HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — In perhaps the most dramatic and thrilling Lexington SC match of the season, a 90+5’ minute equalizer from Latif Blessing set the stage for a 3-1 LSC win via penalty shootout, capped by a four-penalty-save performance from goalkeeper Oliver Semmle.
Semmle’s first penalty stop came 16 minutes into the match when a Detroit City FC player was brought down in the penalty area. The German goalkeeper stood his ground, parrying the shot to safety.
After the hosts found the opening goal in the 28’ minute, it was up to Lexington to respond. It retained nearly 60% of the possession throughout the match and patiently waited for the breakthrough.
Ultimately, it took nearly 96 minutes, but the moment was welcome all the same as the 2022 MLS champion and two-time Supporters’ Shield winner Latif Blessing bagged his first goal in green at the best possible moment.
As the club threw everyone forward in the dying seconds of play, Marcus Epps found Blessing on the edge of the 18-yard box. Blessing unleashed, and his shot took a deflection before nestling in the bottom corner of goal.
Per the rules of the Prinx Tires USL Cup, a match cannot end in a draw. Therefore, when Blessing evened the score 35 seconds after the allotted stoppage time, the match went straight to penalties.
Returning to his position, Semmle cemented himself into the record books as he saved each of the first three penalty attempts he faced during the shootout — the most saves in a shootout made by a keeper in LSC history.
“We believe in him and think he’s the best goalkeeper in the league,” said head coach Mac Hemmi after the match. “Josh [Oldroyd] has done a tremendous job leading him and preparing him for each game. Oliver really deserved that credit tonight.”
The shootout win counts as two points in the Prinx Tires USL Cup, increasing Lexington’s group stage point total to five. The Greens currently sit in third place in Group 4, trailing Louisville City FC and Union Omaha who sit on six points each.
Additionally, the win is LSC’s third over its last four matches in all competitions.
GOALS
DET: 28’ Callum Montgomery (assist: Darren Smith)
LEX: 90+5’ Latif Blessing (assist: Marcus Epps)
PENALTY SHOOTOUT
DET: Abdoulaye Diop — SAVED (0-0)
LEX: Aaron Molloy — SCORED (0-1)
DET: Preston Tabort Etaka — SAVED (0-1)
LEX: Michael Adedokun — SCORED (0-2)
DET: Aedan Stanley — SAVED (0-2)
LEX: Nick Firmino — SAVED (0-2)
DET: Ben Morris — SCORED (1-2)
LEX: Marcus Epps — SCORED (1-3)
LINEUPS
LEX: Oliver Semmle, Joe Hafferty (45’ Jacob Greene), Kendall Burks, Arturo Ordóñez (45’ Javain Brown), Xavier Zengue, Blaine Ferri (76’ Latif Blessing), Aaron Molloy, Nick Firmino, Marcus Epps, Alfredo Midence (67’ Michael Adedokun), Tarik Scott (45’ Braudílio Rodrigues)
DET: Carlos Herrera, Tommy Silva, Callum Montgomery, Devon Amoo-Mensah, Haruki Yamazaki, Ates Diouf (76’ Aedan Stanley), Ryan Williams, Kobe Hernández-Foster (90+5’ Ben Morris), Rafa Mentzingen (62’ Rhys Williams), Alexander Dalou (62’ Abdoulaye Diop), Darren Smith (90+3’ Preston Tabort Etaka)
UP NEXT
Lexington Sporting Club is back home Saturday, June 13 to host first-place San Antonio FC at 7 p.m. ET. The club will host its second Teddy Bear Toss that evening, a halftime event when fans are encouraged to throw stuffed animals onto the pitch at halftime to be donated to Golisano Children’s Hospital at UK.
