BROOKLYN FC VS FORT LAUDERDALE UNITED FC

Sunday, October 27th, 2024 (2:00 PM EST)

Game On Wheels

Oct 28, 2024

Match played at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium

Brooklyn FC Coaches

HEAD COACH: JESS SILVA

ASSISTANT COACH: PATRICK VIOLLAT

ASSISTANT COACH: JOHAN ERRAMI

Brooklyn Football Club Starting 11

• Goalkeeper: Sydney Martinez
• Center Back: Allison Pantuso
• Center Back: Kelsey Hill
• Forward: Sasha Pickard
• Full-Back: Leah Scarpelli
• Forward: McKenzie Pluck
• Midfielder: Sam Kroeger
• Forward: Jess Garziano
• Forward: Mackenzie George
• Striker: Dana Scheriff
• Midfielder: Emily Yaple

substitutions:
Samantha Rosette
Kess Elmore
Luana Grabias
Nikia Smith
Neeku Purcell
Isabel Cox
Carlyn Presley
Yesterday, my wheels found their way to Manhattan on the campus of Columbia University at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium, which opened in 1984 and has hosted Columbia’s men’s and women’s teams for the past 40 years. The brisk but frigid air did not deter spectators from coming out to support the women of Brooklyn Football Club. Individuals, couples, and even youth soccer teams grabbed their tickets to watch the hottest local team besides the New York Liberty in the borough of Brooklyn. Head coach Jessica Silva is credited as the first woman in Canada to earn her UEFA A Soccer License in France. She started strong in her tenure as coach, leading Brooklyn Football Club to occupy one of the top spots in the USL Super League standings so far. After a thrilling 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Sun on October 23rd, Brooklyn looked to continue its forward momentum. However, their opponent, Fort Lauderdale United FC, should not be underestimated. Led by star midfielder Addison McCain, who leads her team in goals scored so far this season with six, and defender Laveni Vaka, who boasts the highest pass accuracy percentage in the USL at 91.7%.
Brooklyn Football Club lined up in their standard but successful 4–3-3 formation (four defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards). Brooklyn came out of the gate firing on all cylinders and took the first shot on goal of the game. From my observation, Brooklyn plays well when they are aggressive early in the game; they played in a very high press, suffocating Fort Lauderdale United and any chances they had of getting into the box to score. BKFC Center Back Allison Pantuso led by example with her vocal direction alongside goalkeeper Sydney Martinez on the back line. Showcasing some excellent buildup, playing the right passes, and making correct defensive reads, Brooklyn Football Club’s confidence was on full display. Just 28 minutes into the match, midfielder Sam Kroeger, who has struggled a bit to find the net in previous games, scored her first BKFC goal, blasting a beautiful corner kick delivered by McKenzie Pluck to the upper right corner to put BKFC on the board. There was nothing Fort Lauderdale United goalkeeper Makenna Gottschalk could have done about it.
Brooklyn kept their foot on the gas and never looked back. Another area that Brooklyn Football Club has struggled with early in the season is finishing goal-scoring opportunities, particularly those presented by crosses into the box. However, in the 32nd minute of this game, the buildup leading to Brooklyn’s second goal showed flashes of what Coach Silva is building within the team. Sasha Pickard helped McKenzie George play a perfect ball to Dana Scheriff, who poked it in for an easy second goal. The echoes of young girls cheering, perhaps seeing a vision of their future, filled the stadium, spreading a smile across my face. Brooklyn Football Club took a solid 2-0 lead going into halftime.
Just 13 minutes into the second half, in the 57th minute, Brooklyn forward Luana Grabias demonstrated great awareness by passing the ball to McKenzie George, who took a few quick touches around Fort Lauderdale defender Cameron Brooks before tacking on another goal from the top of the box. In the 70th minute, Fort Lauderdale finally responded with a goal from midfielder Felicia Knox. A few moments later, in the 77th minute, a questionable call by the referee became evident to everyone in the stands. Brooklyn Center Back Allison Pantuso had a clear shot where the ball visibly went inside Fort Lauderdale’s goal and stayed there for a moment before being popped out, but the referee waved it off, failing to be alert during the entire sequence. Brooklyn was robbed of a brilliant goal.
Between the last 10 to 20 minutes of the game, Brooklyn’s persistence and aggressive play continued, with some well-orchestrated buildup in the 82nd minute. However, the ball was whipped a little too hard and was saved by Fort Lauderdale’s Gottschalk. After one final goal-scoring attempt by Brooklyn Football Club in the 88th minute, and a few minutes of extra time Brooklyn was awarded the convincing victory.

Final Score: Brooklyn Football Club 3 - Fort Lauderdale United FC 1

My Takeaways: Brooklyn seemed to play very relaxed in Sunday’s match. Coach Jessica Silva is experimenting with the perfect starting 11, so players like Captain Sam Rosette were used as a substitute. It is still early in the season, and with many clubs in the USL Super League, Brooklyn needs time to gel, but they are well on their way. This group of players has a one-for-all, all-for-one mentality, evident in the fun and energetic goal celebrations. The players seem ready to play together in Brooklyn for some time.

Brooklyn Football Club’s next match is on the evening of Halloween, October 31, against Spokane Zephyr FC. This will be the club’s last home game for a while and their final game at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium. After a long schedule of away games, they will welcome the new year in 2025 by finally playing at their permanent home, Mermaids Park, in Coney Island.

After the game, I had the opportunity to ask Brooklyn FC players Center Back Kelsey Hill, Center Back Allison Pantuso, Forward Sasha Pickard, and Head Coach Jessica Silva a few short questions. I mainly asked how they remain positive, whether they have a good game or a bad game, while playing in a city that cares passionately about its sports teams.

They collectively said they take pride in wearing a Brooklyn FC jersey and trust Coach Silva to refocus the team after a tough loss. Given the standard set by the inaugural team, I asked what they hope future Brooklyn Football Club players understand and feel. They believe that future players will know what it takes to represent Brooklyn to the fullest and the professionalism they need to uphold.

As I stood near the media backdrop, watching the trio of Brooklyn players with their coach, I realized the bond these ladies share. Coach Silva may appear unapproachable, but this is to be expected as she leads a team with so much promise. Coach Silva speaks assertively, providing her players with security and ensuring their well-being. I watched as Cuban-American forward Sasha Pickard, unexpectedly volunteered for a Spanish interview, shyly approached the microphone. Coach Silva stood by as her support, translating for Sasha to make the interview as smooth as possible. Afterward, Coach Silva quickly hugged Sasha, telling her she did great despite her self-doubt about her Spanish. This level of support from a coach is invaluable, and Coach Silva reminds me of Pat Summitt, the legendary University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball coach.

As a native New Yorker, watching Brooklyn Football Club gain popularity in real-time is remarkable. I can’t wait for the borough to fill the seats at Mermaids Park for years to come. Brooklyn’s collective mission to “Grow the game, uplift Brooklyn, and inspire a brighter future through soccer excellence” is already being felt. During a brief conversation with Brooklyn Football Club’s media coordinator, Kourtney Evans, she shared that the club has started integrating into the community by allowing students from Success Academy to attend games with their parents. This community engagement is the first of many, as they plan to celebrate other organizations and causes that resonate with New York and society at large.

Building a legacy doesn’t happen overnight. I firmly believe Brooklyn has the right pieces in place to go down in history as one of the best teams in New York sports history.

GO BROOKLYN!