DALLAS, TX. – Fort Lauderdale United FC (9-6-7, 34 PTS) drew its matchup with Dallas Trinity FC (10-6-7, 37 PTS) on Saturday evening, 1-1. Forward Kiara Locklear scored her fourth goal of the season in Saturday’s draw, and the FTL UTD club has now drawn five of its last nine matches. With just six matches left in the inaugural USL Super League season, next Saturday’s matchup against the top-seeded club will have an immense impact on the standings.
Fort Lauderdale United FC returns to the pitch on Saturday, April 26 in a high-stakes home matchup with Carolina Ascent FC. The two sides have met three times this season, with Fort Lauderdale holding the edge in the series. Carolina claimed the first matchup on September 6 with a narrow 2-1 victory at home in the second game in club history for both teams. Fort Lauderdale responded in dominant fashion with a 2-0 shutout win on December 14 in South Florida, before sealing the series with a 2-1 road victory in the decisive third meeting on March 2.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfZnj1mrPVc
The match got off to a fast start, with Kiara Locklear nearly giving FTL UTD an early lead after an amazing pass from Jasmine Hamid, but the shot faded just right of the net in the 3rd minute. On the next live ball, Dallas Trinity FC scored and took the lead in the 4th minute. After conceding, Fort Lauderdale United played with more intention and urgency on the offensive end. Taylor Smith made an impact early in the match, drawing a foul just outside of the Dallas box and also putting together a strong run of play down the right side to earn a corner kick.
Goalkeeper Cosette Morché made a number of saves in the first half, and made a clutch, close-range stop in the 21st minute to keep the deficit at 1. Hamid continued to keep the pressure on the Dallas defense, recording a trio of shots, and nearly equalized after threading through a trio of defenders but her rocketing, top-left shot was saved in the 23rd minute.
Fort Lauderdale equalized in the 35th minute after Jorian Baucom sent in a curling left footed shot that hit the woodwork and deflected back into play. The rebound fell just in front of the net, and Locklear sprinted in to put the ball in the back of the net. Just 6 minutes later, FTL UTD was forced to make its first substitution of the match, with Celia Gaynor entering the game for an injured Adrienne Jordan. Sub in 41st minute. Felicia Knox tested the Dallas keeper after she noticed her off her line, but the shot landed on top of the net, and the teams went into the break leveled at 1-1 after 45 minutes.
The first 20 minutes of the half were back and forth, with neither team threatening on the attacking end. Sh’nia Gordon got Fort Lauderdale’s attack back on track in the 65th minute with a shot that just missed the net. Just one minute later, midfielder Darya Rajaee came into the match for Smith as the second change for FTL UTD.
The Fort Lauderdale attack continued to reach for another breakthrough, as Baucom just missed an opportunity to break the deadlock in the 67th minute and Hamid had a shot saved in the 73rd minute. The third substitution of the game made their way onto the pitch in the 74th minute, with Thelma Hermannsdottir checked in for Baucom.
FTL UTD earned a trio of corner kicks within the 70th and 76th minutes as the intensity of the attack continued to build. Morché was tested in the 77th minute, but saved a tough shot to keep the match tied 1-1. Both teams continued to press each other as the match neared its end, but the best chance of the second half came in stoppage time as Knox sent a rocketing, outward-bending shot that just missed the net. After 90 minutes, neither team could find a breakthrough in the second half, and the clubs ended in a 1-1 draw.
Scoring Summary
DAL: Thornton, 3
FTL: Locklear, 35
Back in Action
FTL UTD will return to the pitch on Saturday, April 26 for a home matchup with top-seeded Carolina Ascent FC. The teams have met three times this season, with Fort Lauderdale each club earning a tough, hard-fought win at home in the first half of the campaign.
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 26 against top-seeded Carolina Ascent FC for First Responders and Safety Awareness Night. The clubs have met three times this season, with Carolina taking the first game (2-1 → Away) on September 6 before FTL UTD took the other pair of matchups on December 14 (2-0 → Home) and March 2 (2-1 → Away).