A Statement Made in the Wind: WIFC’s Ruthless Display Silences S.C. Eintrach
McCarren Park, Brooklyn — April 13, 2025
On a wind-brushed afternoon in North Brooklyn, the game didn’t wait for the weather to settle. It was Williamsburg International FC Men’s First Team that took the wind and made it theirs. A 4-0 victory over S.C. Eintracht wasn’t just a scoreline—it was a statement. A lesson in tempo, balance, and attacking intent from a team that continues to mold its identity around a tactical foundation that speaks both of discipline and invention.
This wasn’t just three points. It was the kind of performance that defines a club’s ethos.
A Performance Worth Its Weight in Wind
There’s an old truth in football that Grant Wahl often circled around: teams that move with purpose tend to make moments out of mere minutes. Williamsburg International FC wasted little time doing just that. Within eight minutes, the tempo was set. Jin Seo, ghosting into the penalty area, latched onto a sequence of pressure and link-up play to score from close range. His finish wasn’t just opportunistic—it was structural. It came from a buildup rooted in intelligent positioning and an understanding of space.
And that’s what defines this WIFC side under its current leadership. This is a team that plays with structure but breaks lines with improvisation.
By the 21st minute, it was Ethan Ellsworth who lit up the pitch with the goal of the match. Receiving the ball in the right inside channel, he took a touch and curled a sensational strike into the top corner. If this were a console game, the controller would’ve rumbled with pride. The technique was sublime, the execution surgical.
Three minutes later, David Rodriguez added the third—an instinctive finish after a clever spell of possession. That goal, coming in the 24th minute, broke the spirit of an S.C. Eintracht side that was already scrambling to track WIFC’s off-ball movement.
And yet, what stood out wasn’t just the scoreline. It was how the game was controlled—dictated—from the middle of the pitch.
Tactical Overview: WIFC’s 4-2-3-1 in Motion
WIFC set up in a textbook 4-2-3-1, but the execution was far from ordinary. It was a masterclass in understanding roles and controlling zones.
Starting XI (4-2-3-1)
GK: Alex Beiner
RB: Koji Gormezano
RCB: Nicholas Hilton (Captain)
LCB: Walker Mainwaring
LB: Jakob Kress
CDM: Agustin Aguerre
CDM: David Rodriguez
RM: Ethan Ellsworth
CAM: Onur Ilingi
LM: Jin Seo
ST: Wilson MacMillan
At the base, Aguerre and Rodriguez formed a pivot that did more than screen the back line—they functioned as the control tower. Rodriguez, often dropping into half-spaces, was a metronome. Aguerre complemented him with vertical pressure and line-breaking passes.
Out wide, Ellsworth and Seo provided width and incisiveness, alternating between touchline-hugging and cutting inside. Seo’s timing off the left was especially notable—arriving late into the box, offering a secondary runner behind the striker.
Onur Ilingi, in the No. 10 role, brought connectivity between midfield and forward lines, allowing MacMillan to stretch the defense vertically. Ilingi’s ability to operate in pockets—especially under pressure—opened space for overlapping fullbacks, most notably Koji Gormezano, who provided relentless vertical support.
In defense, Hilton and Mainwaring were unbothered. Hilton, in particular, showcased why he wears the armband: vocal, anticipatory, and unfazed. Jakob Kress, on the left, played with a calm maturity—rarely overcommitting, always offering an outlet.
Second Half Control and the Closing Strike
With a 3-0 cushion at halftime, the second half was less about chasing goals and more about asserting identity. WIFC controlled possession in central areas, using their pivot to freeze Eintracht’s transitional ambitions.
In the 53rd minute, substitute Matthew Kehrl capped off the display with a poacher’s finish from close range—his movement into the six-yard box a mirror of the positional discipline that has become a hallmark of this squad.
The 4-0 scoreline didn’t flatter WIFC. It simply told the truth.
Beyond the Result
Eintracht weren’t without ambition. There were flashes of technical ability—individuals who could trap and turn under pressure—but nothing cohesive enough to tilt the match. Their physical advantage never translated into tactical superiority. WIFC, lighter on paper, were heavier in intention and sharper in structure.
The performance underlines what this Williamsburg side is becoming. With leadership from Hilton, midfield control from Rodriguez and Aguerre, and attacking clarity from Ellsworth and Seo, this team has a spine. But more than that, it has a vision.
Next Steps
WIFC now look ahead to April 27th, where Desportiva Sociedad NY await at Astoria Park. With momentum in their corner and a performance blueprint in hand, the task now is consistency.
But for now, Sunday belonged to Williamsburg. The wind blew, the ball moved, and a team played with both purpose and joy. Not many better ways to spend an April afternoon in Brooklyn.
