New Jersey United AC Defeats FC Motown 1-0 to Reach Top of Conference Standings
By Miguel Freire/New Jersey United Athletic Club
Heading into Saturday’s contest between FC Motown and New Jersey United Athletic Club, there was a stalemate at the top of the Keystone East Conference standings. With both sides having played and won both of their opening two games, one team had the opportunity to take sole possession of first place. That team was New Jersey United AC.
New Jersey United came into this game with victories against the Players Development Academy and the Philadelphia Union DS, and they looked to keep their early season form and momentum flowing. However, an away trip to FC Motown put United to the test, as they managed to come away with all three points in a stunning upset.
The first half ended scoreless with not many chances to show for either side. However, it was aggressive and physical from the start, as it was clear both teams were well aware of the match’s implications on the standings.
The lone goal came in the second half as New Jersey United AC were able to take advantage from a set piece. A corner by Max Barboto found the foot of defender Jayden Jackson in the 67th minute to give the visitors the lead. The goal marked Jackson’s first goal as a New Jersey United AC player and also proved to be the decider.
While FC Motown pushed for the decisive equalizer for the remaining 23 minutes, their efforts were unsuccessful. The closest they came was in stoppage time where a header by FC Motown’s Gabriel Ruitenberg hit the crossbar off a corner kick. The chance was the final one of the game for the hosts, who now sit in second place with six points in the Keystone East Conference standings.
It was a collective team effort that earned New Jersey United AC the win, as goal scorer Jayden Jackson drew attention to the team’s selfless mentality and the focus on playing for one another.
“This is a family we have at N.J. United and because we’ve been working for each other and building that chemistry, we’re going to see results and that’s what we saw today,” Jackson said. “If we keep working for each other, at the end of the day, we’re going to see a win and that’s what happened.”
New Jersey United captain Sean Cadigan played a major role in instilling this value in the team, as he shared what his message was to his teammates coming into the game.
“I told the guys that this game was going to be a battle and a war, so we had to play strong, play hard and play with confidence,” Cadigan said. “We came in as underdogs with an underdog mentality.”
Head Coach Fernando Barboto spoke on the feeling of being seen as “the new kid on the block” in the Keystone East Conference, especially compared to a program with as much tradition as FC Motown.
“FC Motown has won a national championship in the NPSL, and they went to the finals last year so they have a lot of tradition,” Barboto said. “We’re a young club, been around about 19 months, but we’re the new kid on the block and they are going to have to reckon with us.”
Up next for New Jersey United AC is another road trip, as they travel to Philadelphia with a matchup against the WC Predators. The Garden State side will look to make it four straight wins to start the season, as they continue to establish themselves as one of the premier teams in the Keystone East Conference.
Photo Credit: Connor Bowen/New Jersey United Athletic Club
