Augusta downs FC Birmingham 3-0 in UPSL action
The Augusta Soccer Team moves into third place in the UPSL D1 Georgia South Conference
The Augusta Soccer Team defeated the visiting FC Birmingham U23 team 3-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Augusta Soccer Park. A free kick goal in the 34th minute and then two goals in the final stretch of the match saw Augusta to the comfortable win.
FC Birmingham U23 traveled with just 13 players for this UPSL Georgia South Conference match and looked to be managing well both the explosive Augusta attack as well as the warm afternoon over the first thirty minutes of play.
The hosts finally solved the Birmingham defense just after the first-half hydration break.
An Augusta free kick from the midfield was dumped into the box where Nigel Adiuku was first to the service to nod the ball down past the Birmingham keeper for the 1-0 lead in the 34th minute. Augusta had been threatening the Birmingham goal with crosses and long passes building up to the goal that sent the hosts to the break up 1-0.
Birmingham in the second half again had a bend-but-don’t-break attitude when defending and held off wave after wave of Augusta attacks up to the second half hydration break. Augusta exited the break by trapping Birmingham deep in their end and after a series of saves and stolen clearances Augusta found the nets for another goal. Kevin Reyes collected a pass at the top of the box and curled a superb left-footed shot that looped up and over the crowded penalty box into the back post just out of reach of the under-siege Birmingham keeper.
A third goal for Augusta came in the 86th minute as Carson Stephenson was slipped a ball inside the penalty box for him to neatly one-touch the shot low to the far post past the frozen keeper unable to react fast enough to the moment.
The match ended 3-0 to the hosts as goalkeeper Justus Holden picked up the shutout for Augusta.
“Overall, we’re always happy with a win,” said Augusta Head Coach Merquiades McLellan. “We could have played a lot better, we still have things to work on, I think we had almost 30 shots total with seven on frame and we’re creating a lot more chances than we have in the past…so we’re happy about that. We were in a slump for a little bit where we had a tie, a loss, and a win by one (goal) and we’re happy to be out of that slump. From here we just have to keep going. I always tell the guys the goal is not to keep you here, it’s to get to the next level whether that is college or pro for you and that needs to be the mentality everyday. That means doing the simple things and not being rushed.”
With the win, Augusta now sits in third place in the UPSL Georgia South Conference with 16 points just two points out of the top spot. The Augusta Soccer Team is back at home next weekend on May 31 as Limeno Georgia III visits for a 3 PM kickoff.