After Florida Champions Miami United dominated the first half, the Tennessee Tempo flipped the script and scored with under 10 minutes to play to book a spot in the UPSL National Final Four and win 1-0 for the Southeast Region Championship.

When the game kicked off in the hot conditions at MOBA Soccer Stadium, it quickly became intense. Just two minutes in, Tempo right winger Horace Avila put in a dangerous cross towards goal that Miami goalkeeper Sebastian D’Angelo had to tip onto the back left side of the crossbar. Tempo then claimed the rebound and found Harrison Watts, whose shot was blocked from close range.

After that big chance, Miami United deployed a high press targeting the Tempo’s midfield, and it caused problems. In the 6th minute, Santiago Frean received the ball centrally 25 yards out, flicked it behind to Roberto Insua, and he drove into the box on the right side, rolling his attempt wide left.

Three minutes later, a physical challenge by Tempo won them the ball, and Insua slid in to stop the attack and got none of the ball. The ref quickly ran up to hand out a yellow card, and Insua ran up to protest. A few minutes later, Watts went down near midfield and the ref called a foul on Miami, causing the entire Miami bench to erupt.

Once the 16th minute hit, a shot from Miami’s Diego Morales from about 25 yards out went straight to the Tempo keeper. Only one minute after, however, Frean fought through challenges just inside the 18 and played the ball through to Alejo Fernandez on the right side of the box. His slow shot under pressure while falling to the ground forced Tempo keeper Francois Djiba to dive full stretch to his right and barely flick the ball wide.

Twenty-four minutes in, Insua had the ball taken from behind by a Tempo defender cleanly. However, in dramatic fashion, he fell to the ground rolling around in what seemed to be pain. After the ref stopped play for a few minutes for treatment and to tone down the arguing from players around him, he gave a foul. You could see control of the match being held to by a thread when 5 minutes later, the Miami United head coach was given a yellow card. His bench had erupted once again, this time over a throw-in call to the Tempo.

We were now a half-hour in, and Dominic Oduro got onto the end of a deflected cross 20 yards out from his Tempo teammate. His volley curved to the right but went over the bar. Then, Miami’s Frean played the ball through to defender Josduar Serrano, whose shot from the left side of the box was saved by Djiba diving down to his left.

Thirty seconds later, Morales was played nearly clean through on the left side of the box, but he attempted a shot with the outside of his right foot and it rolled harmlessly wide. Miami were piling on the pressure.

Forty-one minutes in, United’s Guido Cacciabue found space wide on the right side of the field. He crossed the ball in with the outside of his foot to the 6-yard box. Djiba came flying out to make the save with 1 hand, and a follow-up shot by Serrano was deflected and collected by Djiba diving left.

During the seven minutes of first half stoppage time, Morales drove into space for Miami and hit a shot 20 yards out straight to the keeper. He should’ve done much better with the time and space he had.

On the other end of the field, Tennessee forward Gregory Cousins crossed the ball from the right side of the pitch into the box low towards Harrison Watts, but D’Angelo slid in and got there first. The ball hit the goalkeeper’s thigh and went out on the sideline.

The first half ended fittingly with an angry reaction from the Miami United coaching staff. The Tempo’s Stanley Grand Pierre went down holding his face, but it was unclear why. The ref waited a while before giving a yellow card to Frean, causing the 4th official to have to push Miami coaches from his space and back to their benches.

The game would stay chippy in the second half, as Miami’s Serrano was given a yellow card one minute in.

A few minutes later, Harrison Watts found himself in a 1v1 counter attack (really a 1v2, but one Miami defender dropped off). He took a few touches inside, then a cut back to the left beat the defender. His shot against the keeper D’Angelo was somehow saved and tipped past the far post.

In the 53rd minute, a strike from India with the outside of his foot forced a diving save to Djiba’s right, the first chance of the new half for Miami United. A minute later, the Tempo’s Horace Avila had his powerful shot from 25 yards out go wide left.

Around this time, Tennessee’s top goalscorer Harrison Watts was subbed out for Latrell Middleton, who had only 2 goals on the year compared to Watts’ 13. Also around this time, Alfredo Gilly received a yellow card.

Sixty-four minutes gone, a very pacy cross fell back-post to Grand Pierre, and it hit his foot but went through his legs. Unlike the first half, the Tennessee Tempo had been dominating in the attack. They just could not seem to score!

Then, in the 81st minute, they found their breakthrough. Substitute Latrell Middleton received the ball at midfield, beat two defenders, broke into open space, and slotted the ball into the right side of the net against the keeper one-on-one.

In second half stoppage time, Latrell Middleton met a long Tempo clearance and tried to chip the keeper, but D’Angelo jumped up and back to his left, stretching a hand to swat it away. Middleton crossed to a diving Tempo forward in the box soon after, but D’Angelo made another massive save sprawling out and blocking the header. However, the veteran keeper’s efforts were not enough. The Tennessee super sub had made his mark, and the Tempo fought off all late Miami efforts to win 1-0 and be crowed Southeast Region Champions.

Deservedly so, the celebrations begun.

All photo credits on this post go to Benjamin Mansen!

To check out our other content after the match, click the links below:

Post-Match Interview with Tennessee Tempo Coaching Staff

Post-Match Interview with Tennessee Tempo Goalkeeper Francois Djiba

To watch the full match broadcast from the UPSL YouTube Channel, click here.

Tonight at 7:00pm EST, Miami United and the Tennessee Tempo face off at the MOBA Soccer Complex in Peachtree City, Georgia to see who will be crowned UPSL Southeast Champions and earn a spot in the National Finals. Here’s our preview of what is expected to be an intense and potentially high-scoring match.

Tennessee Tempo FC:

The champions of the KY-TN Conference for the 4th straight spring after a 4-0 win against FC Leapords have been just as good in the playoffs as they were during the regular season. Since their lone loss to Southern Indiana FC on April 26, they have won 10 straight games, including a 3-0 win against Gateway Division Champions 314 SC (St. Louis) in the Round of 32 and a 1-0 win in the Round of 16 against Mid-Atlantic Champions Asheville FC.

The Tempo’s trademark is their firepower offense with 61 goals scored on the year. They are led by the talented forward duo of Harrison Watts and Gregory Cousins. Watts has 13 goals on the season and was voted the club’s Newcomer of the Season after graduating from Lees-McRae College, where he had 21 goals and 9 assists over 4 years. Cousins has tallied 8 goals in UPSL action and has played for 3 years at Bethel University, where he’s scored 18 goals and provided 7 assists.

However, Tennessee’s defense cannot be overlooked, with only 7 goals allowed on the year. Anchored by captain Nathaniel Bedai (who surprisingly has 8 goals of his own this year, many of which seem to be penalties) and Defensive Player of the Season Moussa Gueye, they have the chance to keep another clean sheet on the year, even against a strong Miami side. The midfield duo of Jermaine Muirhead (4th on the team with 6 goals) and the Player’s Player of the Season Dominic Oduro round out the squad.

With the Tempo needing a penalty to get past a pesky Asheville side last Sunday, they will need to come out of the gate more explosive if they want to be Southeast Champions. They’ve shown time and time again they have the goalscoring ability, and it’s up to them to replicate dominance in the final third again. If they do, they could be on their way to matching their 2022 Spring National Runner-Up finish.

Miami United FC:

The more well-known team in this matchup, Miami United have made a name for themselves in the US Open Cup over the last few years, with upset wins over Chattanooga FC and Club de Lyon in 2024 and a good showing against Inter Miami II in 2025. There was also a betting scandal in the Cup run of ‘24.

The team is well known in the UPSL, as well, recently being crowned champions of Florida after a 2-0 win against Lakeland FC last week in the Round of 16. That extended their current win streak to 8 games. In 3 more matches than the Tempo, they’ve bagged the same number of goals, 61. While they have allowed 15 goals on the year, that is still less than one per game, and they have kept 2 straight clean sheets against Lakeland and FC America Spurs in the playoff rounds.

Miami has talent all over the field that can hurt you. Unlike the Tempo, their strength is the midfield, where the trio of Diego Morales, captain Robertino Insua, and appearance leader Santiago Frean (a goalscorer against Inter Miami II) dictate the game. Morales has 10 goals on the year, Insua has 8, and Frean has 5. The forward line is filled with depth, as while Luis Peralta and Alejo Fernandez have 9 goals each, they are rotated with Lucas Espindola, who scored in the Round of 32 for his 2nd goal of the year, and Alessandro Mazzeta, who bagged a game-deciding brace last week and has 4 goals this season.

The stout defense is led by Nick Fraggetti, who played in college for the University of West Florida and has made 25 appearances for the club. The starting goalkeeper is the great Seba D’Angelo, a 36-year old Argentinian with professional experience at Boca Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys.

The real question for Miami is who will be making the trip up to Peachtree City. Out of the players discussed above, Luis Peralta and Nick Fraggetti were not listed on the club’s lineup card for the Round of 16. Midfielders Nicolas Prada, listed on the UPSL website with 5 goals, also did not appear. No matter who does and does not play, Miami have strong depth and a strong midfield that will prove a challenge to Tennessee, but it will be hard for them to stop the Tempo attack. It really is anyone’s game.

Miami United head coach Claudio Frean released this statement before the match, saying “This Sunday we play one of the most important matches in Miami United’s history. It’s the grand final of the UPSL East Region and also the national quarterfinals against a tough rival like Tennessee Tempo. Winning would make us East Coast Champions and give us a ticket to the Final Four in California. It’s a huge challenge, but I’m proud of my players and I know we’re going to give everything on the field. We know it will be tough, but we are Miami United, and we have the duty to fight for victory”.

Tennessee Tempo captain Nathaniel Bedai shared a similar message: “I have five simple words for the fans and for my teammates. It is now or never.”

Under the bright lights of the MOBA Soccer Stadium, one of these talented teams will win the battle, but it isn’t talent that will decide who puts up the bigger fight. This is amateur soccer at its best, and only the best team will be named the Southeast Region Champion.

The game can be watched through this link on the UPSL YouTube channel.

After a shaky preseason, Broward Ballas FC still felt prepared to take on the challenges of UPSL Divsion 1 in the club’s second year of existence. However, the first two results of the season did not turn out the way they hoped, losing to Miami FC and Weston FC with 9 goals scored against.

Before the opening match against Miami’s academy, star player Luca Napoleone had to call out due to sickness, a huge blow to Broward’s attack. Even so, after a back-and-forth first ten minutes, the home side dominated the match with multiple chances led by Lucas Baldini. To end the first half, however, it was Miami FC who would first hit the scoresheet. A quick throw in from the academy side led to the first goal, and a rebound off a shot that hit the post made it 2-0 at the half.

The second half was better not talked about for the club as Miami piled on three more goals. The division favorites left Deerfield Beach with a resounding 5-0 win. Coach Michael Alvarez stated, “In the second half we completely fell out of shape and things started to go downhill. I think the morale went down after dominating a little bit so everybody was upset and then we ended up conceding three goals. A bad loss obviously, which is unfortunate but we gotta push through and try to be better for the season. We started off hot, but we gotta finish the job.”

The club tried to respond positively in their second match away to Weston FC U19 1, a team Broward drew with last season. While a few players were out due to injury, the team was fairly strong especially with Luca Napoleone’s return. And his return immediately paid off: Within the first two minutes of the match, Napoleone had scored Broward’s first goal of the season.

However, Weston FC were able to equalize 10 minutes later from a penalty. That gave the home side some momentum in the attack, but Franco, the Broward GK, made multiple good saves to keep the score at 1-1 going into the half.

Then again, Broward fell asleep in the second half. As their opposition was falling out of shape, Weston dominated the match and got their second goal. A Broward clearance fell to one of their players, whose shot became an accidental pass and went directly to his teammate for a 1 on 1 finish against the goalkeeper. A third goal would be added from a free kick, and then a 4th off a simple tap-in.

After the second loss, Coach Alvarez said, “We need to really focus on how to bounce back from these, do the right thing, and focus on holding our leads and scoring more, really working down the field with possession of the ball. It feels like we’re rushing it for no reason. We have about three weeks off right now until our next game, and we really need to focus on just playing smart, finding the right space, and keeping the ball and scoring goals.”

It’s two tough losses for the club, but with a large gap in their schedule, they have time to address the glaring needs in their play. The loss to Miami is forgivable considering they top the table of Florida South Zone 1 with 15 points from 5 matches, but they may want the Weston game back as they sit 6th with 6 points after 4 games. Broward are 11th in the 12-team division, but have multiple games in hand on many opponents.

The Broward Ballas will next face off away against Aventura FC Bold Nation (2nd in the division) on May 4, and that will be followed by 3 straight home matches from May 11 to May 22.

The Broward Ballas of Deerfield Beach, Florida were founded in 2024 by Michael Alvarez. They are set to play in UPSL Division 1 this spring when their season kicks off on April 6 at home vs. Miami FC’s academy at 7:30 EST (the first match was postponed). Before it begins, we sat down with Alvarez, who is also the coach of the team this year, to review preseason action and discuss the club’s identity and expectations for 2025.

How has preseason been for the club?

Alvarez: The club has been getting along good, a shaky preseason (draw against International Soccer Association (ISA) from UPSL Premier, two losses to Baile FC from Division 1) but we’re starting to turn it around. We have added an extra practice throughout the week and now are training three times a week. It’s really bringing the team bond together. On Tuesday for the Argentina versus Brazil game, we had a barbecue with all of us, the coaches and players. That was a lot of fun, really good team bonding event for us and yeah, it’s starting to gel together; just taking some extra time and trying to fix out the little things.

What positives can you draw from the preseason matches, from individual players and the team as a whole? In contrast, what needs to be worked on before the season to challenge in the UPSL?

A positive I would say that we could draw is the fact that we realize that we have talent, we’re just not using it in the proper way. We need to work a lot on building chemistry, our patience, our time, and just trying to focus on playing the right way and do the right things instead of maybe rushing a little too much. That’s what we’ve been doing. A lot of practice has a lot of possession-based drills and such things like that because we need to really focus on being patient with the ball, taking time with the ball, finding the right pass, not forcing stuff, trying to play together, learn how each other play.

I’d say the preseason matches are good, especially because it shows me some of the players individually, how they play, what their main focus is even if they’re directed a certain other way. So, it really shows me who my starters are set aside from my bench players.

Mentioning starters, who are some players you believe will stand out for the team this season?

Luca Napoleone may say he plays just as Messi does! Jose Comella is a CDM and a very good midfielder. Andre Pacheco, our striker, can be expected for a decent amount of goals.

You’ve mentioned a patient, possession-based focus, but how else will the team set up tactically and play this season?

So tactically, we line up in a 4-2-3-1. We play with our winger, kind of playing lower and only going really high up during the attack. We do build out the back through our full backs to try to find the midfielders, and our midfielders are usually the ones distributing our attack, obviously not always but that’s how we like to play. We like to keep our touches very limited. We want to focus on a Tiki-Taka style of play. And, one of our main focuses is to have the fullbacks involved a lot in our attacking play.

What are your expectations for the club this season? In the 11-team Florida South Zone 1 division, can the team compete against Miami FC’s academy, Baile FC, and others for promotion to UPSL Premier?

I would say as of the pace that we’re on right now, I can’t give a definitive answer. I would say they were definitely improving, but I’m not sure if we’ll be able to keep the pace and maybe fight for even the number one spot right now. We might be fighting for the top five, but we’ll see throughout the season, you know? We take it game by game, practice by practice. We try to work on what we need to work on and at the end of the day if the players want it, they’re gonna try to make it happen. So, we’ll see what they can do.

Come back to Southeast Soccer Report throughout this season for more coverage of Broward Ballas FC!

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Mills Pond Park – February 26, 2025

Parkland Soccer Club opened their UPSL Premier Spring Season with a tough 4-1 loss against Solayia FC on Wednesday night at Mills Pond Park.

Despite moments of promise, Parkland struggled to match Solayia’s experience and clinical finishing. Anthony Carnuccio scored the lone goal for Parkland, converting a well-placed assist from Frank Markovich in the second half.

Solayia Starts Strong

Making their UPSL Premier debut, Solayia wasted no time asserting themselves, breaking through Parkland’s defense early to take the lead. The hosts continued to press and doubled their advantage before halftime, putting Parkland in a difficult position heading into the break.

Parkland's Response Falls Short

Parkland responded with urgency in the second half, and their efforts were rewarded when Markovich slipped a pass through to Carnuccio, who calmly slotted the ball home.

However, Solayia quickly regained control, adding two more goals to put the game out of reach and secure a convincing 4-1 victory.

Coach Dumel Encouraged Despite the Result

Parkland head coach Dumel Decius acknowledged the challenges of playing with such a young squad but found positives to build on.

“There were definitely some things I was happy with,” Decius said. “We’re a young team, and these games are important learning lessons for the group. I expect us to come out more aggressive in future matches, and I know these guys will keep improving.”

Next Up: Palm Beach Flames – Saturday, March 8

Parkland will look to regroup and secure their first win of the season when they take on Palm Beach Flames on Saturday, March 8.

📍 Final Score: Solayia FC 4 - 1 Parkland Soccer Club
⚽ Parkland Goal: Anthony Carnuccio (Assist: Frank Markovich)
🏟 Venue: Mills Pond Park
🔜 Next Match: Parkland SC vs. Palm Beach Flames – Saturday, March 8

Stay tuned for more UPSL coverage and updates from Parkland Soccer Club.

The UPSL Spring season gets underway Wednesday night at 8 PM at Mills Pond Park, as Parkland Soccer Club and Solayia FC face off in their opening match of the campaign. Both teams will be eager to secure three points and set the tone for the season in what promises to be a compelling matchup.

Parkland’s Youth Movement

Parkland enters the season with one of the youngest rosters in the league, relying on a core of 2007 and 2008 birth-year players to compete at the UPSL Premier level. While young, the squad boasts a mix of skill, energy, and leadership.

Aquiles Yibirin will command the midfield, orchestrating play and setting the tempo for Parkland’s attack. Goalkeeper Alex Jimenez will be key between the posts, providing stability and leadership from the back. Up front, Steve Moodie Jr. will look to be the focal point in the attack, using his physical presence and finishing ability to trouble defenders.

An X-factor for Parkland will be Jahmari Hutchinson, a dynamic player whose speed and creativity can open up defenses and create scoring opportunities. His ability to take on defenders and provide an attacking spark could be crucial in breaking down Solayia’s backline.

Parkland is led by head coach Iban Lemache and player-coach Dumel Decius, who will bring experience both on and off the field in guiding this young squad through the season.

Solayia FC’s Premier Division Debut

For Solayia FC, Wednesday night marks a historic moment as they make their UPSL Premier debut after earning promotion from UPSL Division 1. Moving up a level comes with new challenges, and they’ll be looking to prove they belong among the top-tier teams.

A key storyline heading into this match is the presence of Solayia FC goalkeeper Christian Chacón, who also serves as the head coach of Stoneman Douglas High School. Chacón is very familiar with Parkland’s squad, as he currently coaches several of their players at Stoneman Douglas, including Elan Saranga, Aquiles Yibirin, and Anthony Carnuccio. This unique dynamic adds an interesting layer to the game, as Chacón will have firsthand knowledge of Parkland’s strengths and tendencies.

With kickoff set for 8 PM at Mills Pond Park, this season opener presents an exciting contrast between Parkland’s youthful energy and Solayia’s hunger to make an impact in the Premier Division. Will Parkland’s young stars step up under the bright lights, or will Solayia FC announce their arrival in style?

Soccer fans won’t want to miss this one.