs. Columbus, an expansion team in 2018, are three matches into their inaugural campaign and have surprised and impressed most teams with their athleticism and quality of play.

“Columbus has definitely earned a lot of respect in the league so far. They’ve earned some great results and proven that they are a worthy opponent. Going down to their place will be a tough road contest for us. It sounds like they have some very good individual players and collectively have strong ideas regarding their system of play,” said Head Coach & Sporting Director Eric Rudland.

The Mighty Oak aren’t in this position by accident as they’ve shown their capabilities since joining the National Premier Soccer League in 2016. In the first two years, Ann Arbor finished second and first in the Great Lakes and are hoping to defend their 2017 conference title. No doubt that the success stems from the depth and quality of the players that Coach Rudland and his staff have assembled to represent AFC Ann Arbor.

That recipe has proven itself successful as The Mighty Oak have capped 30 different players in 5 league matches tallying a 4-1-0 record. But as Rudland has done in the past and will continue to do, his focus is one match a time and working on continually improving and fine tuning his team’s system.

“We have a few plans in place for Sunday, we have to check in with our man today during our recovery session to see where players are at physically. We also want to check the TITAN GPS performance data from our match last night to see how much ground each player covered and take all of those variables in the consideration and we look to pick the team for Sunday. Obviously we expect each player in the 18 to contribute just a matter of who starts the game for us and finishes the game for us,” said Rudland.

The Opponent

Columbus is coming off it’s first NPSL Great Lakes conference victory after defeating KZFC 3-1 on Memorial Day. After beginning the season with a draw at Milwaukee, Columbus traveled to Detroit for their second match of the season and were deadlocked with Le Rouge until the 86th minute before dropping the road points with a 1-0 loss.

The victory over Kalamazoo will of course give the home side some confidence tomorrow, but this early in the season, with two teams that have never played before, you just can’t be sure what to expect from FC Columbus. What we do know is everyone wants to beat The Mighty Oak and we expect FCCLB to be prepared and organized as the home side tomorrow.

Team Sheet for Sunday June 3rd

AFC Ann Arbor Partners with Jim Toy Community Center for Second Straight Year

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The Mighty Oak have teamed up with the Jim Toy Community Center for the second straight year to raise funds and amplify the message of inclusiveness.

The partnership includes proceeds from a special edition AFCAA Pride shirt as well as tickets sales from the June 29th match versus FC Indiana to benefit the Jim Toy Community Center.

Fans can pre-order their 2018 AFC Ann Arbor pride shirt and pick it up at the June 29th match or have it shipped direct on June 25th. Twenty-five percent of all sales will be donated to the Jim Toy Community Center.

Newly appointed LGBTQ liaison to the Mayor’s Office, Travis Radina, is also the President of the JTCC and a multi-year member of the AFCAA Family. Radina values this partnership for both its financial impact and beyond.

“While this partnership helps raise critical funds to carry out JTCC’s mission, the most important part of this partnership is that AFC Ann Arbor is doing its part to ensure that Ann Arbor is an inclusive community where people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity are visible and live together in equality, respect and happiness,” said Radina.

He added “The AFC Ann Arbor family has fully embraced JTCC, and that is incredibly impactful. With the team’s focus on bolstering local youth soccer and providing a family-friendly environment, AFC Ann Arbor’s unwavering support for the LGBTQ community is helping to end the stigma that still exists around queer athletes in competitive team sports, and it also sends a very clear and important message to aspiring young LGBTQ, or questioning, soccer players that they can succeed and find acceptance in the sport they love.”

To learn more about the Jim Toy Community Center, click here. Buy tickets here. 

Pre-Order Pride Shirt - Pick up at 6/29 Match // Pre-Order Pride Shirt - Ship Direct on 6/25

The Mighty Oak Remain Undefeated with 2-0 Win Over GRFC

Mike Novotny earned his fourth clean sheet in four starts for The Mighty Oak 

AFC Ann Arbor capitalized on a first half downpour to take three points in Friday's NPSL Great Lakes matchup with Grand Rapids FC and remain atop the table with 13 points.

With the weather being such a dominant factor in the first half both teams looked to send the long ball onto the forwards to create opportunities. There were flashes early on from each team down the sidelines with crosses into the box, but it wasn’t until the 23’ when AFC was able to capitalize.

An interception from Serge Gamwanya deep in Grand Rapids territory lead to a cross to Stephen Turnbull on the opposite sideline. Turnbull was then able to set up a perfectly placed centering ball to the midfielder Michael Shaikley who finished the play with a beautiful header to give the Mighty Oak the 1-0 lead.

Two minutes later Skaikley found himself in another goal scoring opportunity. This time with the assist, setting up Jordan Montoya for a rocked near post upper-ninety goal, to give AFC the 2-0 lead.

The remainder of the first half consisted of The Mighty Oak controlling much of the play. There were a few more opportunities for AFC that missed the net, but given the weather and natural grass field, the Mighty Oak were able to capitalize on the opportunities they had to go into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

Grand Rapids FC showed significant more pressure in the second half. Goalkeeper Mike Novotny was called upon multiple times to make key stops and each time he was up to the challenge.

The Mighty Oak defense, which has played solid all season, also came in clutch in the second half, warding off attempt after attempt at goal. In the 60’ Grand Rapids had possibly its best chance of the game with a hard shot blocked by an AFC defender and then a rebounded shot go off the post.

In the 74’ Montoya looked to double his luck with a driven shot that missed just wide of the net. In the end the two first half goals were all that AFC needed, as The Mighty Oak were able to weather the second half pressure from GRFC to take the win and remain undefeated in NPSL play.

"Overall the men played well tonight. We played high up the pitch in the first half and managed the match well after going up 2-0. Also, there were some really good individual performances which was great to see," added Head Coach & Sporting Director Eric Rudland. 

Now five games into the NPSL season The Mighty Oak have yet to concede a goal.

The victory marked the third straight win over Grand Rapids FC, and improved The Mighty Oak’s record to 4-1-0. Next, The Mighty Oak will look to travel to Grandview Heights High School to take on FC Columbus.

Golden Limousine Match Preview: AFC Ann Arbor vs GRFC

Four matches into the 2018 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) season and The Mighty Oak find themselves in a similar position, atop the Great Lakes Conference standings having earned 10 points (3-1-0) without conceding a single goal so far. But The Mighty Oak will face another unbeaten team in Grand Rapids FC (2-1-0), a club that Ann Arbor has deep roots with.

“We're expecting a great game. They are on a good roll in league play and we have to respect their results and prepare to play against a top team,” said Head Coach & Sporting Director Eric Rudland.

The two sides both played their inaugural season in the Great Lakes Premier League back in 2015 before the two left for the NPSL prior to the 2016 season. Over the three years they’ve met 6 times with AFCAA owning the overall record at 4-2-0 after sweeping the season series last summer to break the tie.

Regardless of results from previous years, The Mighty Oak will have to shut down Grand Rapids and continue to defend as a unit if they want another clean sheet.

“Defending is a team effort. Obviously we've had some great individual efforts to keep clean sheets, but really the defending for us starts with our front 3. When they buy into a pressing mentality that spreads through the team, allows us to close spaces quickly and play with tight lines. On the training pitch we are always stressing a front to back & back to front defensive mentality that encompasses all 11 players both mentally and tactically,” said Rudland.

AFC Ann Arbor will be without captain Matt “Frenchy” Braem and the Great Lakes Conference leading goal scorer Yuri Farkas these next two weekends as both were selected (along with Hector Morales) to compete in the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) annual World Football Cup being held in London, England this year.

The Mighty Oak have shown their depth early on and Rudland is known to build his teams around systems rather than an individual player, so Coach and his team are well prepared for the matches that lie ahead this weekend.

The Opponent

Grand Rapids began the season the same way Ann Arbor did, on the road at Milwaukee, but only left with one point as the match ended 0-0, contrary to AFC’s 4-0 road three pointer. Since then, GRFC have won 4-0 at Indiana and most recently, 2-1 over Milwaukee (this time in Grand Rapids).

Grand Rapids will look to take control early with strength in the attack being lead by familiar names like Scott Doney or even Anthony Bowie. But keep an eye out for newcomers such as Kenroy Howell formerly with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds or even Matt Whelan, one of three players originally from Ireland on GRFC.

Match Day Experience

After the release of the 2018 Great Lakes Conference schedule, The Mighty Oak were informed by their then venue, Pioneer High School, that they’d be unable to host their matches this summer as plans to get the turf resurfaced were finally moving forward.

As AFC Ann Arbor worked diligently to find a new home for the 2018 campaign, Skyline High School emerged as the best option, outside of one conflict, June 1st. They will be hosting the local high school soccer districts Friday evening, so Ann Arbor were forced to find another location.

Having already made arrangements for their US Open Cup match at EMU, the club knew it was the next best option.

“EMU has one of the best natural grass surfaces in southeast Michigan and we are grateful for the opportunity to use their facility as our home pitch again,” added Coach Rudland.

The bleacher seating is VERY limited and reserved for premium members and elders. There will be some additional benches set up and some standing room areas but fans are encouraged to bring their own chair to the match.

The match will be kickoff at 6PM at Eastern Michigan University’s Scicluna Field. For parking, directions or more information please refer to the map below. Click here to purchase tickets. 

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Team Sheet

Will be released Thursday evening

Equipment Drive and Special Kits To Benefit TMOYP & UVF on June 8th

When Ann Arbor hosts Milwaukee on Friday June 8th at 7PM at Skyline High School, the match will have a little extra meaning outside of three Great Lakes Conference points.

The June 8th match will be a fundraiser for both The Mighty Oak Youth Project and the Umhlaba Vision Foundation, two organizations with close ties to the club, one looking to make an impact locally and one doing significant good in South Africa.

The Mighty Oak Youth Project, the club’s non-profit cousin, was recently launched with the aim of making soccer more accessible to youth players in Washtenaw County. The organization also supports existing clubs through financial help, equipment donations and trainings. One of the primary initiatives set forth by The Mighty Oak Youth Project will be to provide travel soccer scholarships for local youth who can’t afford the opportunity to participate.

TMOYP will also host their inaugural donation drive and gather gently used and new soccer apparel and equipment to redistribute both locally and in South Africa. Bring your old (but good condition) cleats, shin pads, jerseys and more to the June 8th match to help so many who would benefit from these items.

Umhlaba Vision Foundation is the brainchild non-profit of Assistant Coach Boyzzz Khumalo and two childhood friends, who felt that it was imperative to try and create similar opportunities to earn an education through soccer, the way Boyzzz and so many of the UVF alum have done over the years.

Every year, Khumalo returns to South Africa in December to host an annual tournament, distribute gear and equipment to the local kids, and most importantly spread their message of education. He lives by the motto, “It’s up to us to uplift our community.”

AFC Ann Arbor will wear a special edition, one match only, light blue kit, featuring both TMOYP and UVF. The jerseys will be auctioned off to raise money to provide youth soccer scholarships within our community.

Fans will have a chance to make a difference both locally and globally, simply by attending the match. Club Chairman, Bilal Saeed is thrilled about this event.

“Our club exists to give back to our community and provide opportunities for soccer players and this match is going to allow us to make a huge positive impact in so many young lives,” he added.

To donate to The Mighty Oak Youth Project, click here. To get tickets to the June 8th match, click here.

Farkas, Braem, Morales to Play for Cascadia in CONIFA World Football Cup

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations hosts The World Football Cup every other year since 2014. This year marks the first time a North American team will be represented at the tournament, and three members of The Mighty Oak will be joining the Cascadia side for the 11-day event.

Yuri Farkas, Matthieu Braem and Hector Morales will be in London for the CONIFA sponsored tournament which runs from May 31st-June 10th. Although all three players will be missed from the lineup, Eric Rudland and his side have shown how deep this AFC Ann Arbor roster is, giving an opportunity for a number of guys to step up in the veterans absence.

Farkas, currently tied for most goals in the Midwest Region of the entire National Premier Soccer League will have a chance to show his talents on a global stage, an opportunity all three players couldn’t pass up.

Captain Matthieu “Frenchy” Braem said, “I’m definitely excited about this opportunity but we’ll be following the Ann Arbor matches closely on YouTube rooting on the boys. The three of us felt like this was an opportunity that might not come again so we’re looking forward to showcasing our talent and representing AFC Ann Arbor well.”

For the complete Cascadia roster, captained by former Seattle Sounder James Riley, click here.
For more information on the CONIFA tournament, visit them online at confia.org.