Tag: mobile

Man of the Match vs. CD Motagua of New Orleans 6/4

AFC Mobile claimed its first point of the season against the current GCPL champions CD Motagua of New Orleans this weekend. The draw was a hard fought team effort, but these four individuals stood out. Who’s your vote for Man of the Match?

4 – Chisom Ogbonna – FWD

Ogbonna scored two goals this weekend for AFC Mobile, giving him three goals on the season and making him the club’s leading goalscorer this season.

1 – Brent Grube – GK 

Grube withstood attack after attack from Motagua in the second half to help AFC Mobile come away with its first point of the season.

15 – KC Espoir – RB 

Espoir locked down the Motagua attack after head coach Nate Nicholas moved him to right-back for the first time this season.

19 – Dawson Jellenc – CB 

Jellenc provided the assist on the second goal with a booming 45 yard pass over Motagua’s defense.

AFC Mobile returns home to take on Biloxi City FC this Saturday, June 10, at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. AFC Mobile will be honoring our servicemen and women with a Military Appreciation Night. All veterans and active-duty personnel get in free with their military ID. As always, kids 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets are only $5. Get your tickets today! 

 

AFC Mobile Earns First Point Against Reigning Champions

NEW ORLEANS—AFC Mobile earned its first point of the season after a 2-2 draw with reigning Gulf Coast Premier League champions CD Motagua of New Orleans. The Azaleas nearly ended their three-game road trip with a win, but Motagua headed in an equalizer deep into six minutes of stoppage time.

“We’ve got to do a better job clearing the ball, just winning headers and getting it out. It literally was the last second they scored a goal,” said AFC Mobile head coach Nate Nicholas. “I think we were playing into overtime even though we were winning. But, you’ve got to play as long as the referees are telling them to play on.”

 

 

It was a bright start for Mobile and for Chisom Ogbonna in particular. The forward had a chance early in the match after some fancy footwork in the box, but couldn’t get a shot off. Minutes later, Clairy Kengeye chipped the ball into the box to find Ogbonna, but his shot dragged just wide. In the 19th minute, Ogbonna was able to to find the back of the net after picking up a loose ball in the box and smashing it home to give AFC Mobile a 1-0 lead.

Motagua equalized just minutes before halftime. A Motagua player sent a floating header into the back of the net after a wild scramble in front of the goal to level the match 1-1.

The equalizer appeared to give Motagua a renewed sense of energy in the second half. AFC Mobile goalkeeper Brent Grube opened the second half with two big saves to keep the score tied 1-1. Motagua continued attacking, having the better of the run of play through most of the final half. The home team had another chance to take the lead, but AFC Mobile defender Markos Mallis cleared the ball off the line.

Despite a sustained attack from Motagua, Ogbonna artfully settled a 45 yard bomb sent by defender Dawson Jellenc and buried his second goal of the night, giving Mobile a 2-1 lead in the 57th minute. Ogbonna’s brace marked his third goal in two games, making him AFC Mobile’s leading scorer on the 2017 Summer campaign.

“Chisom Ogbonna scored two great goals… had another great game. He’s built two games in a row playing really really well,” Nicholas said.

Late in the match, Ogbonna attempted to get behind the Motagua defense but was taken down by Motagua’s Anthony Peters. The traveling fans urged the official to show Peters red, but he was only received a yellow card. The center referee also showed Ogbonna his second yellow card of the season, citing embellishment.

As time elapsed, Motagua continued to push for a second equalizer. The referee allowed over six minutes of added time to the dismay of the traveling fans from Mobile. In a last-ditch effort to equalize, Motagua sent its entire squad, including its goalkeeper, into the box for a throw-in near the corner.  Motagua was able to convert on what would become the very last touch of the game, bringing the final score to 2-2.

AFC Mobile will look to build on its first ever point in the GCPL Eastern Conference table on Saturday, June 10th with a return home to the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex where AFC Mobile will take on Biloxi City FC.

“We’re excited about coming home playing at the Lip. It feels like it’s been a year since we played our first home game.” Nicholas said. “We need everybody to come out ’cause, I tell you what, it’s gonna be a show. We’re gonna get a win that night and it’s gonna be because the fans have got our back.”

Kickoff against Biloxi City FC is set for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 10th at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex off Michael Boulevard. It is also Military Appreciation Night. All veterans and active duty military personnel will be admitted free of charge with their military ID. As always, kids 12 and under get in free, and all other tickets are only $5. Click here to purchase your tickets today!

 

 

 

AFC Mobile falls to league leaders Gaffa FC

AFC Mobile fell to Gulf Coast Premier League leaders Gaffa FC 3-1 on Saturday, allowing two second-half goals in a physical affair.

AFC Mobile conceded first through an own goal by Dawson Jellenc in the eighth minute–the first shot on Mobile’s net, and the only shot that goalkeeper Elijah Gibson faced until the 34th minute.

“In the first half, we played pretty decent,” AFC Mobile manager Nate Nicholas said. “We gave up a first goal, made a few mistakes, Dawson tried to slide and it deflected in. After that, we picked our heads up and played really well. I thought in the first half, we were the better team. We had a few opportunities. We could have been up 3-1.”

Chisom Ogbonna equalized for the Azaleas in the 24th minute after Mobile’s high pressure forced a turnover at the Gaffa end. The Nigeria native and former FC Wichita star took one touch and blasted it past the opposing keeper. Mobile dominated the rest of the half, with six shots on goal to Gaffa’s lone effort.

“I saw him finally punishing a team for making a bad mistake,” Nicholas said of Ogbonna’s finish. “They had a bad clearance, he got it and slotted it home. It’s something that he could have four or five goals this year doing that same exact thing. He’s a player that we need to keep going, now that he’s gotten off the mark. Now that he’s got that goal, I expect he’ll have a few more.”

The team from the Port City started the second half on the front foot, winning a corner that resulted in a shot that was cleared off the line with just inches to spare. As the game grew more physical, the home side began to rebuff their visitors. Ogbonna suffered a kick in the face and was forced to leave the pitch. During the subsequent run of play, AFC Mobile conceded when a Gaffa cross from the byline was ushered home in the 53rd minute. With two-footed tackles flying, Gaffa put the match out of reach in the 73rd minute by splitting AFC Mobile’s offside trap and finishing past Gibson.

“Our team is young, so we’re getting a little out-experienced in the second half,” Nicholas said. Where our youthful energy could overcome their experience, we’re still letting it affect us. The officiating was questionable in some instances, but even with that, we weren’t good enough in the second half. We didn’t connect passes, we didn’t stay wide, we didn’t fight for the ball. When you don’t do that, you allow the referee to nullify the things you can do well.”

AFC Mobile falls to 0-0-3 on the season, and will travel to take on the defending league champions, CD Motagua of New Orleans on Sunday, June 4 at 7 p.m.

AFC Mobile Loses 2-1 to Louisiana Fire

AFC Mobile gave up a one goal lead late in the game after the Louisiana Fire’s Dante Oliver scored two goals in the final minutes to seal a comeback victory.

“We just didn’t have enough moxie to see it through. Gave up two questionable goals, might have been offsides, but regardless we’ve got to to do a little bit better job defending those,” AFC Mobile coach Nate Nicholas said. “I think from the top by me as a coach to the players we’ve gotta find a better way to finish it out and come out with a victory. But the boys fought hard, it was a well fought game for us, we just didn’t capitalize on the chances we were given.”

Mobile started the match strong. In the opening minutes of the match, Matt Merrill sent a free kick over the crossbar. Minutes later, Chisom Ogbonna cut in from the left hand side of the pitch to test the Fire keeper, Pepe Serrano.

Nine minutes into a frantic first half, AFC Mobile goalkeeper Brent Grube saved a penalty from the Fire’s Igor Siscov to keep the score level.

Minutes after, Ogbonna was taken down in the box, but neither a yellow card nor a penalty was awarded.

Ogbonna left the field, but returned shortly thereafter. In the 26th minute, Ogbanna gave Mobile its best chance of the match when he bicycle-kicked a shot from the middle of the box that sailed just wide of the far post.

The game was deadlocked at zero to start the second half. Mobile was tested early when a shot from the Fire bounced out of Grube’s hands. The ball fell to a Fire player whose shot at the open goal was cleared off the line by newcomer Dawson Jellenc.

“Dawson played centerback the whole 90 minutes, and we needed him out there—especially with Memo [Lumbreras] taking a knock there at the end of the game.” Nicholas said. “Overall he did pretty well, but you could also see he’s a young kid who’s still learning some stuff. But for a debut with a semi-pro team, being with the guys for only two practices, I thought he played really, really well.”

In the 67th minute,  Ogbonna played a ball across the face of the goal to Amos Ndikumana, whose shot went just over the crossbar.

Minutes later, Sherman Winchester headed the ball to Moses Muhubao, who slotted it home to break the deadlock and give AFC Mobile the lead. The go-ahead goal was Muhubao’s second of the season.

In the 77th minute, AFC Mobile nearly doubled its lead when Batevya Mediateur found Ogbonna on the right hand side, but he couldn’t convert.

The Fire’s Dante Oliver managed to get past the Mobile back line in the 89th minute to equalize. Minutes later in stoppage time, Oliver scored the game winner for the Fire, in spite of impassioned cries from the crowd that he was offside.

The loss gives AFC Mobile an 0-0-2 record on the season. The Fire move to 1-0-1 after falling to Jackson, Mississippi’s Gaffa FC last week. Next Saturday, AFC Mobile will head to Jackson to take on Gaffa FC, who beat the reigning GCPL champions, CD Motagua of New Orleans, 4-2 on Saturday night.

AFC Mobile will play its next home game on June 10th at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex against Biloxi City FC. Tickets are only $5.00, and kids 12 and under will be admitted free of charge. RSVP today and invite your friends!  Be sure to follow AFC Mobile on all your favorite social media platforms: Facebook: AFC Mobile; Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat: @AFCMobile.