Late Equalizer Sees AFC Mobile Draw New Orleans Jesters

Photo Credit: James E. Cage Jr.

NEW ORLEANS – An early headed goal from left back Mario Gratzl was neutralized by a late equalizer as AFC Mobile drew the New Orleans Jesters 1-1 in the first meeting of the clubs in the NPSL.

“I wanted us to come here, score a goal, get a point. When you look at the game in context, we’re winning, and then they score. So you start to feel disappointed because you’re in a winning position, but overall we accomplished our objective,” AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek said. 

The match was fairly even at the start of the first half. The Azaleas were on the hunt early when the ball was picked up on a giveaway in the midfield by Mobile forward Iba Ndaw. Ndaw slotted the ball to Ronaldo Fortune, whose shot was saved by New Orleans keeper Jose Santos. 

Minutes later, AFC Mobile keeper Will Blake saved an open back-post header from New Orleans’ Jackson Hulme, the first of several crucial saves for the visitors.  

Mobile took the lead in the 15th minute on a well-worked corner kick. Soane Deminguet sent the ball into the box for Gratzl to head down and into the net, scoring the Azaleas’ first goal of the season and giving them a 1-0 lead. 

The Jesters had two chances to equalize before the break, but were kept at bay by Blake with a fingertip save that tipped a long-range effort over the bar, followed by a 37th minute stop to keep the score level and send Mobile into the half with a 1-0 lead.

“You take it one save at a time,” Blake said. “I was talking to myself a lot, saying that ‘alright, just make one save, make one save.’ That adds up, and that’ll get you the points.”

The second half saw the introduction of two veteran AFC Mobile players for the first time since 2019. Zubair Taylor came into the game for Stanley Joseph, which sent center-back Vlad Margolin to right back, making the new center-back pairing Taylor and starter Thierry Zabarel. Andrew Rhoda checked in for Blake Palmquist in a deep midfield role. The Jesters switched to a back three after halftime and sent defender Mason Morise into an attacking position.  

It was a slow start to the second half. Iba Ndaw saw a yellow card in the 61st minute after a tackle to stop a Jesters’ breakaway. The Azaleas nearly doubled their lead in the 63rd minute when Deminguet sent a backheel pass to a running Iba Ndaw in the box. The forward slotted the ball into the back of the net but was flagged offside. Minutes later, the Jesters’ Jackson Hulme was carded for a rough challenge in the midfield. 

The Jesters nearly equalized in the 70th minute when Mason Walsh picked out Morise outside the box. He rounded an advancing Blake, but sent his shot wide right from a tight angle. 

The last twenty minutes saw a flurry of substitutions for the Azaleas. Chisom Ogbonna came into the match for Iba Ndaw. In the 76th minute, Erik Aispuro replaced an injured Eddie Dakwa. Will Blake made two more crucial saves in the 77th minute after a New Orleans free kick and subsequent long-range effort. 

In the 83rd minute, Erik Aispuro got in behind the Jesters’ backline, but Santos saved his shot. A minute later, Mobile’s goalscorer Mario Gratzl earned the Azaleas’ second yellow card of the night. 

In the 90th minute, New Orleans’ Mason Walsh played in a right-footed cross that was bundled home by forward Sheldon Green after a goalmouth scramble, leveling the match at 1-1. A few minutes into stoppage time, Salia Carr came on for Jackson Wheatley on the right wing. Neither team was able to find the goal in stoppage time, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw in the first meeting of the clubs since a 2017 preseason friendly.

  “The fact that after a hard-fought 90 minutes where we achieved our goals and the guys were disappointed and upset, it tells me a lot about the character of the guys that we have, so I was really really happy,” Wieczorek said. 

The Azaleas have taken one point out of a possible six on a two-game road trip to start the NPSL season. Coach Wieczorek said he was anticipating the long-awaited return of the Azaleas to the Lip.

“I’m really excited about the next match and playing in front of our fans now. We got to have our traveling supporters come, and that was awesome. Getting to see that level of support from the Rebellion and also from the Academy families. But, I think it’s going to be special finally getting back in front of our home fans, and I think we’re gonna be ready and I think we’ll get the right result.”

AFC Mobile returns to the Lip for the first time since 2019. The Azaleas will take on their former GCPL and current NPSL Gulf Coast rivals Port City FC of Gulfport, Mississippi, in the first leg of the 2021 Forgotten Coast Cup. AFC Mobile currently holds the rivalry cup, which is determined by the aggregate score of the two matches between the teams during the regular season.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex, 3610 Michael Blvd, Mobile, AL 36609. Tickets are $10, and children 12 and under are admitted for free. Season tickets are still on sale and can be purchased here or at Braided River Brewing Company in downtown Mobile (package A only). Single-game tickets can be purchased at the gate on the night of the match or online here. 

AFC Mobile Falls to Southern States SC In NPSL Opener

Photo Courtesy of Southern States Soccer Club

AFC Mobile fell 3-0 to Southern States Soccer Club in the first match of the 2021 National Premier Soccer League season.

“I think in the first half, we had a good understanding of who they were and what they were going to be about, and how they were going to try and attack us,” AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek said. “We knew that based on our preparation, we might not have a lot of the ball, and we had to make good use of it when we did. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen over the course of the entire game. I think in the first half, we accounted ourselves very well.”

It was a fairly even match for most of the first half with little goalmouth action to report. The Stars controlled the play for most of the half as the Azaleas absorbed pressure from the home team. The Stars thought they took the lead at the half-hour mark, but Andre Deas’ goal off of a short corner was waved offside.

In the 33rd minute, AFC Mobile’s Ronaldo Fortune broke away on the counter-attack, but his shot pulled just left of the goal. Minutes later, Barou Ndaw made an impressive save to keep the score level. The teams headed to the locker room deadlocked at 0-0.

The Azaleas held the Stars scoreless for 53 minutes before a Julian Avila-Good goal for the Stars broke the deadlock. Avila-Good controlled the ball at the top of the box after a cross from Deas on the left-wing and struck the ball with his next touch, sending it past Ndaw to give the Stars a 1-0 lead.

Mobile created a few chances around the 60-minute mark, but none resulted in a goal. The Stars doubled their tally in the 63rd minute after Harry Baggaley tapped in a ball from Attila Sepkin. The home team scored their third and final goal in the 82nd minute when Danny Reynolds hit a shot from 20 yards outside the left of goal. The match ended Southern States 3 to AFC Mobile 0.

“I’m really excited and really happy to get out and to play a competitive game. I think that is the biggest takeaway from tonight,” Wieczorek said. “We were able to get out there and represent the club and get our first NPSL game under our belt.”

AFC Mobile will return to action Saturday, May 8th on the road vs. the New Orleans Jesters at Pan-American Stadium in New Orleans. The Azaleas will have their first home match the following Saturday, May 15th, against Port City FC at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex. Kickoff is at 7 p.m., and tickets are $10. Season passes can be purchased online at afcmobile.net/shop.

AFC Mobile Announces 2021 Summer Schedule

AFC Mobile will return to the pitch this summer in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). The Azaleas were set to make their NPSL debut in the summer of 2020, but the season was suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. AFC Mobile will be facing some familiar foes in the Gulf Coast Conference, such as Pensacola FC, Port City FC, and Tallahassee SC, as well as new competition in Southern States SC Stars of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Florida Roots of Panama City Beach, Florida; and the New Orleans Jesters.

Don’t miss any of the action this season… get your AFC Mobile season passes today! Four different season pass packages are available for purchase.

Package A: Package A, a silicone AFC Mobile branded wristband that entitles you to admission to all AFC Mobile home matches and exclusive events, will be held at will call until picked up.

Package B: Get admission to every AFC Mobile National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) home match in 2021, including home playoffs, AND your choice of a 2021 Season Scarf OR a 2021 season t-shirt. These designs are produced by Mobile-based artists and will be revealed prior to the season.

Package C: Gain admission to all of AFC Mobile’s 2021 NPSL home matches plus a 2021 scarf AND a 2021 season shirt. These items are designed by Mobile-area artists and will be revealed prior to the season.

Package D: Gain admission to all AFC Mobile NPSL home matches in 2021, including playoffs hosted by AFC Mobile AND AFC Mobile’s first-ever custom-designed home jersey, designed by local artists and produced by Hummel.

Capacity will be limited in 2021. Don’t miss Mobile’s return to action this summer!

AFC Mobile 2021 Mardi Gras Camp

AFC Mobile is excited to announce its first annual Mardi Gras Camp. The camp will be held on February 15th, 16th and 17th from 8:30 AM to noon at the Mobile County Soccer Complex (3701 Halls Mill Road).

This event will be coached by AFC Mobile and AFC Mobile Academy coaches and is open to all players in kindergarten to eighth grade of any skill level. Players may sign up for one, two, or all three days at a cost of just $25.00 per day.

Visit the link below for registration information and more details!

https://afcmobile.sportngin.com/register/form/339290619

Richard Moodie Named Director of Coaching for the AFC Mobile Academy

Mobile, Alabama – January 15, 2021 – University of South Alabama women’s soccer coach Richard Moodie will take over as Director of Coaching for the AFC Mobile Academy. 

“I am excited to announce the hiring of Richard Moodie as the club’s new Director of Coaching,” said Steve Wieczorek, AFC Mobile Academy technical director and first-team head coach. “It was clear to me in our work together last fall that he was the right person to lead our coaching staff and to instill our club philosophy and game model throughout the Academy.” 

Richard Moodie has been the head coach of the South Alabama women’s soccer team since December 2016. In his three seasons with the program, Moodie has led the Jaguars to two Sun Belt Conference regular-season titles and two Sun Belt Conference tournament titles. Three players from Moodie’s stint at South Alabama have played first division soccer in Europe: two in the Cypriot First Division, and one for Tottenham Hotspur of England’s FA Women’s Super League. 

“I am extremely grateful to Steve and the board for presenting this opportunity to me. Soccer in our community is growing at a rapid pace. Our goal is to provide another platform for our youth to grow both as people and soccer players.” 

With the appointment, AFC Mobile Academy’s boys director Ruben Risco will continue to serve in an advisory role, and will maintain his role as a first-team assistant and club ambassador. 

“Ruben is a valued and loyal member of our coaching team. He stepped in for us as we were getting our Academy off the ground, and provided an invaluable service to us. We’re glad to keep him on board, while finding a long-term solution for the Director of Coaching position club-wide.” Wieczorek said. 

Moodie is no stranger to the AFC Mobile Academy. He has been a member of the Academy project from day one, and last fall, he coached the club’s 2006 girls team. 

“With this being our first year as a club, it has been enjoyable to watch the growth in such a short period of time. Our goal is to create a player-centered program and maximize the potential of everyone in the club. I hope to work with our coaching staff to help achieve these goals.”

As Director of Coaching, Moodie will be assisting Wieczorek as the two college coaches working to implement a club-wide vision of tactical, technical, and values-based instruction – on and off the field.

“Coach Moodie and I plan to be very hands-on, working every day to continue to improve our club standards as we strive to create an elite playing experience, centered on individual player development and goal attainment through soccer,” Wieczorek said. 

AFC Mobile To Assume Management of Mobile County Soccer Complex

AFC Mobile has agreed with Mobile County to assume management of the recently opened Mobile County Soccer Complex, beginning October 1st. 

“We’re grateful the County has entrusted us with the management of this Complex, and look forward to managing it as it grows into one of the top facilities in the region,” AFC Mobile CFO Sean Landry said. “Special thanks is owed to Commissioner [Connie] Hudson, who has been a great partner for AFC Mobile and for the soccer community for years. Soccer in Mobile has never had more momentum than it does at this moment, and the on-going development and use of these fields will help the Mobile soccer community realize its full potential.”

The Complex, located on Halls Mill Road near the intersection of Interstates 10 and 65, formally opened in July of this year. The project, spearheaded by County Commissioner Hudson, is planned in three phases, the first of which consists of three lighted fields and an unlighted practice field. The Complex will eventually consist of 10 fields, including a FIFA-regulation championship field with seating for approximately 1,000 spectators. 

AFC Mobile’s vision for the complex includes drawing regional and national soccer tournaments to the city of Mobile as well as creating unique programming to ensure the fields are highly utilized and valuable to everyone in Mobile County. Furthermore, AFC Mobile hopes to ensure the complex is the destination for soccer in Mobile by making the complex available and affordable to all users in the area for practices, games, and tournaments. 

AFC Mobile to Participate in NPSL Pilot Program

Mobile, Alabama – July 2nd, 2020 – AFC Mobile will participate in the National Premier Soccer League’s U-19 pilot program.

 

“The introduction of a U-19 pilot under the NPSL umbrella represents our commitment to grassroots soccer and supporting our teams’ growth potential.” NPSL Chairman Kenny Farrell said. “This new venture positions our clubs to further refine the local pathway to the top level of soccer in their area. Players from all backgrounds will have access to a highly visible platform to showcase their talent – particularly in geographic areas where opportunities are limited.  By giving players a legitimate local option to advance, it keeps them engaged with soccer at an affordable cost for families. The U-19 pilot will give NPSL teams the chance to develop their own academies or build relationships with existing programs.”

 

The pilot program will fall under the management of the NPSL and will be affiliated with the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The participating teams include AFC Mobile, New Orleans Jesters, Pensacola FC and Port City FC. 

 

The pilot will run from September through November.  Each team will play a total of six games, three home and three away.    

 

The gameday roster will consist of U-17, U-18, and U-19 players along with up to three overage players. The U-19 pilot program will give AFC Mobile Academy members the opportunity to train with the senior team. 

 

“The NPSL U-19 pilot is a perfect representation of what the teams in our conference want from their academies: a direct relationship with a pathway to our senior team,” AFC Mobile co-owner Sean Landry said. “It’s exciting that the NPSL is providing  new and challenging developmental opportunities for the young players in Mobile, on the Gulf Coast, and, hopefully soon, throughout the country.”

 

AFC Mobile’s U-19 team will be managed by first team head coach Steve Wieczorek. Wieczorek led AFC Mobile to the GCPL Cup playoffs in 2019 and has recently been named the Technical Director of the newly formed AFC Mobile Academy. He is also the current head coach at Spring Hill College. 

 

Those interested in playing for AFC Mobile’s U-19 team should contact the club at information@afcmobile.net

 

AFC Mobile Announces Formation of AFC Mobile Academy

Mobile, Alabama – May 13, 2020 – AFC Mobile, Mobile’s minor league soccer team, will form a youth soccer academy, beginning Fall 2020. The AFC Mobile Academy will develop soccer players of all ages in Mobile and the surrounding areas through a unified system of coaches, teams, and training philosophies. Working with the community of Mobile and utilizing relationships throughout the country, the AFC Mobile Academy will strive to create opportunities for young players, while building a community of passionate and knowledgeable soccer players and people.

“This is a step we’ve been talking about for a few years, but we wanted to make sure we could execute our vision and do things the right way,” said AFC Mobile board member Sean Landry. “The AFC Mobile Academy will enable us to dedicate ourselves to producing the next generation of AFC Mobile players and supporters. We’re committed to producing players who are passionate and knowledgeable about the game and their community. Our academy will be transparent and cohesive, part of one club with one philosophy from our youngest players to our oldest. Today’s announcement is the first step on a long path that we hope will lead to the continued growth of the game in and around Mobile.”

The AFC Mobile Academy intends to field teams in the Fall of 2020 and will be open to both boys and girls. The Academy’s first group of teams will be built with the players and coaches of the former Mobile Texans youth club, a satellite club of the Pensacola-based Gulf Coast Texans.

AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek will head the project as the academy’s Technical Director. Former Texans director of coaching and Indiana University forward Craig Ginsberg will assist Wieczorek as the academy director in 2020-21.

“I’m certainly excited and eager to expand my role at AFC Mobile as Technical Director of the youth academy,” Wieczorek said, “With the AFC Mobile Academy, the senior club is creating a clear pathway for young players to reach their highest potential and develop a life-long love for the game.” 

Wieczorek has served as the head coach of the AFC Mobile senior team since 2019. In his first season, he led the team to its first-ever GCPL playoff berth and secured the most points in the GCPL eastern conference. In addition to his duties with AFC Mobile, he has been the Spring Hill College men’s soccer coach since 2015. In 2017, his team secured the best finish in program history by finishing 12-3 and 2nd in the Gulf South Conference. In 2018, he bettered that mark by becoming the only team in Gulf South Conference history to go undefeated in conference play, winning both the Regular Season and Gulf South Conference tournament championships. He has won more matches than any head coach in the program’s history. 

Prior to moving to Mobile, Wieczorek served as an assistant coach at Siena College, the University of Bridgeport, Duquesne University and Oregon State, during which time he coached and recruited multiple future professional players, including Pac-12 player of the year and MLS No. 2 overall draft pick Khiry Shelton. He holds an NSCAA Premier Diploma and a “C” License from the Football Association of Wales, with plans to complete the UEFA B License in 2021. He is a candidate for a PhD in Sports Management, with a projected completion date of August 2020. 

“From the first day as coach of our senior team, Steve has been unbelievably passionate about our club and its growth. I’ve rarely encountered anyone with the technical and coaching knowledge he has. With that passion, his experience coaching all over the country, his track record of coaching players who have seen success in the highest professional and collegiate ranks in America, our young players will be in good hands,” Landry said. “Throughout the planning process for this launch, he’s shown himself to be absolutely dedicated to the personal development of every player in our academy, on and off the field. He brings a clear vision of how he wants AFC Mobile teams to play, and how to develop players from our junior academy to our oldest teams. We’re thrilled to work with him in this expanded capacity, and I know our academy coaches will be as well.”

More information and a player interest form can be found  http://www.afcmobile.net/academy. Be sure to keep up with the latest developments by following the AFC Mobile Academy on Facebook and on Twitter @AFCMobAcademy. 

AFC Mobile is Mobile’s minor league soccer team, competing in the National Premier Soccer League. The 2020 NPSL Season has been canceled due to the ongoing COVD-19 pandemic. Follow AFC Mobile on all your favorite social media platforms to keep up with the latest news and information about the club.

AFC Mobile COVID-19 Update

AFC Mobile Family, 

AFC Mobile has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, its impact on our partner businesses, our players and our community. The National Premier Soccer League board met yesterday, and we expect a final decision regarding the start of our season early next week. As a reminder, our home opener is scheduled for May 23. We are in communication with our staff and players about their health and well-being, and have made the decision to postpone the start of our training. 

Today, we have three asks of you, as supporters of AFC Mobile and members of our community:

1: Support your local community

This pandemic and the resulting necessary measures taken in response will have a dramatic impact on our community – especially the most vulnerable members of our community. We’re asking you to consider making a donation or safely volunteering to support one of the groups helping to care for these members of our community. Some examples:

There are many more organizations and people in our community working to assist their fellow Mobilians. We’ll do our best to keep you updated, and you can find more resources here: https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1JbZaxv8TWtdqf0iawIn3aJs8rJE4I7XtW0Ged7-l5yw/mobilebasic. 

2: Support your local businesses

We’ve been proud over the last 3-4 years to work directly with some of the most exciting and passionate local businesses in Mobile. They’ve supported us when we desperately needed it, and now they need as much support as possible. If you can, consider picking up a gift card from a local business shut down during the break, or taking advantage of any of the curbside pickup and delivery options available: https://www.mobile.org/about/covid-19-update/local-business-updates/

We’ll also be updating our website at afcmobile.net/covid19 to track any local businesses who are still open and safely operating during this time. If you have a business you’d like shouted-out, just drop us a line at information@afcmobile.net.

Finally, Mobile’s got a fantastic, creative and caring service industry that is the face of our city and culture to so many. Without tips, they’ll be devastated. Thanks to our friend Galen Riley of the Chattahooligans, and members of our own Causeway Rebellion Supporters Group, we’re going to be utilizing the platform at https://serviceindustry.tips/en/al/mobile/ to show our appreciation. We hope you’ll do the same. If you know anyone in the service industry, that website will walk through how to get them listed. If you have any questions, we’ll try to help. 

3. Support your local club. 

Like any other business, AFC Mobile is dealing with the fallout from the pandemic. Our prospective and existing partners are going through a period of great uncertainty, and many are, understandably, reconsidering their ability to sponsor our team over the next few months. The month of March is where we usually see a big increase in merchandise and season ticket sales, which we have not seen this year. We are also dealing with uncertainty in our ability to host players, a severe delay in finding potential host families, delays in getting out-of-area players to Mobile, as well as drastically pushing back our training schedule. Every t-shirt, season ticket or scarf you buy helps us continue our mission of advocating for our city, culture and community while bringing a high level of passionate soccer to Mobile. Additionally, 20% of all shop proceeds will be donated to Feeding the Gulf Coast for the next 30 days. You can find our shop at afcmobile.net/shop. If you prefer we wait to ship your products to you, just leave a note in the order or email us at information@afcmobile.net. 

During this uncertain time, we value your safety and well-being above all. Each of us at AFC Mobile asks you to practice appropriate social distancing measures, good hygiene, and support local businesses such as restaurants by purchasing meals for take-out. Check out afcmobile.net/covid19 for a running list of local restaurants currently offering take-out and other resources. 

Yours in community,

The Board of Directors of AFC Mobile

Chisom Ogbonna Named AFC Mobile Captain for 2020 NPSL Season

AFC Mobile’s all-time leading goalscorer, Chisom Ogbonna will take the armband as Club Captain in the team’s first season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL).

“I am very proud to name Chisom as our next club captain,” said AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek. “He has all the qualities that I am looking for in a leader both on and off the field. He is well-liked and respected in the dressing room, a role model for young players and performs at a high level on the field. Most importantly, I can trust him to support me and always act in the best interest of the club.”

Ogbonna previously played in the NPSL in 2015 with FC Wichita. In his time with AFC Mobile, Chisom has scored 20 goals in 18 appearances.

Don’t miss a match with Chisom and his teammates – get season tickets now at afcmobile.net/shop! Starting at $35 for 5 guaranteed regular season games and free admission to any playoff matches hosted by AFC Mobile, Mobile’s locally owned soccer team.