FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (October 11, 2026) – Fort Lauderdale United FC (2-6-0, 6 PTS) defeated defending champions Lexington SC (3-3-1, 10 PTS), 2-1, on Sunday evening in the More Than Pink Game at Amerant Bank Field. Forward Sh’nia Gordon recorded the second brace of her Fort Lauderdale United career in a standout performance, leading the club to a statement victory in Interim Head Coach Paul Jennison’s first match at the helm.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYMn-vX_jKg
A Storybook First Half
On a humid yet beautiful night in South Florida, Fort Lauderdale United had the upper hand from the opening whistle. In the first match under Jennison’s leadership, the squad brought intensity and physicality from the start. Gordon, alongside her attacking teammates Kiara Locklear, Abi Hugh and Grace Cutler, consistently caused havoc down the wings, highlighted by dangerous attacks in the 7th, 17th and 19th minutes. Fort Lauderdale finally broke through in the 37th minute after an impressive attacking sequence. Hugh won possession on the left wing just outside the box before finding Gordon at the top of the 18-yard box. The forward took her time on the ball, faked right and went left before firing a rocket with her left foot toward the far post, beating the Lexington goalkeeper to give Fort Lauderdale a first-half lead. The momentum remained with Fort Lauderdale through the remainder of the half as Gordon and Cutler each sent shots just over the crossbar, sending the club into the halftime break with the advantage.
A Great Start & End to the Second Half
Just five minutes into the second half, Fort Lauderdale doubled its lead after another tremendous play by Gordon. The goalscorer made a solo run down the middle of the pitch, faking out a Lexington defender before firing a shot to the far post to extend the advantage with 40 minutes remaining, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Jennison made a pair of changes in the second half, bringing on Daniela Todd in the 64th minute and Molly McDougal in the 85th minute as the full-time whistle inched closer. Just one minute after the second change, Lexington pulled one back to cut the deficit to one with four minutes remaining. Defender Jules Cagle was Jennison’s final change of the match and played a key role in keeping Lexington off the scoresheet in the closing stages as Fort Lauderdale secured a statement win over the defending champions on Sunday evening. With the victory, Fort Lauderdale has earned its second win of the season, opening the second half of the campaign with three points, and the club will look to carry that momentum into Friday’s road matchup with Sporting JAX.
Scoring Summary
FTL: Gordon, 37’
FTL: Gordon, 50’
LEX: White, 86’
Back in Action on October 16
Fort Lauderdale United will return to the pitch on Friday, October 16, traveling to take on in-state foe Sporting JAX. The matchup marks the second of three matches in an 11-day stretch for Fort Lauderdale, which will return to Amerant Bank Field on October 22 to host Carolina Ascent FC. With Fort Lauderdale looking to carry its momentum into the push for a spot in the Gainbridge Super League Playoffs, Friday’s road clash will be a pivotal matchup in the campaign.
Get Your Tickets
Fort Lauderdale United FC returns to Amerant Bank Field on Thursday, October 22, hosting top-seeded Carolina Ascent FC in an intense matchup in the 2026 Gainbridge Super League season. Click HERE to get your tickets! Stay tuned and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with all things FTL UTD on Instagram, X(Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, and Facebook.
