Category: 2019 GCPL Season

AFC Mobile Takes the First Leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup​

AFC Mobile overcame a slow start and pulled off a win in the first leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup against the reigning Gulf Coast Premier League champions Port City FC.

“I think fans won us this game. They were awesome the entire match. They pushed us,” said AFC Mobile midfielder Arad Lev-Ari. “It looked like we were about to lose in the first half. They had some really good chances. But we always believed in ourselves because the fans believed in us.”

The Sounders started the match strong, but the Azaleas were able to keep the score level behind an excellent goalkeeping performance from Dominic Nascimben.

The first chance for the home team came in the 15th minute when the ball found its way to a charging Mikey Conneh. Grant Adam, Port City’s keeper, came off his line to collect the ball from Conneh, but Conneh laid the ball off to Lev-Ari in the middle of the box. Despite Adam being out of position, Lev-Ari’s shot was cleared off the line by Port City’s Caleb Counselman.

Conneh continued to make his presence known as, minutes later, he sent the ball across the face of goal, but there was no one there to get on the end of it. The ball ultimately made its way back to the feet of captain Tilman Schober, who took a shot that went just left of the goal.

Iba Ndaw had a big chance in the 27th minute after Lev-Ari played the ball into the box. After taking an odd bounce, Port City’s Joe Guinchard attempted to head it back to their keeper, but the ball fell to a charging Ndaw whose shot from point-blank range was saved by Adam.

At the half-hour mark, AFC Mobile’s all-time leading goalscorer Chisom Ogbonna entered the game and made an immediate impact.

“I left Chisom on the bench at the start of the game hoping that I could bring him in and he could really energize it, and he did just that,” said AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek. “He played the role very effectively and was a very important part of our performance.”

The Azaleas opened the scoring just before halftime when Ndaw slotted the ball to a charging Schober who powered it home to give the Azaleas a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

The Azaleas doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when Ndaw darted down the left wing. He played a low rolling ball into the box to a trailing Andrew Rhoda, but the ball was sent into the net by Port City’s Steven Gallagher who was attempting to clear it, but ended up scoring an own goal and giving AFC Mobile a 2-0 lead.

The home team scored its final goal in the 59th minute when Eddie Dakwa played a deep ball from midfield to Lev-Ari who boomed down the right-hand side of the pitch, took on the Port City defense, and scored to put the Azaleas up 3-0.

Port City got a goal back in the 80th minute when Mobile’s Ben Fredrickson was shown yellow for bringing down a Port City attacker in the box. The Sounders’ Jordan Hall stepped up to the spot and scored the final goal of the match, giving the Azaleas a 3-1 victory.

This week, AFC Mobile will travel east on I-10 to take on Pensacola FC. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. at Ashton Brosnaham Stadium in Pensacola, Florida. AFC Mobile is organizing a fan bus for our supporters. Space on the bus is limited. Click here for details.

AFC Mobile Beats Hattiesburg​ FC 3-0 to Earn First Win of the 2019 GCPL Season

HATTIESBURG, MS – Led by a clean sheet from goalkeeper Domenic Nascimben and a dominant midfield performance from Arad Lev-Ari, Sam Blackburn, and Tilman Schober, AFC Mobile took home a 3-0 victory on the road against Hattiesburg FC.

With a drastically different lineup from the one that faced Tallahassee SC in the opening match of the GCPL season, AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek started a brand new backline with only Vlad Margolin returning to the starting lineup.

“There were some injuries and some players not available for selection, which kind of forced my hand a little bit,” said Wieczorek, “but I think it’s going to round out into the team that we see going forward anyway.”

The goalscoring began when Lev-Ari split the Hattiesburg defense in the thirteenth minute with a curved, driven pass to Tilman Schober. Schober took a squaring touch before curling the ball into the far top corner to put the Azaleas up 1-0 early.

In the 43rd minute, Lev-Ari combined with Blackburn and Iba Ndaw to open up the penalty area for Chisom Ogbonna. Ogbonna was brought down in the 18-yard box and calmly finished the ensuing penalty with a powerful, low shot to send the Azaleas to halftime leading 2-0.

Lev-Ari, who primarily played in a central attacking role for the first time with Mobile, earned praises from Wieczorek after the game.

“Iba and Chisom again looked a handful going forward and Tilman as well,” Wieczorek said. “Arad’s actual shift on the field, the ground that he covered, his effort – if anyone stands out it’s him.”

Hattiesburg FC had its best opportunity of the night in the 67th minute. After a stint of possession, Hattiesburg spread out an otherwise solid and compact Mobile backline to take an open shot on frame, which caused Nascimben to go full-stretch horizontally and deny the home team a goal with his fingertips.

Another opportunity for Hattiesburg came in the 71st minute when a lofted cross played into the box was intercepted by Nascimben, who was then kicked by a Hattiesburg attacker. The trainer was brought on as Nascimben lay on the ground for nearly five minutes before he was cleared by the trainer and play resumed.

The AFC Mobile backline proved difficult to break down and when Hattiesburg was able to press in Mobile’s defensive third, Nascimben was able to come through for the team.

“We kept a clean sheet away from home with a back five that’s not played together – ever,” Wieczorek said.

Late in the match, Lev-Ari combined with AFC Mobile debutant Mikey Conneh to send Schober through. Schober chipped the keeper one-on-one, but the Hattiesburg defense was able to track back and clear the line.

The Azaleas kept coming and Ndaw continued his three-match goal scoring streak after high-pressing midfielder Blackburn forced a Hattiesburg turnover just outside of the box. Blackburn poked the ball to Lev-Ari, who played Ndaw into a one-on-one situation with the Hattiesburg goalkeeper. Ndaw calmly finished to give Mobile a commanding 3-0 lead and, ultimately, the win.

“It was a hard game,” said Lev-Ari. “They are a quality team. We knew we wanted to get points from this game. The original plan was to see what we could do, what our ability is. But we outperformed. We did a really good job, got three points, and it is going to be huge going forward into the season.”

AFC Mobile will return home next week against their oldest rivals, Port City FC, in the first leg of the 2019 Forgotten Coast Cup. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex. Tickets are $10, and all kids 12 and under will be admitted free. This match is also our Military Appreciation Night where veterans and active duty military personnel will get in free with a valid ID.

AFC Mobile 2019 Season Tickets on Sale Now

Season tickets for the 2019 AFC Mobile season are now on sale. Fans can purchase a season ticket wristband for $50. The wristband will admit entrance into all six Gulf Coast Premier League home games as well as any post-season games.

Fans can also purchase a wristband and t-shirt or scarf package for $65. This package comes with a season ticket wristband and your choice of either an official 2019 AFC Mobile scarf or the new AFC Mobile Battleship t-shirt.

Single-game tickets will rise from $5 to $10. To help offset the increase in ticket prices, AFC Mobile will provide free parking at all home games. Tickets for kids 12 and under will remain free.

AFC Mobile Announces 2019 GCPL Schedule

The 2019 AFC Mobile schedule is finally here! After months of anticipation, we now know the path the Azaleas will take as they attempt to bring home the Gulf Coast Premier League Cup. Join the excitement at Archbishop Lipscomb Stadium (“the Lip”) this summer and support your hometown team!

Following a few preseason friendly matches that will be announced soon, AFC Mobile and new head coach Steve Wieczorek will welcome GCPL newcomers Tallahassee SC to the Lip to kick off the regular season on Saturday, May 11th. The Battle Lions will be ready to hit the ground running in their inaugural GCPL fixture just one week after they host the UPSL’s Savannah Clovers in a friendly.

Continuing the trend of facing newcomers to the GCPL, the Azaleas will travel the short distance west to take on Hattiesburg FC on May 18th. A successful youth club since 1980, the Mississippi side will join AFC Mobile in the GCPL’s East Division this year.

Defending GCPL Champions Port City FC (Gulfport) will return to the site where they hoisted the GCPL Cup last summer when they face AFC Mobile at the Lip on May 25th in the first leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup.

One week after hosting the defending Champions, AFC Mobile will travel east on I-10 to face Pensacola FC on June 1st at Ashton Brosnaham Stadium, the site of the Azaleas’ unlikely come-from-behind victory last year that saw the Mobile side net three goals after the 82nd minute to steal three points in a 4-3 win.

The first half of AFC Mobile’s 2019 season will conclude at the Lip with a home match on June 8th against cross-bay rivals Gulf Coast Rangers FC. The Azaleas will look to avenge the gut-wrenching, controversial home loss to the Rangers last season.

The second half of the 2019 season will begin on the road at Tallahassee SC on June 15th, where the Azaleas will take on the Battle Lions on the campus of Florida State University.

The Azaleas will then play host to Hattiesburg FC on June 22nd, travel to Gulfport to take on Port City FC on June 29th, then return to the Lip for the final home game of the regular season against Pensacola FC on July 6th. AFC Mobile will play its final game of the 2019 regular season on July 13th when it “takes the Causeway” to face Gulf Coast Rangers FC in a match that could have huge playoff implications if the summer goes well for both clubs.

All home games are played at Archbishop Lipscomb Stadium (“the Lip”) located at 3610 Michael Boulevard in Mobile. Keep an eye on AFC Mobile’s social media pages over the coming weeks for updates on preseason friendlies and season ticket packages.