FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Fort Lauderdale United FC’s USL League Two Men’s team won its matchup with St. Petersburg FC on Saturday evening, 1-0, in another eventful home match at Beyond Bancard Field. Carlos Zambrano continued his blistering run of form, scoring his fifth goal in five matches to lead Fort Lauderdale to a dominant win against one of the top teams in the USL League Two Southeast Division. With the victory, Fort Lauderdale United moved to 5-0 in its inaugural season, winning every match in club history to this point while maintaining a flawless defensive record through 450 minutes with a 10-0 goal differential. Eyeing its sixth straight win, the club now sets its sights on Wednesday night’s duel against Sarasota Paradise.
Both teams took their time to settle into the match, with the opening 30 minutes marked by physical play and tight midfield battles. Forward Michael Appiah consistently found space behind the St. Petersburg back line and nearly broke the deadlock on multiple occasions. In the 29th minute, the red-hot Zambrano gave Fort Lauderdale United the breakthrough. After weaving past a pair of defenders, Zambrano spotted the goalkeeper off his line and launched a high-arcing shot from over 30 yards out, burying it in the back of the net. He followed the stunning strike with another edition of his signature backflip celebration, igniting the fans at Beyond Bancard Field. Fort Lauderdale United carried a 1-0 lead into the halftime break, courtesy of Zambrano’s moment of brilliance.
Fort Lauderdale opened the second half with the same intensity it showed in the first, as defender Ivan Arenas and Appiah continued to apply pressure with dynamic runs down the left flank. The dynamic Appiah nearly doubled the lead with a dangerous effort, but a goal-line clearance by a St. Petersburg defender kept the visitors within striking distance. Despite the narrow margin, the FTL UTD back line remained composed and resilient, preserving the 1-0 scoreline to secure Fort Lauderdale United’s fifth consecutive shutout victory.
Back In Action
Our Fort Lauderdale United FC USL League Two team will return to the pitch on Wednesday, June 4 for its fifth consecutive home matchup, but this time with Sarasota Paradise. Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m., and entry into the match is free for all!