Lansing Common FC earned its second consecutive victory and finished the month of June unbeaten with a 3-2 win over previously-undefeated BiH Grand Rapids at Eastern Stadium. Lansing midfielder Noah Canlas had a stellar performance with two assists and goalkeeper Andrew Nicholsen kept the Robins in the game with a crucial penalty save in the second half.
Head coach Josh Oakley was impressed with the way the team remained focused despite not having some of its regular starters.
“This team is gaining confidence,” Oakley said. “When you can come out and get a result, three points at home against a very good team without six or seven of our main guys, it just shows the quality of the team and the confidence starting to grow.”
The game was delayed for almost two hours from its original 6 p.m. start time due to inclement weather. After a period of sheltering due to local tornado warnings, both teams were able to take the field and get the match underway at 7:30 p.m.
Oakley started the game with forwards Ty Usiak and Ben Meschke, who started in Omar’s absence.
In the first 10 minutes of the game, there was an adjustment period as both teams tried to get comfortable on a slightly uneven turf surface due to the accumulation of rubber. The ball was skipping along the ground, making it difficult for players to get a firm first touch.
BiH Grand Rapids took a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute when forward Chris Mendez received a long ball from his defense, made his way past Lansing defenders Hunter Gibbons and Aidan O’Connor, and shot the ball to the lower-left corner of Nicholsen’s goal.
“We’re still a bit disappointed with some sloppy play and allowing them to break [our] lines,” said Oakley.
Two minutes later, Lansing was rewarded with a corner kick after BiH goalkeeper Vedad Vila denied Canlas a rebounding effort. Canlas took two corner kicks, and on his second attempt, he found O’Connor, who headed the ball into the goal to level the game at 1-1.
It was O’Connor’s first goal for Lansing Common FC and a much-needed response from the 6-foot-4 Western Michigan Bronco.
In the 22nd minute, BiH nearly scored their second goal after a Lansing turnover found the feet of Mendez, whose shot slammed the upper-right corner of the goal post.
Canlas took a direct free kick in the 31st minute that almost caught Vila by surprise, but the BiH goalkeeper was able to deny Lansing another close opportunity in the first half.
At the halftime break, Oakley said, “I would like to see us go in and try to get a second [goal].”
“The answer was there today, and the comeback win was special,” he added in his post-match comments.
Lansing came out of the break with the same players that started the match. Except this time, Estaban Russell and Canlas showed their versatility by switching sides on the wings.
The switch would prove to be an important one as Russell delivered a great through ball to Dante Morrissette to set up the go-ahead goal in the 56th minute. Morrissette took a touch and then sent a low cross that found its way to Kyle Scott, who put Lansing ahead 2-1 with a composed tap-in finish.
The combination of Morrissette to Scott was on display once again at Eastern Stadium. The pair of fullbacks combined to score the club’s first-ever goal against Fort Wayne SC in early May.
“We worked really well as a team, and we focused on hitting those chances,” Canlas said. “We had a couple [chances] that we left out today that should have been goals.”
After the goal, Lansing subbed on midfielder Seth Russ for Russell. The former Western Michigan Bronco showed his experience and leadership on the field by creating multiple chances and taking the ball into the opposing 18-yard box.
“When I was given this opportunity to lead the club, some of the first ideas we had were to bring back Esteban Russell and Julian Birge,” Oakley said. “They are in the prime of their lives, and they’re having the time of their lives working with the young guys and putting their stamp once again on another successful soccer club.”
As the rain continued to fall in Lansing, both teams fought for 50/50 balls and continued to force turnovers on each other.
Another corner kick from Canlas found O’Connor at the 67th minute, but his shot was cleared away by BiH. Lansing showed its enthusiasm for extending the lead.
After a series of set pieces, Lansing midfielder Julian Birge scored off a corner kick in the 78th minute. Birges’ leaping header made it 3-1 and he recorded his third goal in MWPL action.
Canlas also registered his second assist of the night with his corner delivery to Birge.
“It was a great feeling to score,” Birge said. “It was euphoric, and it’s always fun to celebrate with teammates.”
Exactly a minute later, Lansing conceded a penalty after Scott tackled Nermin Crnkić inside the 18-yard box, and the referee deemed it a penalty. Damir Šabanović stepped up to take the penalty, but Nicholsen dived to the left side of his goal and saved it, keeping the score at 3-1 for Lansing.
“He [Nicholsen] had a good week of training,” Oakley said. “He also had a solid game against Livonia.”
It would not be the end of the night for BiH as they made it 3-2 at the 89th minute with a goal by forward Ojani Perez. His right-footed shot found the top-right corner of the net after a dangerous attacking sequence.
With five minutes added on by the fourth official, Oakley told his players to keep possession and remain focused on not giving the ball away.
The referee signaled the end of the game at the 95th minute, Lansing earned the full three points, and an eventful day for the home fans ended in victory.
Lansing is now 4-1-1 in the MWPL and currently sits fourth in the East Division standings.
“We know we have to do some things better,” Oakley said. “When we get to the training ground this week, it’s going to be [focused] on defending.”
Lansing will travel to Fort Wayne, IN on July 1 to play USL League 2 side Fort Wayne FC in a friendly before taking on the MWPL East Division leaders Detroit City FC U23 on July 4 at Eastern Stadium in Lansing. Tickets are available for $5 at https://app.gopassage.com/events/lansing-common-jul4
