Matchweek 5 Review: road wins for Detroit Imperial and Santa Fe Gloom

by NFPL

MATCHWEEK 5 REVIEW:
DETROIT IMPERIAL and Santa Fe Gloom With Road Wins

Big wins on the road in Matchweek 5 from Detroit Imperial and Santa Fe Gloom signaled their quality and intent to challenge at the top of each division. 

Cadence SFC 6-14 Detroit Imperial Futsal

We got our first look at Cadence SFC in Matchweek 5 and they were pummeled at home by the increasingly fearsome Detroit Imperial Futsal. Despite their best attempts at comebacks, the Detroit Imperial attack didn't slow down or show signs of quitting, putting the home side to the sword and showing that they're one of the teams to beat in the division this season. 

In the early stages of the game, Detroit Imperial held a 2-1 lead but both teams matched up fairly evenly. A nice header went just wide for Cadence SFC to tie, and a chance from a free kick went missing for Imperial down the other end.

With under 10 to play, Costa Wells did well to make space for himself on the right wing with quick feet and a blasted finish into the far post to take a 3-1 lead. Another great chance went begging for Cadence before Imperial took a 4-1 lead through Abdullah Esaleh's close-range goal from a rebound. Timeout, Cadence.

Esaleh grabbed the team's 5th of the night with 6:25 to play, another close-range rebound as Detroit Imperial began to pull away. A minute later, they got their 6th when Costa Wells's shot was saved, spilled, and cleaned up after nice dribbling from Dennin Oglecevac. 

Cadence would get their second of the game in the last minute of the half as goalkeeper Juan Guerra found Anderson Diaz at the back post for a smart finish over Christian Sipley in net. However, Detroit would go into the halftime break with a 7-2 lead as Oglecevac pulled a nearly identical move to beat his defender and finish in the bottom corner. 

Momentum stayed with Detroit after the halftime break as they scored just 30 seconds in. A brilliant first-time pass from Costa Wells set Oglecevac free down the right flank where his feint abused his defender, opening up a near-post finish to go up 8-2.

As Cadence desperately tried to get back into the game, they gambled and left themselves vulnerable to counterattacks. Sipley's distribution released Wells and Davide Di Poce to play a quick give-and-go ending in a Wells goal at the back post. 

Although Cadence didn't give up, they never really got close. A goal from Endrik Padilla was canceled out at the other end by yet another goal from Dennin Oglecevac and the rest of the Imperial squad pitched in as they dispatched Cadence SFC on their home court for a big win on the road. 

New Mexico Flagship 4-7 Santa Fe Gloom

Santa Fe Gloom continued their hot start to the season, taking care of business on the road against in-state rivals New Mexico Flagship FC. They started the game hot, too, taking an early 2-0 lead in the opening few minutes through goals by Bryan Rivas and Francis Guzman. 

The game stayed at 2-0 for most of the first half until Flagship pulled one back from Javen Hernandez to reduce the lead to 1 and the game went into the halftime break with The Gloom up 2-1. 

The second half went much like the first: closely fought and competitive, with two talented teams going at one another. Nick Cashmere would score early to take a 3-1 lead, and down at the other end, Hector Castañeda was busy in the net, making big saves from close range and distributing well. A few minutes after that big save, the Gloom opened a 3-goal advantage as Peter Torres found the far corner with a powerful drive to score against his former club and go up 4-1. 

Less than a minute later, New Mexico Flagship called a timeout after eating a 5th goal as Luiz Rodriguez collected a loose ball and streaked down the center of the court before finding the bottom corner. 

Despite the timeout, the rout didn't stop. Castañeda found Guzman who torched his defender twice before burying an unstoppable strike into the bottom left corner for a 6-1 lead for the visiting Gloom.

The home side's first response in the second half was through Alejandro Garcia - an excellent turn on his first touch set up an equally excellent off the post and in to beat Castañeda. 

However, the clock ticked lower and the second half slid by with New Mexico still well behind. A missed penalty from the Gloom was capitalized on as Alexander Romero scored shortly afterward for Flagship and the lead was trimmed to 3. The comeback was stopped short by Peter Torres when he intercepted a pass and scored on an empty net to go back up 7-3.

A consolation goal from close range was scored by Axel Esparza for Flagship as time expired, condemning them to a season-opening loss at home against their in-state rivals. 

A LOOK AT THE TABLE AFTER MATCHWEEK 5:

Santa Fe Gloom and Detroit Imperial Futsal cemented themselves in the upper level of their divisions this week! Plenty of futsal yet to play, though!

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