Missing most of their starters and playing its first match without former Head Coach Josh Oakley, Lansing Common FC put on a gutty performance at home against Tulip City United SC in their final game of the Grand River Ope!n Cup, ultimately losing 1-0 after a late goal from the visitors.
“[We] showed a lot of heart, and it was a great performance from the team – unfortunate result,” said Lansing’s Josh Rosendale.
With both sides effectively out of contention for the Cup final, and most regular starters out, Lansing took the opportunity to add some new faces to the lineup. Midfielder Anthony Burton made his debut in the starting XI and midfielder Danten McFate and goalkeeper Ali Alamery were among the substitutes. The gaps in the roster also had some players in unfamiliar positions, such as Rosendale (typically a forward) and midfielder Avery Dreasky playing at center back.
Unsurprisingly, Lansing came out of the gates a bit shaky. The first half was a struggle, with the Robins lacking the strong communication and cohesion they had shown in the past several weeks. Tulip City controlled the play, and although one side looked much stronger, multiple saves from Lansing goalkeeper Shad Cunningham kept the score 0-0 going into halftime.
The Robins started the second half looking like a significantly improved side. It could have been the tactical change from a 4-3-1-2 formation to last year’s familiar 4-2-2-2. Or it could’ve simply been a matter of the team finding a rhythm and chemistry. Either way, Lansing Common fought back in the final 45 minutes, putting Tulip City on its heels.
The visitors would find a few chances, with none better than Tulip City’s Isiah Arredondo’s opportunity early in the second half. Arredondo made his way through the Lansing backline and in on goal, but a save by Lansing substitute goalkeeper Holden Clark kept the game scoreless as both teams began traded chances.
“They controlled a lot of possession in the first half,” said midfielder Julian Birge, who temporarily assumed head coaching duties against Tulip City, working together with interim coach Brent Sorg. “Second half we picked it up a little bit. Made a couple of changes and went for that goal – we just couldn’t find that finishing touch.”
Sensing the need for an offensive spark, both teams began to use substitutions to break the deadlock. After having used all of their available substitutes, Lansing was forced to finish the game with 10 men after forward Matthew Davidson left the game with an injury in the 86th minute.
With extra time just seconds away, the sides seemed destined for a draw decided by penalty kicks. However, in the 90th minute, Tulip City found themselves with a dangerous set piece opportunity outside of the Lansing penalty area. The free kick took a deflection and found TCU midfielder Levi Crooks inside the six-yard box, where he headed the ball into the top-right corner and gave the visitors a one-goal lead.
Lansing generated a few opportunities in stoppage time, but forwards Guershom Sylvain and Ramzi Shaheen were unable to solve TCU goalkeeper Andrew Marsh. The visitors would maintain their clean sheet, finish the game 1-0, and secure second place in Group A of the Grand River Ope!n Cup behind group-winner BiH Grand Rapids.
“It took 90 minutes and [Lansing going down to] 10 men for them to find the back of our net,” said Rosendale. “I think there was a lot of heart shown from this team today.”
Up next for the Robins
Lansing Common will return to Midwest Premier League play on Friday, July 8, with a road game against rival Livonia City FC. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Madonna University.
The next home game for the Robins will be on Sunday, July 10, when Lansing hosts BiH Grand Rapids. Tickets are just $5, available online and at the gate. For those who can’t make it to Eastern Stadium, the match will be streamed live on YouTube.
