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.
