Soda City remain undefeated with 3-0 win over Boiling Springs

UPSL Mid-Atlantic South Conference leaders open up 5-point advantage at top of the table

The previous meeting between Soda City FC and Boiling Springs United a couple of weeks ago was a tense 1-1 draw in the Upstate as Soda needed a second-half, stoppage-time goal to share the points. Saturday night in Irmo was a totally different story.

Soda City FC pounced on a loose pass, drove the ball on the dribble into the area, and then squared a ball across the six-yard box for Jose Flores to side-foot into the open nets for the 1-0 lead in the 3^rd minute of play. Soda City had several more marauding dribbles in the first half to get in behind the Boiling Springs outside backs to create chances on goal.

Boiling Springs thought they had weathered the frequent Soda attacks and scored a goal against the run of play in the 37^th minute only to see the goal disallowed on a very delayed offside decision. Boiling Springs captain Dan Wheeler was played in behind the Soda line when he neatly chipped the onrushing Soda keeper for what looked like the equalizer. After much debate between the center referee and his AR2, the goal was erased on what video would later confirm to be the correct, albeit very delayed, referee decision.

With the score 1-0 Soda City at the half, it wasn’t until the 76^th minute that the game saw another goal. Soda pressure forced a Boiling clearance that resulted in a corner kick. Soda looped the ball to the back post where Fiston Kabwe made a clever start-stop run to lose his mark and emerge free at the back stick for a header that just snuck inside the post.

Soda won a penalty kick in the 87^th minute as the Boiling keeper shoulder charged the Soda runner inside the box knocking him off his feet. Up stepped Marco Folgado Monteiro who sent the keeper diving the wrong way to convert the penalty and make the final score 3-0 to Soda City.

Soda City FC now sit atop the Mid-Atlantic South table undefeated on 20 points a full five points clear of second place SC United Heat. Soda have two games remaining in the regular season playing at Charleston United on June 7 and then hosting the Heat on June 14. Home-field advantage will be huge in the upcoming spring playoffs and Soda will lock up the top spot with any points in either of the final two matches.

The playoffs are always must-see soccer action in the UPSL Mid-Atlantic conference and we’re just three weeks away from the Spring 2025 edition.