USL LEAGUE TWO: Vermont Green FC leaves New England FC feeling quite green
- Dan Stickradt
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
BURLINGTON, Vt. — Vermont Green FC picked up little resistance Saturday night, topping New England FC 5-1 in USL League Two play at Virtue Field.
Moussa Ndiaye scored two headers, while Jacob Labovitz, David Ajagbe, and Tyler Trimnal added goals as the Green stayed unbeaten through 10 USL League Two matches.
The Vermont Green FC improved to 8-0-2 overall and remained atop the Northeast Division. The Green has now outscored its opposition 23-3 through 10 games and have seven shutouts.
Vermont Green FC head coach Chris Taylor once again deployed a unique starting XI, his 10th different lineup of the season but the result was the same. The team remains unbeaten with two weeks left to play in the regular season.
“(It was) a big effort from our boys tonight in front of another brilliant home crowd,” said Vermont Green assistant coach Jed Sass. “Two early goals were massive, and we stayed on the front foot even after conceding. It was great to bag a few more goals and get minutes in a lot of legs. Most importantly, three well-deserved points to keep us top of the table heading into another tough test down at Seacoast on Wednesday.”
Judewellin Michel earned his third consecutive start in goal. Ndiaye and Brandon Marshall anchored the center backs, flanked by fullbacks Amoni Thomas and Gabe Fernandez. The midfield duo of Julien Le Bourdoulous and Eskil Gjerde controlled the center, while Zach Zengue commanded the attack. Irishmen David Ajagbe and Pearse O’Brien manned the wings, and Jacob Labovitz returned to the starting lineup at center forward.
Vermont wasted no time asserting itself. In just the fourth minute, Labovitz capitalized on a loose ball after a Le Bourdoulous shot was stopped by the New England goalkeeper Mason Sullivan, putting the Green up 1-0
Eight minutes later, Ndiaye doubled the lead with a towering header from a Le Bourdoulous corner kick, finishing from a tight angle as he crashed into a camera stand.
New England pulled one back in the 24th minute. A dangerous free kick rattled the crossbar and fell to Steban Lopera, who struck a volley into the bottom corner with impressive technique.
In the 34th minute, Ajagbe restored the two-goal cushion, cutting inside on his left foot and curling a shot into the top left corner. The Irish-Canadian winger celebrated with his signature airplane pose, saluting the raucous Virtue Field crowd.
The first half ended with Vermont leading 3-1.
After the break, Vermont kept up the pressure. In the 54th minute, O’Brien delivered a ball into the box that Ndiaye attacked, heading home his second goal just before the keeper could intervene. It marked the first two-goal performance of the towering center back’s career.
Taylor made several changes in the second half, introducing Tyler Trimnal and Diego Rived for Labovitz and Gjerde. Mohammed Ibrahim, Alex Hall, Owen O’Malley, and Will Sawin also entered the match, with Sawin making his USL League Two debut.
In the 68th minute, Thomas made a driving run before unleashing a knuckling shot that the New England keeper could only parry. Trimnal reacted quickly, heading the rebound into the net for his third goal of the season, tying him with Stéphane Njike and Zengue for the team lead in league goals.
Vermont Green FC will head into Wednesday’s Twin State Derby clash at Seacoast United in Epping, N.H.
LINEUPS
Vermont Green FC — Judewellin Michel; Amoni Thomas, Brandon Marshall, Moussa Ndiaye (c), Gabe Fernandez; Julien Le Bourdoulous, Eskil Gjerde; Pearse O’Brien, Zach Zengue, David Ajagbe; Jacob Labovitz.
Substitutes — Tenzing Maske, Mohammed Ibrahim, Owen O’Malley, Diego Rived, Alex Hall, Tyler Trimnal, Nathan Simeon, Will Sawin.
New England FC — Matthew Tibbetts; Brandonn Bueno, Marco Perugini, Bryan Toro, Jack Burkhardt; Alexandru Parvu, Samuel White, Steban Lopera, Isaac Heffess; Matthew Fordham, Mason Sullivan.
Substitutes — Wade Johnson, Nathan Monteiro, Casey Milliken, Gabriel Raphael, Mathias Taylor, Ryan Carney.
Scoring Summary
Vermont Green FC — Labovitz 4'
Vermont Green FC — Ndiaye (Le Bourdoulous) 12'
New England FC — Lopera 24'
Vermont Green FC — Ajagbe 34'
Vermont Green FC — Ndiaye (O’Brien) 54'
Vermont Green FC — Trimnal 68'
Maple Man of the Match — Moussa Ndiaye
Referees — Luis Reis (center), Corey Cenate (AR1), Richard DeGraff-Murphy (AR2), Jace Laquerre (fourth)
Weather — Perfect summer evening, 72°F
Attendance — 2,500 (sellout)
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