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Weathering an early storm in Akron, Steel City FC battle back for 2-2 road draw in USL League Two debut

Photo courtesy Steel City FC

Steel City FC and Akron City FC — two clubs that know each other well — marked their USL League Two debut’s by battling to a 2-2 draw with all four goals coming in the first half at Green Street Stadium in Akron, Ohio on Saturday night.

Coming off winning back-to-back NPSL Division championships, Steel City FC enter a new season in a new league as a team that would lean on a couple of its returning core players to generate a response in a back-and-forth first half, as two club mainstays, Anders Bordoy and Eben McIntyre, each scored while Bordoy added an assist.

“We had to weather a quick start from Akron,” Steel City FC Head Coach Dan Brower said. “This was due to their effective team press and our inability to control spaces on the defensive side of the game.

The hosts didn’t waste any time opening up their USL League Two account, with a goal in the second minute.

It was Stefan Dobrijevic who sent a perfectly placed shot from the right endline which spun inside the left post to give Akron City FC a 1-0 lead.

In the 15th minute, Steel City FC responded using an effective repress by three players who were covering the most ground – Ashwin Menon, Grant McIntosh and Justin Kopay.

Menon and McIntosh were able to unleash a counter attack in the middle third, playing quickly forward into Kopay who carried the ball centrally.

Coming from his right back position. Kopay gained the half, playing a precise ball to McIntyre who then passes into Grant found McIntosh on the end line.

McIntosh had to make a lung-busting 70 yard run from that initial repress to get deep into the box, in what Brower described as a ‘next level effort’.

Bordoy had no problem converting the penalty, sending keeper Cam Victor the wrong way to level the match.

In the 20th minute, Akron bounced back to take the lead, with Remi Agunbiade converting his penalty attempt — beating Steel City’s keeper Danny Rodgers.

Falling behind 2-1, Steel City FC generated another response in the 35th minute.

“We started to understand each other and the spaces by the last 10 minutes of the 1st half,” Brower explained.

“We were starting to solve an Akron press that was much too effective. We were able to sustain an attack through, yes, a much more controlled build but also several quick regains. And from these actions, we were able to earn two consecutive corners”

The second delivery was whipped in beautifully from Bordoy, connecting with McIntyre for the equalizer.

Steel City did its best to continue to push for the winner — with a golden chance coming when Anthony DiFalco hit a booming shot that was tipped just wide in a marvelous effort by Victor.

The second half proved to be a stalemate — with each side tightening things up and limiting each other as fitness started to become a factor.

“We also had some great efforts by our guys coming off the bench,” Brower said.

“There were a lot of positives heading into the next few days as we prepare now for Buffalo. We’ll take a look at the details on film and surely grow from this opening match. Looking forward to getting back at it.”

The teams will meet again in June at Founders Field in Indianola.

In the meantime, as Brower alluded, Steel City FC will turn its attention to its home opener, on Wednesday, at Founders, as they’ll take on FC Buffalo (7 pm kickoff).

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