‘Youth Night’ offers two Pensacola FC academy matches for the price of one
Gulf Coast United from Gulfport, Miss., is bringing its men’s and women’s teams for a WPSL/League for Clubs doubleheader at Ashton Brosnaham Stadium.
Women’s Academy plays at 4 p.m.
Going the distance
It seems to be the rote answer soccer coaches dust off at the beginning of each new season: “We’re going to move the ball, attack a lot, we want to stay on the front foot as much as possible….”
Second-year PFC Academy women’s coach Austin King followed the script, but also offered some insight into a more specific focus:
“In (King’s first year), we were competitive in a lot of games, but couldn’t quite close the deal,” he told club owner Justin Witkin in an Instagram post. “We gave up a lot of points at the end of matches.”
The team has added additional fitness training and devoted practice time to late-game situations, King said.
The coach said he expects outfield players Michelle Melacon and Jazlyn Nelson and goalkeeper Remy Redmon to be players to watch for the Lady Pelicans.
The match also will be the first for Gulf Coast United.
PFC 1559 kicks off at 7 p.m.
Men’s academy looks for first win
Pensacola FC Academy’s men’s team, PFC 1559 (0-0-1, 1 point), hopes to improve on the promising form it showed in a season-opening 1-1 draw in Wednesday’s home- and season-opener. The Pelicans outplayed the Azaleas most of the match, conceding Mobile’s only goal after a turnover and leaving several opportunities unfulfilled before Tungamirai Karogo netted the second-half equalizer.
GCU (0-1-0, 0 points) lost 1-5 at Gaffa FC last weekend in its season-opener.