Soda City FC defeat SC United Heat 2-1 in Columbia Derby
Two goals in the second half carry Soda to the win and the regular season title
Soda City FC scored two second-half goals Saturday night in Irmo to win both the match versus the South Carolina United Heat as well as the Spring 2025 UPSL Mid-Atlantic South Premier title.
The visitors had a dream start to the match as the Heat’s Jose Puente provided the final touch from a seated position to clean up a scramble inside the Soda goalmouth to open the scoring in just the 6th minute of play. The goal came from a cross from the left flank that rattled around inside the goal box before Puente speared it home for the goal. Soda had been under heavy pressure to open the match and had just been forced to clear a Heat shot off the line just minutes before the goal.
This score line held until the halftime break as the Heat controlled the midfield, were first to most 50-50 balls, and were quick to put Soda under pressure limiting their time and comfort on the ball. This trend continued into the second half as Soda City weathered the pressure and then worked their way back into the match.
Soda won a free kick in a dangerous spot in the 64th minute and served a ball deep into the far post where the ball was headed back across the face of the goal. Lamar Thompson was there on the end of the header to flatten the ball out squeezing the ball with pace under the scrambling Heat keeper to level the match 1-1.
Soda began to really grow into the match after the goal and this translated to several chances over the next few minutes that would see the Heat defense bend but not break. All this changed in what looked to just be a ball served deep into the left corner of the field saw an individual moment of brilliance that pushed Soda into the lead.
Jose Flores collected the deep pass down the left channel, drove the ball forward into the box, and then cut inside where he ripped a rocket of a shot past the Heat goalkeeper at full stretch into the back-post side netting. 2-1 Soda City in the 79th minute.
The Heat pressed numbers forward over the final minutes of the match but couldn’t find the equalizer as Soda won the match 2-1.
Soda City FC win the USPL Regular Season conference title and will enter the Spring 2025 playoffs as the #1 seed with home-field advantage. The Heat will finish as the #2 seed and host at least one playoff match.