Brooklyn FC captain Leah Scarpelli makes a run in Saturday’s home match against DC Power FC. Scarpelli scored the game-winner to give Brooklyn a 1-0 win. Photo: Michael F Mclaughlin
By Nicholas Gordon | news@queensledger.com
On an impeccable fall afternoon at Maimonides Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn FC turned the tide with a much-needed 1-0 win over the visiting club DC Power FC. Brooklyn captain Leah Scarpelli scored the winner, with fellow veteran Samantha Kroeger picking up the assist. It marked Brooklyn’s first victory since August 23, a stretch in which they lost four matches and tied five. With the win, Brooklyn (2W-4L-5T) climbs two slots to sixth place in the nine-team Gainbridge Super League, while DC Power (2W-3L-4T) slips to eighth.
Brooklyn Puts Together Two Strong Halves
Brooklyn came out determined, applying relentless first-half pressure to the DC backline and peppering the goalkeeper with shots. This burst out of the gates was a good sign for the home side, which has shown a pattern this season of falling behind early and being forced to rally.
Brooklyn’s leading scorer, forward Rebecca Cooke, created the best early opportunity, beating a few defenders with cutbacks at the top of the box before unleashing a bullet of a shot top left corner that forced a spectacular save from DC shotstopper Morgan Aquino. Six minutes later Brooklyn midfielder and assist leader Jessica Garziano curled a strong, left-footed shot from the top of the box around a defender but again Aquino’s dive snatched it up.
Not to be outdone, Brooklyn goalie Kelsey Daugherty made a nice diving save on DC forward Gianna Gourley’s shot on the break minutes later. Shortly thereafter DC’s Katie Duong dealt a glancing shot off the crossbar.
In the 49th minute, Brooklyn finally broke through when central midfielder Kroeger slid in a cross along the turf from the left wing that Scarpelli crushed into the back of the net, perfectly timing her incoming run.
While DC Power had the overall edge in possession of the ball, controlling large portions of the second half, Brooklyn ultimately succeeded in holding them at bay and securing the win.
“This was our first game where we put in two good shifts,” Kroeger said. “It all starts from communication, and today we did a great job communicating with each other.”
Brooklyn captain Leah Scarpelli winds up for her game-winning goal early in the second half. Photo: The Local W
Trusting the Process
Brooklyn head coach Tomás Tengarrinha—an ardent presence on the sidelines and a reflective one in the post-match pressers—said he was proud of his club and that the win evinced the players’ unwavering commitment to their craft.
“Defensively we did an amazing job, a perfect job keeping the clean sheet,” Tengarrinha said. “I think this result is not just from today, but from the last few weeks of work. It’s very important for the players to trust in the process and trust in the work they’ve been doing, so I’m very happy with today’s result. They deserved this win.”
Brooklyn defender Annie Williams echoed her coach on the sacred issue of trust, particularly in helping cement their solid attacking effort. “I think it starts with all of us being on our front foot and in trusting each other to make our runs forward,” Williams said.
Kroeger added, “When we play to everyone’s strength we’re very dangerous. We have to keep the momentum from this game. Believing and trusting in each other, and moving one step forward at a time.”
Tengarrinha also noted that even in the recent winless stretch, his team “never lost control of a game” and suffered a big loss of three or more goals as some other teams in the league have done.
The win revived a ritual that hasn’t been seen at Maimonides Park for a while: the players coming over to greet and cheer with the fans after the match.
“It’s always a good feeling when you can bring a win to your home crowd,” Williams said. “It means a lot to us and I think it means a lot to them. We’re grateful for their support through the wins, the ties, and the losses. It’s a great feeling to be able to celebrate with the community.”
Brooklyn’s Croatian player Ana Markovic signs Croatian jerseys for fans after the match. Ana and her sister, Kiki Markovic, joined the club this season. Photo: Gameday Photos of NYC
Croatian Heritage Night
Among the celebrations, many fans were decked out in the famous red-and-white checkerboard pattern of the Croatian national team’s jersey, for it was Croatian Heritage Night at Maimonides Park.
Croatian-American brother and sister Adriana and Bozidar Strikic drove all the way from Cleveland, Ohio, for the chance to celebrate their heritage with the Brooklyn fans and club.
“We knew there was a big Croatian population in New York and we wanted to join them in supporting the Croatian players on the team,” Adriana said. “The atmosphere’s great here and the fans are great, and Brooklyn got the win!”
The Strikics said that after learning about Brookyn FC’s Croatian Heritage Night through Instagram and the American-Croatian Association of Professionals (ACAP), they were eager to make the journey to New York.
“It was fun to socialize and connect with Croatians here, and meet different kinds of people from the New York area,” Bozidar said.
Williams explained that Croatian Heritage Night celebrates both their Croatian teammates—the sisters Ana and Kiki Markovic who joined the club this season—and the overall aspect of diversity on their team.
“It’s a testament to who we are as a team. We’re a lot of people from different backgrounds and different places coming together to create something special,” Williams said. “It means a lot to have fans want to be a part of that and come together to celebrate Croatian Heritage night with us.”
