Steel City FC

Early flurry powers Steel City FC past FC Buffalo, 3-0

by
Kevin Hutchinson
June 7, 2026

Not even an hour-long severe weather delay could cool off the scorching-hot attack of Steel City FC.

Steel City FC’s men’s senior squad stepped back onto the pitch at Founders Field on Saturday afternoon, securing a 3-0 win against Great Lakes Division rivals FC Buffalo in a crucial mid-season USL League Two fixture.

Steel City extended its unbeaten streak to start the season by dominating early, putting Buffalo on their heels. They scored twice in the first 12 minutes, and tacked on another goal late in the first half to seal it.

“We pushed the whole entire half and scored some great goals,” head coach Dan Brower said of the explosive opening 45 minutes.

“We created a lot of good stuff off our set pieces today, which is something that we were really working on.“

How It Happened

First Half

Due to inclement the contest was delayed by an hour.

When it finally did get underway, it was a fast and intense pace, as Steel City opened with a flurry of activity.

SCFC got multiple set pieces early and often, and scored two goals within the first twelve minutes.

Steel City kept consistent pressure on the Buffalo box, and excelled at moving the ball quickly and sharply into the final third.

There was ample physicality, especially around the edges. Buffalo struggled to maintain offensive rhythm and capitalize on their chances; Steel City’s early scoring gave them a cushion with which to work.

In the 31st minute, Jaxon Ervin scored an incredible, crowd-electrifying goal from the left side.

The ball was dribbled around between multiple players from both sides, before Ervin broke through and delivered an arcing strike to the top right corner of the net.

That was now three goals for the Steel City side within a half hour, leaving the visitors with not answers. Key to the Pittsburgh defense was Zander Plizga, who consistently cut in on Buffalo passes and created pressure.

Zach Bonuito had a chance for Buffalo at the end of the first half, but passed the ball in toward the middle of the field instead of taking a shot. Steel City took a 3-0 lead into the half.

Second Half:

Post-break, Buffalo tightened up their defense. The game remained extremely chippy and physical, as Buffalo stayed close to the ball and dealt a lot of contact.

The game remained fast-paced. Buffalo had more chances than in the first half, but struggled to complete them. Unlike the first half, they were able to close in on Steel City attackers and prevent them from getting numbers forward. Steel City had made some substitutions to start the half, and were playing a more gritty, conservative game to preserve their lead.

Buffalo’s tactical adjustments proved to not be enough; during the last 20 minutes, the game mostly stayed on their side of the field. The sides sparred back and forth a bit, but the end of the game was uneventful from a soccer perspective. There was a slight scrum just before the final whistle, but Steel City held on to take the 3-0 win.

Lineups & Match Information

Steel City FC Lineup:

Starting XI: Josh Lane, Zander Plizga, Ashwin Menon, Luke Fiscus, Sava Catlett, Cam Territo, Jaxon Ervin, Ryan Kopay, Johan Nissen-Lie, Jack Graeca, Jake Lane

Substitutes Used: Nick Niebauer, Sean Regan, Mathieu Brick

Scoring Summary:

Time	Team	Goal Scorer	Assist
8′	Steel City	Johan Nissen-Lie	N/A
12′	Steel City	Sava Catlett	N/A

31′ Steel City / Jaxon Ervin / Jack Graeca

Post-Match Reaction

“We pushed the whole entire half and scored some great goals,” head coach Dan Brower said.

“We created a lot of good stuff off our set pieces today, which is something that we were really working on.”

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Up Next for Steel City

There is no rest for the squad as they brace for a massive local derby. Steel City FC will remain at Founders Field to host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Two on Wednesday, June 10, at 6:00 PM.