Lansing Common FC will play their inaugural season in the Midwest Premier League’s East Division, which is composed of eight teams from Michigan. Though LCFC won’t begin their league campaign until Saturday, May 22, other teams have already played several league games, and some surprising results have occurred. Here is your Matchweek Five update from around the Midwest Premier League’s East Division.
This Weekend’s Fixtures
Michigan Stars FC U23 v. Detroit City FC U23 (May 22, 2021, 4:00 p.m.)
Matchweek Five is full of Midwest Premier League debuts as three teams will take the field for their first league games this season, including Detroit City FC’s Under 23 side. The two designated U23 teams will square off for the first time this season at the Michigan Stars’ home field. Though this is the debut of Detroit City FC’s U23 side, Michigan Stars FC U23 will be capping their week off by playing their third game in seven days.
Lansing Common FC v. West Michigan Bearings (May 22, 2021, 6:00 p.m.)
A battle between two teams who were launched during the COVID-19 pandemic will ensue as Lansing Common FC makes their MWPL debut when they host division leaders West Michigan Bearings in Lansing. West Michigan has had a great run of form recently and has yet to lose a game this season. Lansing Common FC is coming off a 3-1 victory last week in a friendly over Fort Wayne Sport Club while West Michigan lost 2-0 in their own friendly against Grand Rapids FC.
BiH Grand Rapids v. Livonia City FC (May 22, 2021, 8:30 p.m.)
BiH Grand Rapids will make their MWPL debut when they host Livonia City FC on Saturday at Christian Athletic Complex in Kentwood. Livonia City FC currently sits fourth in the East Division with two points in four games and has yet to win a match this season. Both squads will look to bring home the full three points: BiH Grand Rapids to start their season off on the right foot, and Livonia City FC to try and make progress towards competing for the East Division lead.
Last Weekend’s Results
Inter Detroit def. LK St. Clair (3-2)
Once again rigor mortis struck LK St. Clair as Inter Detroit completed their second comeback in three weeks, but this time they secured all three points just before the final whistle. In a game that saw all five goals scored in the second half, it was LK St. Clair who had the momentum through the first hour. Two goals in as many minutes by Robin Bopeso and Luke Winters gave LK St. Clair a 2-0 lead just six minutes into the second half, but Inter would not go away quietly. Rick Galvez’s 65th-minute strike made it a one-shot game and just four minutes later, Inter’s Luis Borjas leveled the match at two. Inter Detroit would complete the comeback victory as Jose Aguilar found the back of the net in the second minute of stoppage time.
Michigan Stars FC U23 def. Livonia City FC (2-1)
Livonia City FC was once again on the wrong end of the scoresheet as they fell at home to Michigan Stars FC U23. Michigan Stars started off the better of the two teams and scored the game’s first goal. Livonia would answer with a goal of their own before the half when Thomas Dono was able to intercept a pass and lob the Stars keeper to tie the game at one heading into the break. Only one goal was scored in the second half and it was the Stars who found the back of the net to begin their 2021 league season with a 2-1 win on the road.
Michigan Stars FC U23 def. LK St. Clair (5-1) (05/19/21)
East Division Standings
- West Michigan Bearings (2-1-0, 7 points in 3 GP)
West Michigan Bearings, hailing from the Grand Rapids area, has had quite a start to their season. They opened their league campaign with a 4-1 thumping of Livonia City FC with two goals from Calvin University product Bobby McCaw. While at the Division III school, McCaw scored 62 goals in 87 games and looks to be continuing his scoring prowess with the Bearings.
West Michigan followed up their season-opener with a regretful 2-2 draw at Inter Detroit. After taking a 2-0 lead in the first half, the Bearings gave up a goal and headed into halftime up 2-1. Inter would complete the comeback to earn a share of the points after Gabe Baylon’s brace, and the Bearings exited Evolution Sportsplex with only a single point.
Two weeks ago, they returned to the win column with a 3-0 victory in their home opener against LK St. Clair. Bobby McCaw would be joined on the scoresheet by Abraham Arellano and Levi Haight, as the Bearings remained unbeaten in league play and took seven out of a possible nine points in their first three matches.
- Michigan Stars FC U23 (2-0-0, 6 points in 2 GP)
- Inter Detroit (1-2-0, 5 points in 3 GP)
Inter Detroit started off the league season at home when they faced Livonia City FC in the East Division’s first matchweek. Irvin Castro netted the first goal in Midwest Premier League history, but Mohamed Miri’s second-half strike was enough to secure a draw for Livonia.
Two weeks later Inter followed that performance with a gutsy 2-2 draw at home against the West Michigan Bearings. Gabe Baylon’s brace, including his first goal just before the halftime whistle, was enough for Inter to secure a point after being down 2-0 late in the first half.
- Livonia City FC (0-2-2, 2 points in 4 GP)
Livonia City FC began their league campaign with the hard-fought, opening night draw against Inter Detroit that earned them a point.
However, the following week wasn’t as kind as they received a 4-1 walloping at the hands of the West Michigan Bearings. Bobby McCaw’s second-half brace put the match to bed as the Bearings took a 3-0 lead and finished 4-1 in Livonia’s home opener.
LCFC’s third league match ended in a 1-1 draw against LK St. Clair. It was Jake Reitzloff who opened the scoring for Livonia in the 11th minute, but St. Clair’s CJ Fritz’s shot from just outside the six-yard box in the 65th minute kept Livonia from securing all three points.
- LK St. Clair (0-1-3, 1 point in 4 GP)
LK St. Clair opened their league season with the 1-1 draw on the road against Livonia City at Schoolcraft College. CJ Fritz scored the club’s first goal of the league season to earn the point in their first-ever Midwest Premier League match.
The following week they would give up three to division-leading West Michigan Bearings and drop their first match of the year 3-0.
- BiH Grand Rapids (0-0-0)
Detroit City FC U23 (0-0-0)
Lansing Common FC (0-0-0)
Tickets to all of Lansing Common’s games this year are available at https://lansingcommonfc.com/schedule/. For more information on the Midwest Premier League, visit https://midwestpl.com/
