Soda City advance in UPSL Mid-Atlantic Playoffs

Soda score four goals in first half and hold off NC Lions rally in second half to win 4-3

It was a tale of two halves in Irmo Saturday night as Soda City FC began the Spring 2025 UPSL Mid-Atlantic playoffs by defeating the visiting NC Lions 4-3 to advance to the conference semifinals.

The two-time defending UPSL National Champs looked to be cruising into the next round of the playoffs after they poured in four first-half goals over the NC Lions to hold a commanding lead at the half. The NC Lions used the halftime break to regroup and made things very interesting in the second half scoring three goals to make it a tense finish.

Soda City FC got on the scoreboard in the 3^rd minute as team captain Lamar Thompson chipped the onrushing Lion’s keeper for early Soda advantage. That opening period of the game was all Soda City and the pressure paid off in the 19^th minute as a corner kick was cleared to the top of the Lion’s box where Hykeem Martin was there to volley the ball over the Lion’s keeper for the second goal.

The speed of Soda City would close down all the Lion’s midfield space and limit their time on the ball in the first half which caused frequent turnovers and mistakes by the visitors.

Soda City’s Martin scored again in the 39^th minute as the Lion’s high defensive line was broken by a ball over the top that Martin sprinted onto and calmly finished 1v1 versus the Lion’s keeper. A fourth goal for Soda City in the 45^th minute capped a spectacular first half for the hosts as Marlon Williams was first to pounce on a free kick that rattled off the far post and he calmly slots the ball into the open net for the 4-0 Soda lead at the half.

There must have been some magic in the NC Lions halftime talk because a totally different team took the field in the second half. More composed on the ball and looking to play forward with more speed, the Lions jumped right back into the match with two quick goals in the 47^th and 50^th minutes.

The first Lion’s goal was from Abiel Lopez Dominguez off a one-time finish from a ball cut back to the top of the box from the right corner of the field in the 47^th minute. The next goal in the 50^th minute came from the opposite flank as a deep cross from the left into the back post was headed back central where Benny Hernandez shot a bouncing ball through the Soda defense for the second goal. Things got really interesting in the 62th minute as the Lions played a ball deep up the right channel where Hernandez collects the ball, cuts inside the box, and rips a shot with pace under the Soda keeper to make it just a one-goal game.

At this point the game settled into a midfield battle and both teams had a few half-chances but no real clear looks at another goal as the match ended 4-3 to Soda City.

Soda City FC will now play AC Raleigh who defeated the SC United Heat 4-3 in their first-round playoff match. The Soda-Raleigh semi-final match will be at 6 PM on Saturday, June 28 at Irmo HS.