LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lexington Sporting Club came up short on the road against Tampa Bay Sun FC inside Riverfront Stadium in the Sunshine State.
It was a tight battle for most of the first half, with neither side able to break through and a caution to the Greens being the only action.
Things took a turn, however, when the home side was able to score first in the 36th minute, which kicked off a struggling end to the half that ultimately decided the game.
“Yeah, look, it’s always tough to take when the scoreline doesn’t really reflect the overall performance,” Head Coach Sam Stockley said. “And, like you said, three of those goals came in a short spell right before half, which was frustrating because I actually thought for large stretches we were well in the game. We played with purpose, we created chances. But at this level, moments matter. It’s about being switched on for the full 90+.”
Despite allowing two more Sun FC goals to go through before the halftime whistle, the Gals in Green returned for the second half determined and were rewarded for their efforts in the 58th minute when Nicole Vernis put LSC on the board.
“It’s always a special moment to put the ball in the back of the net, especially knowing how hard we’ve all been working day in and day out,” Vernis said. “Of course, it would’ve meant more if the result had gone our way, but I still take a lot of pride in contributing in that way for the team.”
From there, things resembled the start of the match as neither team could bust down the sturdy back-lines of the other.
Tampa would find a dagger just before stoppage time to skew the final score and secure all three points in Florida.
Tampa Bay controlled the possession in the match, holding onto the ball 55.1% of the time while also winning in expected goals with a 1.89-0.66 advantage.
Up next, the Greens return home to face off against Spokane Zephyr FC on Wednesday, April 16, looking for a major bounce back. Kickoff against Zephyr FC is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET from Lexington SC Stadium.
“We’re feeling good about being back home and getting the chance to respond quickly,” Hannah White said. “We’ve had success against Spokane before, and that gives us confidence. We are motivated, and everyone’s ready to step up and get back on track in front of our home fans.”
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About Lexington Sporting Club
Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in USL League One (U.S. Soccer third division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (women’s professional soccer launching in 2024). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,000 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC in the process of building the club’s formal stadium, performance center and training fields.