Lansing Common Head Coach Josh Oakley announced this week that he has accepted the Head Coach position at Eastern Illinois University. Assistant Coach Brent Sorg has been named Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the 2022 season.
“We’re extremely grateful to Oaks for everything he’s put into helping us build this club in its first two seasons,” said Lansing Common President Eric Walcott. “He’s been the perfect fit in terms of building a team culture that meshes perfectly with our identity as a community-based club, and while we’re sad to lose him, we wish him all the best in this new opportunity.”
Under Oakley’s leadership through two seasons, Lansing Common went 13-2-3 in 18 league games with 48 goals scored. In 2021, Lansing Common finished as the top independent club in the league, earning a berth in the 2022 NISA Independent Cup. The club has never lost consecutive games and never lost a Midwest Premier League match at home.
“I’m excited & honored to lead Lansing Common,” said Sorg. “Coach Oakley has done a tremendous job and following in his footsteps will be challenging. As we continue into our final month we will work diligently to ensure we put our best foot forward.”
Sorg brings a wealth of experience to his new position, including stints as an assistant coach under Oakley at Spring Arbor University and Alma College, and 12 years as Head Coach at Williamston High School where his teams were 7-time district champions and 3-time state finalists. Sorg was named Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2014.
“Brent is a great coach and the team is in good hands the rest of the way. He’s been on staff since day 1 and has built a great connection with this year’s team. We’re excited to see what he can do this next month as we continue to push for a league championship” Walcott added.
In its inaugural NISA Independent Cup match, Lansing Common FC lost a 1-0 nail-biter to Metro Louisville FC.
Thanks to the 10-point system used in the Independent Cup, Louisville went home with six points, while Lansing came away with zero. If Metro Louisville wins against Milwaukee Torrent next Wednesday, the side will advance from the group stage and face the Michigan Stars NISA pro team for the regional title.
With a handful of yellow cards issued to Louisville, a red card ejection of Metro’s Erbin Trejo in the final minutes, and plenty of scoring opportunities for both sides, Tuesday night’s match held the energy and emotions of a cup final.
“I’m so proud of our guys, the way they handled adversity and the way they played in a very, very charged-up cup game,” said Head Coach Josh Oakley.
Goalkeeper Ethan Brandt was, unsurprisingly, excellent between the sticks in both halves. A tricky save in the 62nd minute perhaps best exemplified the keeper’s stellar evening, as save after save kept the match within reach. With another quality performance in the books, Brandt is quickly approaching the club record for saves.
“When you have that positivity coupled with some very, very good, raw talent, you’ve got a special goaltender, and that’s exactly what he is,” said Oakley.
Metro Louisville dominated possession in the first half, especially in the opening 20 minutes. Lansing Common’s fullbacks and centerbacks felt the pressure early, as Metro pushed the offense through the wings, especially on the left, and forced action to the front of the net.
Louisville scored the match’s lone goal in the 18th minute, cashing in on a shot just inside the penalty box.
Nearly all of the Robins first-half scoring opportunities came from set pieces and counterattacks – rarely was pressure applied with consistency on Metro’s defenders.
While Louisville kept a grip on possession in the second half, Lansing Common earned the better scoring opportunities, especially in the final 20 minutes. Thanks to some ill-timed fouls by Metro, most of Lansing’s chances came on free kick set pieces.
Lansing had a number of chances in the closing minutes and nearly scored an equalizer, but they were unable to convert and Metro Louisville emerged victorious.
“This is going to prepare our team even more for that next level of growth,” said Oakley. “It’s not the result we wanted, but we’ll be right back at it Thursday (in training).”
Up next for the Robins:
Lansing Common resumes league play this weekend with a road game against Grand Haven Admirals. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.
The Robins next home game is a rematch against Tulip City United SC on Saturday, July 1 in Grand River Open Cup action. Tickets are just $5, available online and at the gate. For those who can’t make it to gameday, the match will be streamed live on YouTube.
Lansing’s next NISA Independent Cup match is on the road against Milwaukee Torrent on Friday, July 15.
After going down by two goals in the first 19 minutes of play, Lansing Common FC rattled off four unanswered goals to defeat Cedars FC by a final score of 4-2 on Saturday night at Eastern Stadium.
Forward Jack Voight led Lansing to its comeback victory with his first career Midwest Premier League hat-trick. Guershom Sylvain added a hat trick of assists and a tap-in goal during stoppage time to seal the win.
Saturday’s win was the Robins’ third straight victory, witnessed by over 430 fans during the club’s celebration of Pride Night. Lansing Common now sits in second place in the Midwest Premier League’s Eastern Conference, five points behind first-place Inter Detroit with a game in hand.
“Team spirit in this team and this club in general,” head coach Josh Oakley said, crediting his club’s resolve. “It’s been that way since day one. This week has been no different. Two games coming from behind.”
Cedars wasted no time opening the scoring on Saturday night, as Mohamed Hammoud netted the match’s first goal in the fourth minute. Jack Lockerbie was then issued a yellow card just three minutes later. Another Cedars goal in the 18th minute, this time by Papa Massar, gave the visiting team a 2-0 lead and silenced the crowd at Eastern Stadium. Nothing seemed to be clicking for the Robins.
“Very slow start, things didn’t work out in midfield the way it should have,” Oakley said. “We wanted to press with sometimes six and it just did not look good. Credit to them, they played through us.”
Oakley, searching for answers to overcome an early deficit, substituted Julian Birge on during the 24th minute, hoping his veteran leadership would stabilize the young Robins side.
“Things changed from there,” Oakley said.
Birge and the Robins immediately found a rhythm, generating multiple quality chances as Cedars began to lose form. Voight would then break the ice for Lansing, scoring the Robins first goal on an assist from Sylvain in the 34th minute.
Jack Voight scores for Lansing Common to bring the Robins within 1 just before halftime
Sylvain would then find Voight again, booting a left-footed pass ahead to his wide-open teammate. Voight handled the ball on the run and slid it past Cedars goalkeeper Evan Mazurek to tie the match at two during the 43rd minute.
“We’re both very selfless people,” Sylvain said of himself and Voight. “Each of us is able to give up this to let the other one shine. That really helps our chemistry on the field. We trust each other.”
The 2-2 score would hold until halftime despite more quality chances for the Robins in the closing moments of the first half. The momentum had entirely flipped thanks to Voight’s two first-half goals, topped off with his signature front flip celebration.
Cedars began the final 45 minutes of play with four substitutions in the half’s opening moments, helping their club regain its early-game poise and halting the Robins momentum. The half remained a stalemate until the 85th minute, when Sylvain occupied multiple defenders before passing the ball to a wide-open Voight, who cut to the goal and scored to complete his hat-trick.
“It was a really emotional game,” Voight said. “We went down two goals and there were a lot of emotions when we went down. It was just relentless from the boys, we all came together.”
Lansing would carry its 3-2 lead into stoppage time. It expanded to 4-2 when Sylvain scored on an empty goal after the keeper Mazurek couldn’t secure the ball over 20 yards in front of his box. The aggressive Mazurek deflected the ball to Sylvain, who walked it in and scored all alone.
“There’s a good bond on the field,” Sylvain said. “I think that was one of the key things to our success in coming back.”
Robins players on the bench ran to the opposite side of the pitch to celebrate with Sylvain, enjoying the final moments of a decisive comeback victory. Lansing supporters at Eastern Stadium were loud all evening, fueling the club’s most entertaining win of the season.
“No one buries this team,” Oakley said. “This team is going to answer every single thing.”
Lansing Common will look to extend its three-game win streak on Tuesday against Metro Louisville FC. The match is Lansing’s first contest in the NISA Independent Cup. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Eastern Stadium. Tickets are available online or at the gate.
Making History
Voight’s hat-trick is the third all-time in Lansing Common history. Before Saturday, the most recent Robins hat-trick occurred last Wednesday, June 15, when Ramzi Shaheen netted three goals against Detroit Union FC. The first hat-trick in the history of the club was scored by Shady Omar on June 13, 2021 against Inter Detroit.
After Saturday’s hat-trick, first-year forward Voight now has a team-leading five goals this season. Voight’s five career goals are the third-highest total in club history behind Birge (7 goals) and Omar (9 goals).
Sylvain’s three-assist performance on Saturday tied Ty Usiak’s club record for assists in a single game. Usiak’s three-assist game occurred last Wednesday against Detroit Union.
Goalkeeper Ethan Brandt recorded seven saves on Saturday against Cedars FC, tying his own club record for saves in a single game. His previous seven-save performance happened last Wednesday against Detroit Union.
Brandt needs just seven more saves to become the club’s all-time leading shot-stopper. For his Lansing Common career, Brandt has 28 saves. Zac Kelly’s 34 saves in the 2021 season are currently the most in club history.
Lansing Common FC earned its first win on the road in the 2022 Midwest Premier League on Wednesday, June 15, against Detroit Union. It was a superheated evening at Lake Orion High School, but that did not hinder the Robins as they racked up a 5-1 win behind a hattrick from Ramzi Shaheen.
Shaheen scored the second hattrick in the club’s history, and midfielder Ty Usiak recorded three assists – the most ever recorded by a Robins player in a single match.
The Robins went down 1-0 in the 33rd minute of the match after a deflected touch by captain Munir Sherali accidentally put the ball in his net.
That would be no issue for the Robins as goalkeeper Ethan Brandt picked the ball up from his net and shouted at his teammates to get back in the game. Three minutes later, in the 36th minute, future Detroit Mercy Titan forward Guershom Sylvain did just that.
A driven pass from Usiak across the box found Sylvain with enough time to calmly score the equalizer and claim his second goal for Lansing.
Minutes before halftime, Shaheen scored his first goal of the match when defender Kevin Payne headed the ball across the six-yard box towards the feet of Shaheen. Shaheen took a touch to bring the ball down then used his second touch to strike it into the net, making the score 2-1 going into the break.
Coming out of halftime, Shaheen scored two more goals by the 50th minute to put Lansing ahead 4-1. Usiak provided the assists to Shaheen, making him the club’s leading playmaker on the season with five assists across all competitions.
Shaheen would return the favor 10 minutes later when his low cross from the left side found Usiak at the far post to put the game away at 5-1.
Brandt ended the match with a club-record seven saves against Detroit Union. The previous record was held by Zac Kelly and Andrew Nicholsen.
The Robins left Lake Orion with smiles and motivated spirits as they prepare to take on Cedars FC at home.
— Lansing Common FC (@lansingcommonfc) June 16, 2022
UP NEXT
The Robins (2-1-1) have turned their attention to Saturday’s game against undefeated Cedars FC at Eastern Stadium. This time, the weather conditions in mid-Michigan will be much cooler than Wednesday’s game with temperatures expected to be in the mid-70s.
Cedars FC (3-0-0), based out of Dearborn, is another newly-added club to this season’s MWPL Eastern Conference. They have scored eight goals in their last two games while only conceding two.
Against BiH Grand Rapids on June 11, Cedars FC left Kentwood with a 4-2 win, and they look to extend their win streak to four games.
The Robins, who are still undefeated at home, also look to extend their own win streak to three games and jump into second place in the conference standings. Kickoff for this Saturday is scheduled for 6 pm at Eastern Stadium in Lansing. Tickets are just $5 and can be purchased online or at the gate.
Saturday’s game is Pride Night at Lansing Common, including a chance to learn more about how to support LGBTQIA+ inclusion in our community, and limited edition Pride t-shirts! As a proud supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, LCFC will be donating all t-shirt proceeds to the Salus Center.
After securing its first win of the season on Sunday afternoon, Lansing Common FC will look to sustain its momentum on Wednesday, June 15, for another Midwest Premier League test against Detroit Union FC.
The Robins will hit the road to face Detroit Union, which plays its home games at Lake Orion High School. DUFC (0-1-5) has only managed one point through six games in league play, but Lansing head coach Josh Oakley and his team aren’t overlooking any league opponents.
“I think we need to be careful, all of us and everybody, this year in terms of top of the standings, bottom of the standings,” Oakley said. “You look at the league, everybody’s beating everybody and everybody’s tending to lose. I think maybe everybody’s taken a loss already (excluding Michigan Stars and Cedars FC), and it’s only June. I think the league is completely different than last year.”
Lansing Common (1-1-1) received goals from Jack Voight (39th minute) and Guershom Sylvain (76th minute) during its 2-0 win over Michigan Jaguars FC on Sunday, June 12. Sylvain’s goal was the first of his Lansing Common career, coming in his debut game with the club. The goal helped seal the Robins three-point performance and a special moment for Sylvain.
“It felt really good, especially for the fans,” Sylvain said. “When I first got the signing, I felt I had a lot of support from the fans. I’m just really happy to put some smiles on the fans’ faces.”
Sylvain, a 2022 graduate of Holt High School and future Detroit Mercy Titan, is overjoyed at the opportunity to play in front of his home city this summer.
“This is where I was raised,” Sylvain said. “I love this city. I’m really happy that I’m staying close, as I’m going to Detroit Mercy. I have a lot of support from family, friends. A lot of people here just do it for Lansing. I love seeing Lansing be up.”
Wednesday, Sylvain and the Robins will take on a Detroit Union team playing its first season in the Eastern Conference of the Midwest Premier League. DUFC was founded last season, qualifying for the UPSL Midwest playoffs under head coach Roddy Green, a former Detroit City player. This season, Green has departed and the team has struggled to get results.
Detroit Union earned its best result of the season with its performance in its last match, a 1-1 draw at home on Saturday against West Michigan Bearings. Prior to Saturday, new head coach Zane Polack and his team hadn’t earned a point in its previous five league games.
“I know a few of the players on (Detroit) Union,” Oakley said. “I actually had the privilege of coaching a few, and they’re very good players. They have good skill sets and some very good athletic ability. For us to go in and think anything other than just a razor sharp focus on doing what we do best would be a big mistake, and we’re not going to make that mistake.”
Another challenge for the Robins on Wednesday will be the weather, as the temperature at kickoff is projected to be 90 degrees, and temperatures across Metro Detroit are expected to rise above 95 during the early evening. Assistant coach Mike Mignano emphasized hydration during training on Tuesday, and Oakley pointed to the Robins increased depth as a way to counter the heat.
“We’re getting deeper and deeper by the day,” Oakley said. “You look at our forwards in the last game, we were able to make a change and we don’t lose anything when we make a change, we get better. Having that depth within the team is absolutely critical right now.”
Kickoff between Lansing Common FC and Detroit Union FC is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lake Orion High School.
Lansing Common FC secured its first win of the season Sunday evening, beating Michigan Jaguars FC 2-0 in a game that featured the club’s Juneteenth recognition night.
“I thought today was better communication, guys were more locked in,” said defender Kevin Payne. “We kind of have a motto – ‘don’t lose two games in a row.’ Just come in and focus, never fall asleep and get the result.”
After a disappointing performance against West Michigan Bearings SC last weekend, Lansing Common rebounded against the Jaguars with their most complete team performance of the season. From starters to substitutes, there were plenty of excellent performances around the pitch on the night.
Forward Jack Voight scored Lansing’s first goal of the evening at the 39th minute. Forward Ty Usiak launched a beautiful cross 40 yards down the pitch, setting the table for a first-touch missile from Voight just 15 yards out.
— Lansing Common FC (@lansingcommonfc) June 13, 2022
In his debut game as a Robin, forward Guershom Sylvain notched Lansing Common’s second goal of the night.
Subbed on for Ramzi Shaheen in the 59th minute, it didn’t take long for Sylvain to make his mark on the game. Earning a corner in the 76th minute, midfielder Munir Sherali crossed the ball just over the front of the net. Payne headed the ball back toward center and Sylvain finished the play by nodding the ball past the Jaguars’ keeper.
“It felt really good, especially for the fans,” said Sylvain. “When I first got the signing, I felt I had a lot of support from the fans. I’m just really happy to put some smiles on the fans’ faces.”
Despite the one-sided score, the match was a fairly competitive affair, with each team applying offensive pressure throughout. However, Lansing Common’s defense made the difference.
Ethan Brandt earned a clean sheet in net, his first of the season. Lansing Common’s defenders heavily contributed to the clean sheet, making key tackles and clearing dangerous scoring chances throughout the 90 minutes.
Payne was especially effective on the backline, anchoring the defense and notching an assist on Sylvain’s goal.
“It’s not easy to get a clean sheet,” said Payne. “You can’t take a play off – it’s every play.”
Up next for the Robins
Lansing Common’s next match is an MWPL road game against Detroit Union, with kickoff set for 7 pm on Wednesday.
The Robins next home game is Saturday, June 18 at 6 p.m. against Cedars FC which is also Pride Night at Eastern Stadium. Tickets are just $5, available online and at the gate. Special Pride shirts will be available for purchase with all proceeds being donated to the Salus Center in Lansing. For those who can’t make it to gameday, the match will be streamed live on YouTube.
Lansing Common FC returns to Eastern Stadium on Sunday, June 12, to host Michigan Jaguars FC in its third Midwest Premier League match. After suffering a 4-1 loss last weekend against West Michigan Bearings SC, the Robins look to earn their first win of the season.
“We got caught again in transition (last weekend), and it’s something that hurt us last year,” head coach Josh Oakley said. “I think this team (Lansing) will bounce back just fine.”
Last time out, forward Jack Voight scored Lansing’s only goal after entering the game as a first-half substitute against the Bearings. Voight could be one of many players looking to earn more minutes on Sunday.
“He (Voight) has a nose for the goal and (forward) Guershom Sylvain will be available for this weekend,” Oakley said.
Sylvain, alongside a handful of younger Lansing players, trained this week after competing in the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association’s Club State Cup final. Sylvain scored a late penalty to help his Lansing Rush U19 side triumph over Nationals.
This week, the Robins concentrated most of their training on transitions and defending.
“Having the attacking pieces back for us is important,” Oakley said. “We have to dominate the game with and without the ball.”
The Michigan Jaguars began their MWPL season with losses to Inter Detroit and the Grand Haven Admirals, but they were able to earn a 3-1 win over Tulip City United SC in their last game.
With two wins under their belts over two of the league’s other new members in Tulip City and Detroit Union, the Jaguars will attempt to be a legitimate contender in the league when they take on the Robins for the very first time.
Kickoff is scheduled for 5 pm on Sunday, June 12, at Eastern Stadium. Tickets are just $5 and are available online or at the gate. Tonight’s game is also Juneteenth recognition night. The evening will feature education around the upcoming Juneteenth Holiday and organizations actively doing anti-racist and community organizing work in Lansing, as well as promotion of upcoming Juneteenth events taking place the week of June 12-19 in Lansing, inviting fans to participate in honoring the holiday.
One Love Global and partner organizations will be at the game and will share about work that is ongoing in the Lansing area to advance racial equity. Lansing Common FC players will wear special Juneteenth recognition warmups, and t-shirts with the same design will be available for fans to purchase with proceeds being donated to One Love Global’s Beloved Community Fund.
Lansing Common FC, in partnership with One Love Global, is excited to announce the club’s June 12 home game will be Juneteenth Recognition night at Eastern Stadium. The evening will feature education around the upcoming Juneteenth Holiday and organizations actively doing anti-racist and community organizing work in Lansing, as well as promotion of upcoming Juneteenth events taking place the week of June 12-19 in Lansing, inviting fans to participate in honoring the holiday.
One Love Global and partner organizations will be at the game and will share about work that is ongoing in the Lansing area to advance racial equity. Lansing Common FC players will wear special Juneteenth recognition warmups, and t-shirts with the same design will be available for fans to purchase with proceeds being donated to One Love Global’s Beloved Community Fund.
Inspired by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s beloved community, One Love Global envisions a Metro Lansing where we are in deep loving relationships with one another, where we can collectively heal from generations of racialized trauma, and where the very structures of our community reflect and uphold racial equity. Through the Beloved Community Fund, One Love Global is investing in that future. We have an opportunity to supply young people with the tools they need to create change alongside us and to take up the mantle beyond us. Racial equity is imperative, and when led with love, inevitable. With your help, we can build on our progress together and continue to move forward. Donate here to support the Beloved Community Fund.
In addition, Lansing Common will share information about its participation in the Anti-Racist Soccer Club coalition and opportunities for fans to engage in those efforts.
“One Love Global is an amazing organization that has a great impact in the Lansing area,” said Lansing Common President Eric Walcott. “I’ve had the privilege of participating in a variety of programs they offer, which has contributed to my own personal journey of anti-racism work. I’m thrilled to be able to support them with this effort, and honored to have their partnership in this event.”
June 19th, or Juneteenth, is a holiday that commemorates the day when the news of the legal end to slavery reached the final corners of our nation in Texas, where Black people were still being held captive more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. In 2020, the Movement for Black Lives recognized the importance of the moment in saying:
“Juneteenth is a day that honors Black freedom and Black resistance, and centers Black people’s unique contribution to the struggle for justice in the U.S. This Juneteenth is a rare moment for our communities to proclaim in one voice that Black Lives Matter, and that we won’t tolerate anything less than justice for all our people.”
The match will take place June 12 at 5pm at Eastern Stadium as Lansing Common takes on Michigan Jaguars in Midwest Premier League action. Tickets are just $5 and available online or at the gate.
