FC Motown Finishes Undefeated Season with Win over First State FC

By FC Motown

Motown completed an undefeated season, their first in club history, as they closed out the regular season with an 8-0 win over First State FC at MSU Soccer Park on the campus of Montclair State University.   

It took 13 minutes before a through ball from Joseph Holland down the right flank found a speeding Franco Catania who then crossed it to a finishing Yusuf Cueceoglu to put the home side up 1-0. 

It was full speed ahead for the defending national champions as two minutes later there was a free kick just outside the area that found the back of the net.  The former USL championship midfield of Christopher Lema, Samuel Nii Armah Ashittey, and Joseph Holland all stood over the kick, but Holland elected to take it.  He put the ball under the wall and found the side netting, giving Motown a 2-0 lead just 15 minutes into the match. 

In the 17th minute, Cueceoglu turned provider as a service from the left side found the foot of Joe Fala as the former Red Bulls II player made it 3-0 at his former professional home field. 

FC Motown would find one more goal before intermission.  A great diagonal ball from NJIT star Maximus Barboto pinged from left back to the left wing as Cueceoglu took the touch down, curved in on top of the 18, and then found a speeding Holland on top of the 18 to make the game 4-0 going into halftime. 

The scoring continued early in the second half as a give-and-go from Holland to Fala and then back to Holland got the score to 5-0 in the 49th minute.  Holland would finish with a hat trick.

In the 82nd minute, Michael Da Fonte made a diving header that looped over and found the back post, making the score 6-0. 

In the 86th minute, the former Haitian international Nerlin St Vil found a feed near the corner of the 18.  Cutting in from the left and scissoring his defender off to create space, he then slotted a ball towards the keeper near post as the scoreline was now 7-0. 

FC Motown found one more goal in the 88th minute, off a partially cleared corner kick, a bouncing ball found former Adelphi University star Rodrigo Rocca just inside the 18.  After controlling with his left, Rocca smashed a half volley toward the roof of the net and sealed the scoreline at 8-0. 

The win capped off FC Motown’s first undefeated regular season since joining the NPSL in 2017.  FC Motown will now play in its sixth conference final in club history as they host Atlantic City FC on Saturday, July 15th.

Photo Credit: Irish Maliborski