LANSING, Mich. — From friendly matches to Midwest Premier League competition, Lansing Common FC was an imposing force in its opening month of May, scoring 11 goals and conceding just one across all matches while starting 2-0-1 in league play.
The Robins carried that performance into June with a 1–0 victory over local club Red Cedar FC in a friendly match on Friday, June 6, at Eastern Stadium on Lansing Facts Night.
In a match featuring many unfamiliar faces, fans were given a glimpse of possible future stars waiting for a chance to break through. LCFC head coach Brent Sorg views opportunities like Friday as a chance to reward his reserves and give players a platform to prove they deserve a call-up.
“We shared with them, at the end of the day, this is about you,” Sorg said. “This is an opportunity for you to prove that you belong, not only belong with the team, but can you crack into the first team?”
With many new faces in the starting lineup, Samy Omar was the only player not making his first start of the season and was joined by his brother, Nady Omar. Both consistently energized the LCFC attack in the first half, generating chances and creating shots, though none were able to find the back of the net, leaving the score 0–0 at halftime.
From the opening seconds of the second half, it was clear LCFC was hungry to erase their zero on the scoreboard. On its second possession of the half, Quinn Scott got an open look in front of the net, but the goalkeeper corralled it.
Sorg praised Scott after the match for not only his level of play but also his versatility.
“He played out of position. He played as a winger when technically he’s a left back,” Sorg said. “Gavin (Rabideau) was playing there (left back) so we went, all right, let’s move him up a level. I thought he did well.”
The match remained a battle between goalkeepers until the 57th minute.
Dylan Bott played a beautiful ball from midfield to the left corner, finding Gavin Rabideau, who settled it and took a shot that led to Red Cedar FC’s goalkeeper’s first mistake of the night.
As he bent down to collect the bouncing ball, it slipped past his right foot. Jayson Janofski seized the opportunity and blasted the loose ball into the back of the net as the keeper crawled to recover.
A few additional scoring opportunities came and went for the Robins, but the score held at 1–0 until the end. Even with the low-scoring output, Sorg still saw plenty to like from his players in the friendly.
“I thought Santi (Santiago Contreras) in the midfield was really good tonight,” Sorg said. “Mason Winkle at center back, I thought he did well, and I thought our goalkeepers were pretty solid.”
The combo of Jonny Schwarz in the first half and Lazaro Salais in the second kept the opponent scoreless, which is a trend LCFC hopes to continue in its next match against Goshen City FC, which sits atop the Great Lakes West Division with a game in hand over Lansing.
“We’re gonna have to have our very best, and we know that, and that’s gonna be hopefully what we bring,” Sorg said about their upcoming match against Goshen City FC. “The guys know what the game means, because they know that Goshen has two wins and two draws, so they know that this game means a lot.”
The match is set for Sunday, June 8, at 5 p.m. in Goshen, Ind., as two of the top teams in the Great Lakes West Division meet for the first of their two matchups this season.
