TAMPA BAY, Fla. – Fort Lauderdale United FC (9-6-5, 32 PTS) fell in an intense, physical road matchup with Tampa Bay Sun FC (7-5-9, 30 PTS) on Saturday evening, 2-0. The road loss snaps a nine-match unbeaten streak for FTL UTD, and marks the first time this season that the club has been held scoreless in consecutive matches. Despite the loss, Fort Lauderdale United maintains sole possession of the No. 4 seed in the USL Super League standings with eight matches left in the inaugural season.
Fort Lauderdale United FC returns to the pitch on Saturday, April 12 for a home matchup with DC Power FC. The clubs have split the season series so far, with Fort Lauderdale earning a 2-0 victory on September 13 on the road for the first win in club history. In the second matchup, FTL UTD fell 1-0 in a thrilling match at home on November 23. After the Derby loss, Fort Lauderdale United FC will have its eyes set on getting back in the win column with DC Power FC next week.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx3HNDgzLVM
The rivalry got off to an intense start, with both teams applying instant pressure on the other. The early pressure allowed both sides to earn corner kicks in the beginning stages of the match. Goalkeeper Cosette Morché was tested in the 10th minute, saving a header from a corner kick to keep the game tied at 0-0.
After an errant pass, Morché made a sliding stop on a Tampa attacker, but the rebounded shot got past her. Defender Laurel Ansbrow was in the right place at the right time, making a goal-line clearance in the 22nd minute.
Two-time Player of the Month Jasmine Hamid began to build momentum as the first half went on, beating a trio of Tampa defenders before sending an outside-the-box shot that was saved by the Sun keeper in the 24th minute. Defender Delaney Lindahl and forward Kiara Locklear contributed to the attack, recording shots just shortly after.
Morché made an incredible save in the 27th minute, but Tampa took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute after an outside-the-box goal. Defender Adrienne Jordan was a dominant force on the left side in the later stages of the first half, putting together a pair of dynamic runs. Locklear nearly tied the match in the 34th minute, but the shot missed to the right.
The Fort Lauderdale attack continued to press the Tampa defense, starting with a high-arcing shot from Taylor Smith that was saved in the 42nd minute. Jordan played a perfect cross to Addie McCain in the 44th minute, but her right-footed shot just missed the net. In stoppage time, midfielder Darya Rajaee fired a knuckling shot from outside the box in the 47th minute, but an unreal save preserved Tampa’s lead as the two teams went into the break.
Gordon was on a mission from the opening minutes of the second half, nearly tying the game in the 51st minute with a rocket from outside the box. Following the example that Gordon set, McCain almost tied the game after firing a shot that just sailed over the crossbar in the 56th minute. The FTL attack continued to press, with Smith and Locklear putting together a dynamic run down the left side just shortly after.
The first wave of reinforcements made their way into the field for Fort Lauderdale, with Felicia Knox, Jorian Baucom, Tati Fung and Sabrina McNeill entering the match for Smith, Jordan, Rajaee and Hamid in the 68th minute. The midfield duo of Knox and Fung made an immediate impact, creating multiple chances within their first few minutes on the pitch.
McCain took a shot in the 73rd minute, but it was blocked by the Tampa defense. The final substitute for FTL UTD, Nia Christopher, came into the game in the 78th minute for Locklear. Just two minutes later, the deficit was extended to 2-0 after a Tampa goal in the 80th minute. Christopher nearly scored in stoppage time, but Fort Lauderdale United FC would end up falling 2-0 to Tampa Bay Sun FC.
Scoring Summary
TB: Listro, 31
TB: Tankersley, 80
Back in Action
FTL UTD will return to action on Saturday, April 12 for a home matchup with DC Power FC. The clubs have met twice this season, with each team earning a hard-fought win on the road in the series.
Tickets
Season ticket packages for all home matches, as well as single-game tickets can be purchased here. FTL UTD’s next home match is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 against DC Power FC for Pride Night. The clubs first met in DC on September 13, where FTL earned a 2-1 victory for the first win in club history. The second meeting took place in Fort Lauderdale on November 23 in a heart-breaking, 1-0 loss for FTL UTD.