Brooklyn FC battled Fort Lauderdale United FC to a 2-1 home loss at Maimonides Park on Sunday, September 28
Photo: Johnny T @jtphotovideonyc.
BY NICHOLAS GORDON
Brooklyn FC’s 2-1 home loss to Fort Lauderdale United FC on Sunday, September 28, at Maimonides Park followed a familiar pattern. Once again, the club fell behind in the first half, conceding two goals, then battled back in the second half with an overpowering performance, only to come up short on the final result. The loss leaves Brooklyn (1W-3L-2D) in seventh place, while Fort Lauderdale (3W-0L-2D) moves into first.
Brooklyn head coach Tomás Tengarrinha praised his club’s strong showing in the second half, and stressed their need for more consistency.
“We need to be better for 90 minutes,” Tengarrinha said. “This is the second time that we conceded multiple goals in the first half. So the responsibility is mine to figure out a way to help the team to be better in the first half.”
In the 9th minute, Fort Lauderdale’s Stella Nyamekye crushed a free kick from outside the box into the upper near corner to give the visitors the lead.
The speed of Fort Lauderdale’ s front line continued to give Brooklyn problems in the first half. Brooklyn keeper Kelsey Daugherty made a nice stabbing save on one breakaway, and then got lucky when Fort Lauderdale hit the post on the next. Just before the break, Fort Lauderdale’s Kiara Locklear picked up a clever through ball from teammate Lily Nabet, and beat Daugherty one-on-one before slotting the ball home for a 2-0 lead.
The offsides flag stayed down on the play, but it looked close. Brooklyn was visibly disappointed in that non-call, as well as with several others, which led to some frustration fouls on their part throughout the match.
Brooklyn forward Jessica Garziano controls the ball in a match against Fort Lauderdale United FC on Sunday, September 28 at Maimonides Park. Garziano picked up her second assist of the season on a corner kick in the second half. Photo: Johnny T @jtphotovideonyc.
If it was all Fort Lauderdale in the first half, it was all Brooklyn in the second. The home team kept up such a relentless attack—incessantly testing Fort Lauderdale’s goalie Bella Hara, who made one good save after another—that one local fan observed “that keeper deserves a plaque.”
Brooklyn forward Rebecca Cooke cracked a shot off the crossbar in the 86th minute. In the 87th, Brooklyn finally got on the board when Hope Breslin headed in a corner kick from Jessica Garziano. It was Breslin’s first goal of the season and Garziano’s second assist.
Veteran Brooklyn defender Samantha Rosette, while disappointed with the loss, praised her team’s guts in battling back, both today and in their last match against D.C. United, when they scored two goals in the second half to earn the draw.
“I think resilience has always been a really big piece of this club, and I think it comes from being from Brooklyn. There’s a lot of resilience here,” said Rosette. “Unfortunately, we didn’t come all the way back today, but that resilience was still there, and I think it speaks to how we will continue to battle throughout the long season that we have ahead.”
Brooklyn’s home fans showed support when their club notched a goal late in the second half. Photo: Johnny T @jtphotovideonyc.
As the borough’s first women’s pro soccer team, now in its second season, Brooklyn is still navigating growing pains. Patience and perseverance was a note struck by players and fans alike.
“You can see the team is good and plays hard, so that’s all you can really ask for,” said fan Harper Salter after the match. “It’s going to take time.” Salter added that he thought excitement would build further when the Brooklyn FC men’s team kicks off its inaugural campaign in the USL Championship league in 2026.
Veteran Brooklyn defender Leah Scarpelli believes better results will come by sticking to their core values and trusting the process.
“I think as a team, we need to believe in the process and trust what we want to do on the field,” Scarpelli said. “Our training has been great, and if we show up to a game and play the way that we want to play, we can be great.”
Coach Tengarrinha took ownership of his squad’s room for improvement.
“There are a lot of small details that we need to learn, and that takes time,” Tengarrinha said.
“Everyone is doing their best to improve their game. And everyone needs to be better, including me. We have a week to prepare for the next game and give an answer.”
Brooklyn FC hosts Sporting Club Jacksonville this Saturday, October 4, at Maimonides Park. The match will be the first for the two clubs, with Sporting Jacksonville competing in their inaugural season in the Gainbridge Super League.
Brooklyn captain, defender Kelsey Hill, looks to distribute the ball in a home match against Fort Lauderdale United FC. Photo: Johnny T @jtphotovideonyc
Brooklyn FC readies itself for what proved to be a strong second half performance.
Photo: Johnny T @jtphotovideonyc.
