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Pensacola FC Scores Late to Sink AFC Mobile 1-0

Photo Credit: Seth Laubinger

After days of uncertainty due to the looming threat of Tropical Depression Claudette, Pensacola FC was able to make the trip west on I-10 to take on AFC Mobile on what turned out to be a beautiful night for soccer at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex. Despite the beautiful weather, the night ended in depression for Mobile fans as Pensacola FC scored a goal in the 89th minute to seal a 1-0 victory. 

The Azaleas had a significant chance in the first half when striker Karl Mbouombouo was played past the Pensacola backline by Ronaldo Fortune. However, Pensacola’s keeper, Jules Dechert, closed down Mbouombouo, forcing the forward to play a shot straight at the keeper.  Mobile had another chance in the 23rd minute when Fortune’s low-rolling, long-range effort slid just to the left of the goal. Fortune led the Azaleas to another chance just five minutes later when he picked the ball up in midfield and sprayed it wide to Clairy Kengeye, who throttled a shot while being closed down by a Pensacola defender. Kengeye’s effort was stopped but bobbled by Dechert, who collected the ball as Kengeye ran at him. 

Dechert sent the ball down the field for the 59ers. After a lovely passage of play, Pensacola took a shot that was saved by Mobile’s goalkeeper Will Blake. It was one of several saves the Mobile native made on the night to keep the Azaleas level.

The home team took another chance in the 32nd minute when Fortune was played in behind the Pensacola backline by Kengeye. Fortune brought the ball down and tried to chip Dechert, but the Pensacola keeper kept his composure, reached up, and saved Fortune’s shot. Then, in the 36th minute, Mobile’s Kengeye was shown a yellow card for a light shove on a Pensacola player.  

“We put ourselves in a position that we needed to be in to score goals, and there were a couple of other moments in the first half as well where we were able to do that,” AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wiezorek said. “Unfortunately, in the game of soccer when you don’t capitalize on those chances, the game has ebbs and flows, and the flow went back against us. You get what you get when it doesn’t go in the back of the net.” 

Mobile made two changes to start the second half. Eddie Dakwa came on for Salia Carr and Iba Ndaw for Karl Mbouombouo. However, the 59ers came out strong in the second half and were awarded a free kick in the 51st minute, which was saved by a diving Will Blake, continuing the dominant goalkeeping performances seen from both sides in the first half. 

In what had been a fantastic attacking performance so far, the Azaleas attempted to sharpen their attacking edge by bringing on Chisom Ogbonna for Blake Palmquist. The home team nearly took the lead in the 69th minute when Fortune charged down the right-wing and pulled the ball back to avoid Dechert. However, Dechert slid into Fortune, causing him to go down and causing the fans to clamor for a penalty that was not given. Ten minutes later, Clairy Kengeye saw his second yellow card on the night, leaving the home team down to 10 men. 

“I’m disappointed obviously,” Wieczorek said. “I never put things on the referee, that’s the referee’s decision and choice, but obviously he has to know that the player has a yellow card, so that decision has to be worthy to be another yellow card because you understand that you change the dynamic of the game drastically. So now we went from being in a position where we had a decent foothold in the game and could potentially score, and now we’re just hanging on. And we couldn’t.” 

Pensacola’s Samuel Richards was cautioned in the 87th minute when he brought down Mobile’s Iba Ndaw on a counter-attack. The fans clamored for more than a red card on what they believed was a clear goalscoring opportunity, but Richards was shown only a yellow. This set up a Mobile free-kick from just beyond midfield. Defender Zubair Taylor sent a beautiful ball into the box that was headed wide right of the goal by Stanley Joseph. 

Pensacola took the lead in the 89th minute when Jamaican international Jabari Hylton received a ball in the box and maneuvered his way past Mobile’s Stanley Joseph to slot home the game-winner. The goal was Hylton’s second in as many games for the 59ers. 

Pensacola FC will attempt to build on this win when they travel to Tommy Oliver Stadium in Panama City this Tuesday to take on Florida Roots FC. This ended a four-match homestand for the Azaleas, who will now travel to the Sunshine State to play three matches on the road. The first of which is also against Florida Roots this Thursday night. 

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 Releases 2020 Schedule

Mobile, Alabama – February 11, 2020 –AFC Mobile announced its 2020 NPSL schedule on Wednesday, including a highly-anticipated Mobile-New Orleans home-and-home tilt, back-to-back matches against longtime rivals Port City FC, and the second annual Moon Pie Match against Chattanooga FC. 

The season will be the team’s first in the National Premier Soccer League, the top summer soccer league in the country, sanctioned by the US Adult Soccer Association. The 91-team NPSL offers direct qualification to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, which pits clubs from every division in American soccer against one another in single-knockout competition. 

“We are certainly excited about the upcoming campaign. We will see some familiar faces and create new rivalries which will be fantastic for our supporters and special for the players,” said AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek. “The schedule will be tough but I know that we are up for it and ready to give everything for the club and our loyal supporters.”

The Azaleas will open their 2020 campaign on May 7th on the road against the Jacksonville Armada U23s. AFC Mobile will then travel to New Orleans, Louisiana to face the New Orleans Jesters on May 16th. This will be the first meeting between the two sides since 2018 when the Jesters beat the Azaleas 2-1 in a preseason friendly in Mobile. 

AFC Mobile will play its home opener on May 23rd when the Jacksonville Armada U23s travel to the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex (“The Lip”). Mobile will spend the next two weeks on the road facing familiar opposition in Tallahassee SC and Pensacola FC. Both clubs are joining AFC Mobile in moving from the Gulf Coast Premier League to the Gulf Coast Conference of the NPSL. Mobile will return home on June 6th to host the Jesters, who spent 2019 on hiatus after an NPSL Southeastern Conference Finals appearance in 2018.

The Forgotten Coast Cup will be renewed when Port City FC travels to Mobile on June 13th and AFC Mobile heads to Gulfport the following weekend on June 20th. The Azaleas will play host to Tallahassee SC the following weekend on June 27th. 

On July 1st, AFC Mobile will travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee to take on Chattanooga FC of the National Independent Soccer Association, the third division of American professional soccer, in the second annual Moon Pie Match friendly. 

“Renewing our match against CFC is another important part of the journey forward as an organization. We get to measure ourselves against an established successful club and play in an outstanding environment,” Wieczorek said. 

The Match for the Moon Pie will pit AFC Mobile against a fully professional Chattanooga FC led by former University of Mobile coaching great Peter Fuller. The winner will take home a professional wrestling-style belt adorned with a Moon Pie Championship logo.

“It’s exciting for us to see some familiar faces come back to Finley (Stadium) this summer,” said Jeremey Alumbaugh, Managing Director of Chattanooga FC. “Having AFC Mobile return for the Moon Pie Match will give our fans and supporters a great treat and we are anxious for the 2020 season to begin.” 

AFC Mobile will conclude the regular season the following Saturday on the Fourth of July by hosting Pensacola FC at the Lip. All home matches will kick-off at 7 p.m. at the Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb Athletic Complex. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at http://afcmobile.net/shop!

AFC Mobile Draws with Tallahassee ​​SC 2-2 in GCPL Opener

A late equalizer from Chisom Ogbonna sealed a point for the Azaleas in their GCPL opener against Tallahassee Soccer Club.

The Azaleas opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a goal from Iba Ndaw at the top of the six-yard box assisted by Sam Blackburn.

The Battle Lions equalized in the 30th minute with a shot chipped over keeper Domenic Nascimben. The away team scored a beautiful curling free kick in the 86th minute to give them a 2-1 lead.

The Azaleas clinched the draw with a header from Ogbonna in the 90th minute.

AFC Mobile will travel to Hattiesburg on Saturday to take on Hattiesburg FC. The Azaleas will return home on Saturday, May 25th to take on reigning Gulf Coast Premier League champions Port City FC in the first leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup. Tickets are $10, and kids 12 and under are admitted for free. Season tickets can also be purchased at a discounted rate of $30 

AFC Mobile Beats Baton Rouge 7-2 In Final Preseason Test

Behind four goals from Iba Ndaw, AFC Mobile rolled over Baton Rouge United 7-2 in their final preseason test before the 2019 Gulf Coast Premier League campaign.

“Iba’s job is to bounce to the ball in the middle third of the field, and then get in the box and put it in the back of the net, and today he did exactly that,” said AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek.

Ndaw opened the scoring in the seventh minute with an assist from his former Spring Hill College teammate, club vice captain Tilman Schober.

“I have great chemistry with Tilman. We’ve played together in a lot of games, and he understands me well, and I understand him. I’ve always enjoyed playing with him because he’s an unselfish player and he always knows where to find me,” Ndaw said. “We’re going to do a lot of good things together this year, and I’m looking forward to it.”

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Tillman Schober and Iba Ndaw celebrate after a goal. Photo: Seth Laubinger

Ndaw netted his second in the 21st minute after getting on the end of a ball from Sam Blackburn, and he completed his hat trick by scoring in the 28th minute.

“It’s always a fun time playing in front of the home crowd, and after our first two preseason games we owed it to them to turn up today,” Ndaw said.

Baton Rouge scored an own goal in the 34th minute. Just three minutes later, Blackburn scored his first career goal for AFC Mobile with an assist from Chisom Ogbonna. The Azaleas took a 6-0 lead into the half after Ndaw scored his fourth and final goal of the match.

“I think he could’ve scored more goals,” Wieczorek said. “That’s been the big thing with Iba. He is capable of so much, and we just need to continue to drive that out of him.”

The match quieted down after a mass substitution for the Azaleas to start the second half. Baton Rouge United got on the board in the 83rd minute. However, the Azaleas responded just three minutes later with a goal from the club’s all-time leading goalscorer Chisom Ogbonna. Baton Rouge pulled one more back in the 90th minute and the match finished 7-2 in favor of the home team.

“In the second half, although we did concede two, we had a lot of the ball which shows we’re good in possession,” Wieczorek said. “Yes, some negatives to concede, especially when we’re well on top like that, gives us some things that we can improve on going into our first game.”

AFC Mobile will kick off the 2019 Gulf Coast Premier League season at home next week against newcomers Tallahassee Soccer Club. The match will kickoff at 7 p.m. at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex. Tickets are $10, and all kids 12 and under will be admitted free. Season tickets are on sale for $40 and can be purchased here.

AFC Mobile Coach Nate Nicholas Steps Down Ahead of 2019 Season

AFC Mobile head coach Nate Nicholas has resigned from his position as head coach ahead of the 2019 Gulf Coast Premier League season.

“To coach this team has been a dream for me that I didn’t even know I had. I have decided to step down to see this club grow even more and for me to focus more on my family and McGill-Toolen soccer program.” Nicholas said in a statement that will be shared in full on afcmobile.net.

Nicholas was the first manager in AFC Mobile history, and led the club through two seasons of growth, including the implementation of a reserve team and friendly matches against two decorated NPSL Southeast opponents. During his tenure, AFC Mobile grew to become the best-supported team in the Gulf Coast Premier League.

“Without Nate Nicholas, AFC Mobile would not exist,” said Sean Landry, board member and CFO. “Nate believed in us when all we had was a logo and a dream. He gave us the ability to turn that dream into the heaven it’s become. The same qualities that led us to respect Nate and to bring him on board are the ones leading him to take a step back – commitment to family, to his profession, to his personal growth, and to his community. I, and everyone associated with this club, are grateful to him for his two years of service, and I look forward to working with him in the future.”

The AFC Mobile board was made aware of Nicholas’ decision shortly after the conclusion of the GCPL season, at which point the club began a search for a new manager

AFC Mobile is Mobile’s minor league soccer team, competing in the Gulf Coast Premier League. The 2018 season begins in May and runs through July. All home games will be played at the Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb Complex – “The Lip.”  Tickets begin at just $5, and children 12 and under are free with adult admission. A full schedule and information about season tickets will be available soon. Select merchandise is available now at afcmobile.net and The Trading Post at 7985 Tanner Williams Road.  Follow AFC Mobile on all your favorite social media platforms to keep up-to-date on additional information about the 2019 season!

Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday Sale

Everything in our online store is 25% off this weekend through Monday!

That’s right! All of it! From our classic Crest to our Skyline, to our MOB t-shirts, from our “2018 Supporters Scarf” and jerseys to the pre-sale items in our “Fall Collection” it is all on sale during Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday!

Browse our full catalog here then use the coupon code “AFCThanks18” at checkout to save 25% through Monday!

AFC Mobile rolls in 11-0 rout of Real United FC

MOSS POINT, Miss. – AFC Mobile snapped a three-match losing streak with a dominant 11-0 victory over Real United FC Riverhawks on Saturday night in Moss Point. Goalkeepers Barou Ndaw and Patrick Davis kept AFC Mobile’s first-ever clean sheet in a joint effort, while the netminder’s brother Iba Ndaw led the Azaleas in scoring with four goals. Abdal Almutairi applied consistent pressure on the Riverhawks defense and scored a hat trick, including his first goal for the club. This match saw three AFC Mobile United players make their first team debut: Davis, Matthew Duffey, and Justin Mallis, brother of AFC Mobile regular Markos Mallis.

“We were just the better team tonight and it showed in the scoreline,” AFC Mobile coach Nate Nicholas said. “But just to be blatantly honest, I’m not going to really be able to take a whole lot from that game and use it for next week. With a game that high-scoring, it kind of gets a little bit unrealistic.”

Mobile controlled the early stages of the game. The Azaleas opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Martin Fiemawhle sent a ball across the face of goal that was slotted home by Iba Ndaw. Real United had a short spell of possession after the opening goal, but never truly threatened Barou Ndaw in goal. The Azaleas nearly doubled their tally after Dawson Jellenc initiated a string of build-up passes in the midfield. The ball returned to Jellenc, whose shot went just wide of the goal. AFC Mobile scored again in the 35th minute after Matt Merrill played a long ball from the midfield to Fiemawhle who chipped the keeper to give the Azaleas a 2-0 lead. In the 40th minute, Almutairi opened his scoring account by chipping the keeper and giving the Azaleas a 3-0 lead. Two minutes later, Merrill played another through ball from midfield and Almutairi sent a high arching shot in the air, chipping the keeper for a second time. The Azaleas took a 4-0 lead into halftime.

“They just needed high pressure on the defense,” Almutairi said. “I just did what the coach asked me to and I pressed high on them.”

Mobile found the back of the net early in the second half. In the 47th minute, Iba Ndaw took a close range shot that spilled across the goalline after it was fumbled by the Riverhawks keeper. Two minutes later, Ira Bowens played a ball for Almutairi down the right wing. Almutairi completed his hat trick after sending in another arching shot from a tight angle, giving the Azaleas a 6-0 lead. In the 53rd minute, Almutairi played a ball into the box and Matt Merrill scored from point blank range, giving the Azaleas a 7-0 lead. The away team continued to dominate the second half. Iba Ndaw completed his hat trick in the 80th minute after Matthew Duffey played him in from the top of the box. In the 87th minute, Duffey went on to score a goal of his own in his AFC Mobile debut off an assist from Brantton Greene.

Off the restart from Duffey’s goal, Iba Ndaw played in Tomas Lopez who slotted home an easy effort to bring the score to 10-0.  In the 91st minute, Iba Ndaw scored one more goal unassisted after dribbling past the Riverhawks’ defense and goalkeeper, bringing the final score to 11-0.

This Saturday, the Azaleas return to the Lip to take on Port City FC in the second leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup. Although this rivalry is only two years old, it has produced some of the closest matches and most memorable moments in either club’s history, and has been labeled the “realest rivalry in American soccer” by media outlets.

“Last time they did a real good job of getting one of our better players red-carded and suspended,” Nicholas said. “It’s a grudge match. I don’t care if one team is in the playoffs and one team is not. It was the same way last year and both games were very intense, very in your face, go-at-it soccer and I don’t expect it to be any different. I expect it to be pretty hardcore.”

Kickoff for that game is at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 14th at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex located at 3610 Michael Boulevard in Mobile. Tickets are just $5 and children 12 and under are admitted free.

Getting to Know You: Port City FC

What is the Forgotten Coast Cup? Non League America has called it the “realest developing rivalry in American soccer.” Port City FC (formerly “Biloxi City FC”) and AFC Mobile began a somewhat neighborly but also bitter rivalry in 2017 when PCFC came to Mobile and won 2-1 on a stoppage-time winner by Trevor Aires. That game included three red cards for Port City, a coach ejection, and some bitter play on both sides of the ball. When AFC Mobile traveled to Gulfport later in the season, they pulled out their first and only win of their inaugural season with a 4-2 victory. This weekend, after a delay due to Tropical Storm Alberto, both teams head back to the pitch with new players, one with a new name, and both with one goal for their supporters: beat the other club mercilessly.

CLUB: Port City FC

NICKNAME: The Sounders; PCFC

Port City FC, much like AFC Mobile, is an ambitious club. They were the first non-Louisiana team to join the GCPL and had a decent amount of success in their early years. The club has yet to make the playoffs, but along with Pensacola FC — who they tied earlier this season — PCFC is considered one of the favorites to make the playoffs in a stacked GCPL Eastern Conference. Currently in third place in the East, and only by the third tie-breaker of goals scored, Port City will be looking to get a win over their bitter Mobilian rivals, which would also potentially push them over Pensacola and the Rangers to the top of the Eastern Conference table.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: For Port City, Patrick Harrison has been a stalwart. One of the best and most consistent players in GCPL for the better part of three seasons, Harrison has made the All-GCPL team in successive years. With the Gulfport club, his importance cannot be measured on the scorecard alone. This year, however, the player most people will become most aware of is Jordan Hall. A left-footed striker from Manchester, England, Hall spent last season playing for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College where he was named an NSCAA All-American for his 28 goals and 12 assists over 18 games for MGCCC. This fall, Hall will be heading off to Rutgers to play NCAA D1 soccer. As of this moment, Hall is sitting on four goals and five assists for the Sounders and will be looking to continue this form on the left side of the attack. But Port City’s plethora of playmakers is not finished with there, they also feature the GCPL’s third all-time leading goal scorer in Michael Cooper. Cooper, who scored the decisive goal in the GCPL Cup Final for Gaffa FC last season, has returned to Gulfport and will be looking to further add to his already impressive GCPL goal tally.

The club can be found on Facebook and Twitter at @PortCityFC and its website, www.portcityfc.com.