BKFC forward Mackenzie George maneuvers through Dallas defenders in BKFC’s 2-0 win over Dallas Trinity FC in the club’s home opener at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium on Wednesday, September 25. George scored a goal in the first half of the match.
By Nicholas Gordon
Under the bright stadium lights in September’s crisp night air, Brooklyn Football Club put on a show in a 2-0 win over Dallas Trinity FC in its home opener in the inaugural season of the USL Super League. Approximately 500 fans attended the match on Wednesday, September 25, at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium.
“It was a great win tonight,” said Matt Rizzetta, Chairman of Brooklyn Football Club, in an interview after the match. “It’s a win for Brooklyn, a win for New York soccer, and most importantly, it’s a win for women’s soccer.”
Rizzetta described the vision for the team as one of “bringing hope and inspiration to this generation and future generations of aspiring women’s soccer players,” with a particular focus on local talent and community values.
“The heartbeat of our project is on replicating and representing the Broooklyn spirit, which is built on grit, hard work, and perseverance,” Rizzetta said. “There are a lot of local girls on the roster that understand what this means for the community, what it means to represent Brooklyn and the five boroughs.”
As New York City’s professional women’s soccer team, BKFC is playing its home matches this fall in the temporary location of Columbia University’s Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium. The move comes due to “deficiencies in the soccer turf installation at Maimonides Park that rendered the field surface unplayable,” as stated in the team’s press release.
Brooklyn FC adapted well to their temporary new field, besting a quality opponent in Dallas, a team that the league website forecasted could take the top slot with a win. Instead, BKFC now moves into second place in the standings, while Dallas slides to sixth.
The scoring came early for BKFC, and it came via a highlight reel worthy goal from forward Jessica Garziano. At the 19-minute mark, Garziano picked up a loose ball in the attacking third, took a few touches towards goal, and cracked a screamer from nearly 30 yards out into the upper lefthand corner of the net, past the outstretched arms of the diving Dallas goalkeeper Madison White.
It wouldn’t be the last time White was called upon to showcase her agility against tough shots: she had several good saves on the night, including a diving stop on a BKFC penalty kick in the second half.
Also fraught was the job of the Dallas defenders tasked with containing BKFC forward Mackenzie George for the match. George routinely beat several players in a run, weaving her way through the Dallas defense with quick cutbacks before setting up teammates with clever flick passes on clear paths to goal or for open shots. George scored at the 37-minute mark after carrying the ball with pace through the attacking third and laying out a square pass for teammate Hope Breslin, whose strong shot on goal from the 18-yard line was batted away by the keeper, only for George to knock home the rebound.
“Mackenzie George is such a fun player to play with because you know she’s never going to give up on a ball, and she can beat four players at a time so you always have to be ready when you’re on the field with her,” said BFKC forward Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Pluck, who won several free kicks on the night. Pluck added that George’s positivity off the field is something that unites their team, too.
BKFC midfielder Sam Kroeger, who earned Player of the Match honors, has transitioned seamlessly from her standout collegiate career at Rutgers to the pros, as a crucial connective tissue for BKFC in the midfield.
“Rutgers did a great job preparing me for this opportunity. They have one of the best coaching staffs in the country,” Kroeger said, adding that the BKFC preseason was key for preparing her and her team for the league’s inaugural season as well. “Now, I’m focusing on doing what I’m best at with my skill set, and continuing on the things that I can grow from,” Kroeger said.
BKFC’s newly appointed head coach Jessica Silva credited her group for their efforts playing at the new location, noting that while the team had played one pre-season match at the stadium, they had not had another chance to train on the pitch before this match. “The girls did really well adjusting out there, and sticking to our principles offensively and defensively in transition,” Silva said. “We have a lot of leadership on our team, and this is a special group,”
From left to right: BKFC goalkeeper Neeku Purcell, head coach Jess Silva, center back Allison Pantuso
Brooklyn FC 1 – 0 Lexington SC
BKFC won its second home match 1-0 in a hard fought battle on a rainy night against Lexington SC on Friday, September 27. Again, the club had the upper hand on shots on goal and corner kicks, while also showing defensive prowess throughout the match.
George once more dipped into her bag of tricks just two minutes into the second half, collecting a pass on the far right wing, torching past a defender to gain the endline, and lofting in a cross to forward Isabel Cox, who settled the ball and then booked it from close range.
At the heart of the stalwart BKFC defense, unflappable center-back Allison Pantuso plays on a string with goalkeeper Neeku Purcell, who now has three shutouts in four matches, conceding only one goal so far on the season.
“We have a lot of trust with each other in the back, so people are confident because they know that the person to the left and the right has their back,” Pantuso said. “And Neeku’s got great feet so that gives everyone confidence, too.”
With their unbeaten start to the season, Purcell said they’re now “hungry for more” and looking for ways to improve their style of play every single day. “We know we can always get better after every game,” Purcell said. “We’re watching film, taking note of what we did well and what we can improve on, and then making sure we do that in the next game.”
The USL Super League kicked off its inaugural season in August with eight teams competing in Division One of U.S. women’s professional soccer. Regular season league play will run through next summer, with additional clubs set to join the league in 2025.
Rizzetta, acknowledging that relocating from Brooklyn for the start of their season was a setback, said he was happy that they were able to find a good solution, and grateful for the support and partnership of Columbia University.
Brooklyn Football Club’s first pair of home games might have been played in upper Manhattan, away from their home burough, with the 1 train rumbling past in the background instead of sounds from the Coney Island boardwalk, but it was still two wins, and it was still all New York.
Match action, BKFC vs. Dallas Trinity FC on Wednesday, September 25 at Rocco B. Commission stadium. BKFC won the match 2-0, their home opener.
