7/20/24 – GCPL Semifinals Preview – Storm ready for road battle with reigning champions in semifinals
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Just four teams remain in the Gulf Coast Premier League Men’s Division and one massive road test presently separates the Storm from hosting the championship match. The hurdle is high for Alabama FC South taking on the 2023 GCPL Cup champion Southern States Soccer Club at the Oakes Training Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

“I grew up looking forward to the good games, the important games,” Associate Head Coach Gabriel de Queiroz said. “It’s no different now. As a coach on the sideline you have that feeling that you want to jump in and help, but we’re helping on the sidelines being coaches and mentors. It makes you feel human again getting those butterflies in the stomach but once the whistle blows and it’s time to start the game its time to enjoy and appreciate the time you have as a coach to see the guys playing and make an effort to compete.”

The match features the top seed in the West hosting the second place team in the East under a unique situation where the Storm actually enter with a better record with four more points in the regular season than SSSC. However, with Southern States winning the West, they earned the right to host with the winner of the contest hosting the championship match on July 27.

Southern States boasts a 7-4 record overall and is 5-1 at home this year with a +16 goal differential. The only blemish for SSSC came against another league semifinalist, Gaffa FC in a 3-1 loss. The two squads are among the league’s best attacks, both scoring 30 goals in the regular season.

Queiroz is expecting more of a tactical style match than the physical battle against Krewe last weekend. “I like to call it a chess game. Very techinical with a lot of tactical moves and reading and communication. You rely on watching the game off the ball. The ball is just one factor there. Everything else that is happening around it has to be watched and everybody needs to communicate and pass along. They’re a really good team and they do that really well but I think we also have our strengths and it’s going to be a good match.” The key to success Saturday night on the road is the mentality of the squad, Queiroz said. “Concentration. Concentration is key. We’re going to a site that is also hard to win there; they’ve proven that. But teams have gone there and done the opposite, they kept their heads and their structure and were consistent in their game. Every detail matters now, the less mistakes you make, the more you have a chance to come away with a win.”

The roster has undergone changes from week to week and one of the new additions to the squad, Juan Rojas Gomez, feels right at home after making his debut with AFC South last week against the Krewe, coming into the match in the 69th minute. The Paraguayan midfielder who plays college soccer at Faulkner said he felt welcomed and it helped already knowing several of the guys from his college team and AUM–14 of the 18 guys on the travel roster either last or currently play at the duo of Montgomery programs. He says the team is prepared for the road challenge. “I think it’s going to be a hard game, but we are ready.  We feel good. We feel ready and we feel confident.”

Both teams advanced into the match with one-goal victories in the quarterfinals in regulation. Glenn Waters’s 91st minute free kick gave the Storm a 1-0 win over LA Krewe last week with Southern States jumping to a 2-0 lead and holding on for a 2-1 win over Florida Roots. All four men’s quarterfinals last week were determined by one goal with three of them having the winner scored in the 90th minute or later.

While the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex has been a fortress for Alabama FC South, the road has been a little more challenging. At home, the Storm are 6-0 and have four shutouts with just three goals allowed and a goal differential of +16; on the road the squad is 2-2-1 and has not kept a clean sheet with just a +4 goal differnece. It will be the longest road trip of the season with the Storm traveling about four hours one way. “I like to think it’s just another match where another 90 minutes goes,” Querioz said. “I’m proud of the guys no matter what, but I think there is a little extra motivation knowing that if we win we host at home in front of our crowd and family and friends. This place has been an absolute strength for us and it gives us a little more motivation to make this game worth it and we need to run to bring it home.”

The opposite semifinal features Union 10 FC hosting Gaffa at 5 p.m. in Daphne, Alabama. The winner of that match will travel to either Montgomery or Hattiesburg for the title match.

Kickoff for the semifinal is set for 6:15 p.m. in Hattiesburg.

7/13/24 – MATCHDAY 11 PREVIEW – Home field, consistency key as Storm faces Krewe in GCPL Quarterfinals

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Montgomery prepares for a historic evening as Alabama FC South– in its inaugural semi professional season– prepares to host a Gulf Coast Premier League quarterfinal against LA Krewe Saturday at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex

After securing the East Division’s No. 2 seed in a dominant fashion last Saturday in the friendly confines, the Storm look to keep the momentum rolling with the help of a strong crowd in the win-or-go-home contest. The home field advantage is something Moroccan midfielder Hamza Sadiq believes will be a massive difference. “It will really help, more that like 80 percent. In the end, it’s still on us, but it really helps a lot when you see a lot of fans come into watch us play for the city and for everybody. We hope we see a lot of people [Saturday] coming into watch this game.”

The excitement is palpable around the team, Sadiq said. “It feels really great, to be honest with you. The first time to be in the playoffs, and it being a home game, it really feels great and amazing. I hope we can get a good result so we can keep going in this competition and win the trophy in the end. I’m really excited and, as you can see, everybody’s excited. I hope we get a good result so we can keep going in this tournament.”

The Storm have every reason to hold that excitement going into the playoffs having won four of its last five matches and outscoring its foes 19-5 in the back half of the schedule. “We have to continue to do what we did last game, Associate Head Coach Gabriel de Queiroz said. “I think no matter who we’re playing, if we control the game with intensity, use our game plan and strategy with the boys being on the same page, there’s nothing that can stop that. Our players create the opportunities and they set up the intensity of the game. So if they come with the mentality and are excited for that, then the opportunities will show up.”

Alabama FC South has been incredible at home, going a perfect 5-0 at home while outscoring its foes 18-3 and holding three clean sheets. Conversely, Krewe is 2-3 on the road and has a -11 goal differential, largely due to one outlying nightmarish away day at West Division No. 1 Seed Southern States 9-0. 

The Krewe are a squad that has been able to find ways to win in close matches this season, going 4-1 in one-goal games. On the flip side, Alabama FC South is 2-2 in such matches. 

On paper it seems like a good draw for AFC who is tied for the league lead with 30 goals scored against the second worst goals allowed in the GCPL as the Krewe have surrendered 27. However, the numbers could be deceptive as the Krewe has a solid squad that has put together good results, Queiroz said. “I’m expecting they’ll show up here with a good team. They’re traveling 4+ hours on the road and I think they’re going to come here and try to steal our spot in the semifinals. I just expect a good game. I expect a good team to show up and give us a good game.”

The match is also a very interesting matchup from the goal differential standpoint. Alabama FC South is currently second in the GCPL with a +19 goal differential while LA Krewe has the second worst with a -12 mark and have surrendered four goals in each of its last two outings to fall from a position to be the top seed in the West to a traveling seed in the three. Despite the shocking goal differential and the tough end of season form, The Krewe have had a very competitive season, playing the top teams largely very well and will certainly be a tough evening for the Storm.

“It’s going to be interesting because we’re a team that creates a lot of opportunities,” Queiroz said. “We’re a team that dominates and likes to have the ball a lot of the time. So it’s just going to be a matter of who values those opportunities in front of goal or in the last third. The team that does that well and makes less mistakes will have a good result.”

Alabama FC South is led in goal scoring by Gabriel Dias’s eight. The Brasilia, Brazil native bagged four in the regular season finale against Pensacola Bay. He is pursued by Renan Diniz and Logan Roach who each have six on the year. Diniz also leads the team with five assists while Roach leads in minutes played having played all 855 minutes this season. 

In the playoffs, if overtime is required, it will be two 15 minute halves with no golden or silver goal. If the match is still tied after the expiration of that 30 minutes, penalties will be utilized to determine the advancement. 

All four quarterfinal matchups feature East vs. West contests with the highest seeds remaining on each half of the bracket hosting the semifinals next week. The other matchups around the league see Sowegans SC host Gaffa FC and Gulf Coast United host Union 10 on the opposite side of the bracket while Southern States SC hosts Florida Roots with the winner to face the victor of the match in Montgomery. 

Kickoff for the quarterfinal match is set for 6:15 p.m.

7/6/24 – MATCHDAY 10 PREVIEW – Regular season closes with pivotal contest against Pensacola Bay
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The stakes are simple for Alabama FC South Saturday evening when Pensacola Bay United comes to town: win and host the first round of the playoffs, a loss or draw means an anxious wait preparing in the multiverse of scenarios of either hosting or hitting the road next weekend and not knowing until Tuesday night the postseason draw.

“We need to win,” Associate Head Coach Gabriel de Queiroz said. “That’s the mentality. Dominate; it’s our home field. We have the quality, we have the best football in this league in my opinion. The boys know how to do it. It’s just a matter of concentrating and everybody being on the same page and just dominating the game from zero-90. 

The Storm face a Pensacola Bay side that can make the playoffs with a win in either of its final two matches and will be playing with the fire expected from a team in such a position. Head Coach Manny Sanchez says the team knows that Pensacola Bay is going to bring a battle Saturday night. “They’re going to be very hungry and we’ve already talked to the players about that earlier this week and today right before training we had that discussion. They’re not coming over here to roll over and let us gain a berth at home in the playoffs, they’re trying to get a berth in the playoffs themselves. They have two matches, they have to win one to get in and we’re in their way.”

The match is a rematch of the first contest of the season that ended 1-1 with a Gabriel Dias 80th minute equalizer. That game is one that Alabama FC South controlled most of and felt unfortunate to not come away from with all three points. 

One recurring thought around the team is that the team is totally different than the one that took the pitch in Pensacola about two months ago. Centerback Colin Salle, who has six appearances on the season including a start in the season opener says the team chemistry has improved dramatically. “I think we’ve gelled a lot more like we actually know each other and aren’t playing with each other for the first time. It was all just very new, the chemistry wasn’t quite there so that’s improved a lot.” Sanchez echoed the same sentiment. “We’re a totally different team than we were when we played them the last time. First of all we have more team chemistry; the players know each other more. They’re more efficient in the system they’re in, the coaches know them more, and we’re at home. We missed some opportunities last time and left some points on the table that have actually put us in the position where we need to win this match. I just think with all those things I mentioned, it gives us an advantage in this match especially with our fans there cheering us on. Our guys really react well to that.”

Pensacola Bay has also improved in the chemistry area, Salle said. “I think they play a lot more as a team. They tried to play very individually last time we played them so I think they play a lot more as a unit now and are very solid defensively.”

The match week schedule has been a little more varied than usual for Alabama FC South with the Independence Day holiday altering the schedule some. Then a storm changed the Friday training session for the Storm, pushing practice to the indoor facility at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex. Sanchez is thankful for the facilities available giving an edge to the squad. “I think it’s great especially after giving the guys two days off because of the holiday. We’re very, very lucky here at the YMCA of Greater Montgomery, where our team is from, that we have an indoor facility and we have bermuda and turf fields outside. Getting these touches is very key to get our legs moving and getting focused on [Saturday].”

The matchup features intriguing stat line stories with Alabama FC South holding three clean sheets and allowing just two goals at home while Pensacola Bay United has scored eight of its 12 goals away from Ashton Brosnaham Park. The home field advantage is a theme the squad knows can be advantageous. “We haven’t lost at home yet and the mentality is the same,” Queiroz said. “We need to dominate. We need to show up tomorrow ready to go. Two teams that are looking forward to winning this game because it’s important to them and important to us, but we have the home field. When we played them last it was the first game of the season and we didn’t have the chemistry, the right team or enough training back then and it was a different team. I feel we’re much better. We just need to come [Saturday] ready to go.” Salle says staying at home is also advantageous energy wise. “It’s huge having the home support and not having the travel and having the travel legs. It’s massive.”

The match also features a fan appreciation day where tickets are buy-one, get-one free, merchandise is 25 percent off and a free poster to the first 150 fans that the players will sign after the match. “We appreciate the fans coming out right from the start with the storm and it led to us getting the team name the Storm,” Sanchez, who also serves as the club’s General Manager said. “They’ve been there supporting us from the beginning. We still need more support to get us over the hump and hopefully we can play another home match in the playoffs here for the fans.”

While the East Division will not fully be set until Tuesday evening, the West will wrap up Saturday night as all six teams in the opposite division will play with all six battling for a playoff berth or seeding in a very even table. The top seed in the East will host the four seed in the West and so on. Should Alabama FC South win, they will host the three seed in the West in the first round of the playoffs next weekend; if the Storm fall to the East three, they will travel to the West two seed.

Kickoff against Pensacola Bay is set for 7:15 at the Championship Field at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – One week ago, this match looked a lot more impactful than what Saturday night’s contest will end up actually being, but the stakes are still high for Alabama FC South as the Gulf Coast Premier League’s regular season champions, Sowegans SC, come to the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex. 

Following Sunday’s loss on the road, the top seed became a very long shot, but the window is closed now as the Storm turn its attention to a standings battle for the GCPL East Division’s second seed with Union 10 FC. Alabama FC South holds a one point lead with two matches to go over Union 10. The recipient of the No. 2 seedline will host a first round playoff game against the third seed in the West Division on July 13 to open the three-round postseason. If Alabama FC South wins both of its final two matches, they will wrap up the East’s two-seed and have the second-best record in the league.

“After the game on Sunday, we talked in the locker room that now the focus is on second place, the first place was not possible anymore,” Associate Head Coach Gabriel de Queiroz said. “That sets off some sort of pressure on either side. We can put ourselves in a high pressure situation or they can do that to us. Now we’re looking at consolidating that second seed. Most of all it’s just gaining the confidence back, playing at home in front of our crowd and playing well. The consequence of that will be creating chances and scoring goals possibly and securing second place.”

Alabama FC South looks to rebound from a tough 3-2 loss Sunday afternoon against Union 10 that opened the door for Sowegans to seal the title Wednesday; the Turtles walked through the door with a 3-0 win at home to secure the top seed in the GCPL. With the top-seed secured, it will be interesting to see how Sowegans approaches the match, according to Queiroz, but the coaching staff has the team ready to go for either scenario. “I honestly don’t know; it could go both ways. They could come over here and just try to keep going and keep their foot on the gas and going forward getting points, or they come over here and just relax. We’ve seen teams before in this situation relax and give an opportunity to give players a chance to play that did not get a lot of minutes, but it could go both ways. Once the whistle blows, it’s 11v11. Whoever is going to win is whoever wants it the most.”

The match in Leesburg, Ga. three weeks ago presented challenges to Alabama FC who played a majority of the match a man down and had a second man sent off in the last minutes of the match. Despite the challenges, it was the only time this season the Turtles did not win by multiple goals at home. 

AFC has won all three contests at home so far this season, with the last two coming up with clutch defensive plays down the stretch to seal the victories. 

Alabama FC South looks to continue its balanced goal scoring as seven different players have found the back of the net for the upstart GCPL side; seven different players have also recorded assists.

Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. at the Championship Field at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex following a free kids camp in the afternoon.

6/23/24 – Matchday 8 Preview – Alabama FC South ready for third game in eight days amidst coaching changes

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – From the beginning of the season, the focus of Alabama FC South’s Gulf Coast Premier League squad has been one match at a time. The approach’s effectiveness is unquestionable as the Storm controls its own destiny to have home field advantage throughout the playoffs with three matches to play in the regular season. Sunday afternoon is the final road test of the 10 game slate as Alabama FC South heads back to the Mobile Bay Area to take on Union 10 FC in Daphne just days after coming back from a 5-1 win at AFC Mobile.

The win against Mobile again proved the mettle of the squad, falling behind early in adverse weather conditions on the road in what easily could have been a trap game scenario especially with the news the boys received moments before getting on the bus: Head Coach Mateo Peral resigned Wednesday morning. Filling the head coach position for Peral, who led AFC South to a 4-1-1 record before stepping aside, is the squad’s General Manager Manny Sanchez.

“We were a bit surprised with the resignation of Mateo so we got together with the staff to try to figure out what was the best plan moving forward with the least amount of interruption to the team; we’ve had a lot of success and don’t want that to change,” Sanchez said. “Obviously my role as general manager is very important as well so as a group we thought the best thing moving forward was me stepping into the position of head coach, which originally was the plan when we started putting this project together but I just saw too many things that needed to get done so Mateo stepped in and that was great. One of the things we did in the restructuring, because Gabi has been working beyond the range of an assistant coach, was to promote him to associate head coach. I think that’s a great move for him and his career and also the team. I’ve been working to get Gabi over here to Alabama FC for a couple years so we know we can work together to try to not only grow the team and continue the success we’re on but also in the community to grow the game here and I believe this is the best way to move forward.”

Sanchez adds the title of GCPL head coach to an already loaded resumé and current business card. “I see it as more responsibility but I worked hard with the staff in the beginning and also with the players to build a team,” Sanchez said. “My role as General Manager of the team, Vice President for the YMCA, I’ve got so many titles but at the end of the day my passion is the game. I’ve coached for many, many years. I’ve played and coached at the highest level. From high school to college, professional with the Charleston Battery and that’s my passion: to be on the field. Making that change is going to add more responsibilities on me, but I’ve always been able to multitask. But I’m also giving more responsibilities to Gabi as associate head coach. We just have to find the right balance so we don’t suffer in any area and I believe we have a really good plan in place.”

The match Sunday will be a big test against a team in Union 10 that has really found good form recently, winning their last two matches in shutout fashion and only allowing one goal in the calendar month. Union 10 are coming off a full week’s rest after beating crosstown rival AFC Mobile 4-0 at home eight days ago.”

“We discussed [fatigue] last week when we started to look at this week: the week load and how we’d do things,” Queiroz said. “We ask them how they feel and give them a couple of days off to go to the gym to stretch and take care of themselves. Obviously Wednesday was a tough game. It seemed like we were working out because of the field conditions, the rain, the trip and other things that are outside of our control where it seemed like it was a good training session. I described it to them as a good training session, that we had a good training session in the middle of the week then had the next day off then back to training. Saturday we relaxed a little, dropped the level of intensity so they can get ready for today.”

Union 10’s last loss was 3-2 against the Storm on May 25 at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex; a match where Alabama FC South jumped to a 3-0 lead. Since that 3-0 scoreline Union 10 has outscored its opposition 10-1.

“It won’t be easy,” Queiroz said. “The game here was not easy, so the boys need to be concentrated because there’s a lot at stake. That game actually helped us a lot in terms of consolidating our style, the players, the starters, the subs who can go in there and out. I think it’s going to be a game of details. Both teams are going to be studying each other and whichever team makes the least amount of mistakes will win. Since then, a lot has changed. The players are understanding more what we’re asking in practice and applying it in game. Right now we’re taking care of a couple of injuries; we’re in the part of the season where they start to get tired and the weather is getting hotter and a lot of the players are college players too so we have to take care of their health and make sure that they’re in good condition for the game. Since then, we just got solid. One example is against Sowegans playing a man down for 60 minutes. The physical conditioning was great. For those that were there we were playing with a man down but it didn’t seem like it.”

Alabama FC South has clinched a playoff berth and will finish as a top 3 seed in the East. The Storm sit second with 16 points through 7 matches ahead of Union’s 12 points on 6 matches and behind Sowegans’s 21 points on 8. A win Sunday would go a long way in helping lock in at least one match but nothing mathematically can be locked in. If the Storm can win its last three matches, they will take the top seed overall and host every playoff match but face a big challenge as the American calendar begins a new week with the current No. 3 and No. 1 seeds on the schedule.

Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. at Village Park in Daphne, Ala.

6/19/24 – Matchday 7 Preview – Alabama FC South seeks three points in midweek clash
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama FC South hits the road Wednesday for the penultimate road match of the regular season and the first game on short rest as the Storm travel to Mobile to take on AFC Mobile at 7 p.m. at John Dotson Park in Chickasaw, Ala. 

The tale of the tape certainly favors Alabama FC South as AFC Mobile has had a fair share of struggles this season with the Azaleas seeking their first points of the season in their eighth match. The previous matchup between the two ended in a 3-0 Alabama FC South win in just 45 minutes as lightning called the game early. Despite what the matchup looks like on paper, the Storm are zeroing in on Wednesday’s matchup knowing how important it is to take all three points from the contest for the regular season title race. 

For assistant coach Gabriel de Queiroz, his hope is the same as the approach has been all season–one match at a time. “It’s important that they think this game is just like another one. They can’t look into stats or records or place in the table; it’s 11v11. Once the whistle blows, it’s a game so they need to take it as seriously as they can and be ready to perform, respecting the other team and playing with confidence and knowing it can be a surprise; the game can go in a different way. Just like in the game against Sowegans we were playing really well for 15-20 minutes, created some chances and then a decision, something we don’t have control over happened, and it changed the game. So going there away on a field that most likely isn’t full size in a different environment, the boys need to take it all in consideration and be focused and concentrate on the details and the things we can control: respecting the other team and keeping our performance like we have throughout the season.”

“I hope we can make a good game,” Luis Fernandes said. “The focus is to get three points now and see what steps we can take. We’re looking forward to being the leader of the competition so that’s the goal.” The travel plus the long term goals are motivating factors to make sure that the high-rising newcomers don’t fall into a potential trap game. “We’re traveling three hours to be there so we don’t want to waste time going there. The main focus now is it doesn’t matter how we get it but the big deal is going to get three points.” 

One of the unique challenges, according to Fernandes, the goal scorer last match, is the short rest late into the season for Alabama FC South following an intense defensive battle Saturday against Roots in blistering heat. “[Recovery] has been a little tough, not going to lie. Everybody is feeling it a little bit. But I think we’re ready. It’s an important game for us. We really want to get in the top position so the big goal right now is going there and getting three points.”

The congested schedule is not changing the approach from Queiroz and the rest of the coaching staff in the selection of the lineup, knowing that three points is paramount from the match for the end of the table picture. “We’re going to start with the best team in a healthy condition in the best way we can while considering the health conditions of everybody. We’re not going to try to save anything or surprise, we’re going to pick the 11 we think is best between Mateo [Peral] and I. Then obviously talking with the players and them being honest and transparent with us in their conditions so everybody has a chance and we can perform the best way we can. Obviously, we have a good group of players and everybody that comes from the bench can change the game, give us speed or give us an outlet to keep us going forward and keep the intensity of the game where it needs to be. We’re going to go the best way we can to secure this win away then look forward to Sunday.”

As the season winds down, the playoff picture rounds into shape more. Each division’s top four teams make the playoffs with the top two seeds of each division hosting the bottom two seeds of the other. If the Storm win and Sowegans defeats Florida Roots Wednesday, Alabama FC South will be secured into the playoffs but still have a lot to determine before solidifying seedings.

6/15/24 – Matchday 6 Preview – Storm ready for rematch with Roots to start second half of season

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The idea of collective success is apparent and the focus of the newest Gulf Coast Premier League side and has the newly-rebranded Alabama FC South Storm with much higher aspirations than just making the eight-team playoff field. 

That vision continues with a matchup against one of the unique storylines in the GCPL in the Florida Roots who won their first three matches but have since lost three in a row, all at home,  to stumble to a tie for third in a congested top of the East division. One of those losses suffered by the Roots was a stellar team effort by ALFC in Panama City June 1 with a 3-1 win. “When the collective works, the individual appears. That’s what happened that night,” Alabama FC’s versatile winger Higor França said, recounting the match two weeks ago. 

“We had a very good first game against them. They’re very competitive. That was a game that taught us a lot because they scored in the very first minute and we woke up and were able to come back. After a loss, a painful loss against Sowegans, I think we have been putting the work and effort back in again. Being back at home with our crowd it is very important to come back stronger and bounce back and keep doing what we’re doing. I think that was a game where they gave me a little bit more space and I was able to turn around. I was successful in that match also because of Luke [Wheeldon]. He helps me a lot because he has so much quality and the passes always come out good. I think collectively, everything worked pretty well. When the collective works, the individual appears. That’s what happened that night, I think.” França assisted the equalizing goal just two minutes after the Roots scored the opener to make it 1-1 just four minutes into the match. 

“We obviously played them very recently and we expect a similar game to how it was down there, a fast-paced game with a lot of scoring chances, we hope on our end,” Head Coach Mateo G. Peral said. “We know they went from first to third and they’re going to come out here and they need to get results so we need to be prepared for it. We need to be the ones controlling the game to be able to get the result we need at the end of the day.”

Both teams will be seeking a get-right game as the Storm is coming off a tough 2-1 loss to top of the table Sowegans SC last week on the road. However, the approach remains steady for Alabama FC South. “We’ll continue to play the same way,” Peral said. “Even after losing our first game on Saturday, we’re still pretty comfortable and very confident about the work we do so it will not affect the way we play or the way we lineup. We’re happy to be back at home after a few weeks on the road so that is going to add a level of comfort into how we approach the match and how we go about it. We’re looking forward to it. Hopefully it will be a good game and we’ll get a nice crowd here and take care of business and win the game.”

The team has now faced everybody in the league and is not resting on its laurels earned by strong performances in its first five matches, França said. “I think we showed to ourselves and the other teams that we are capable and have a very good team. Everything we did, the wins, the good performances, it’s in the past. We need to keep that in mind. It’s in the past. We need to prove ourselves again and again for the next few weeks and next few games and taking care of ourselves resting wise with short time of rest between the next games is very important so keeping the mindset of keeping focused and resting.”

Saturday’s match starts a stretch of three matches in eight days with the final two road trips of the regular season looming. The short rest is something that is on the minds, but not the forethoughts of Alabama FC going into Saturday evening’s match. “We have to take care of the game on Saturday first,” Peral said. “Depending on how things go Saturday then we’ll start quickly as soon as the game ends and start planning for Wednesday. It will be the first game we’ll play on a weeknight so we know we’ll have to adjust our training schedule a little bit and travel on a weeknight so we’re going to start looking at it as soon as we finish Saturday night. We’ll take care of business Saturday then after that we’ll start planning for Wednesday. Once we get back from Mobile, we have to do some laundry and repack everything to go back to Mobile on Sunday. We’re looking forward to it. Obviously we know where these games are going to take us down the road so we’re approaching every game extremely seriously and looking forward to getting the results we want at the end of each game.”

Wednesday’s match will be against AFC Mobile and Alabama FC South will travel back down I-65 South Sunday to take on Union 10. Alabama FC South still controls its own destiny halfway through the season just two points behind on max points behind Sowegans. 

Saturday night’s kickoff against the Roots is set for 7:15 p.m. at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex Championship Field.

6/7/24 – Matchday 5 Preview – AFC South focused on top-of-table clash at Sowegans

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Another top of the table clash awaits Alabama FC South as the middle of the season gauntlet continues with a road trip to Leesburg, Ga. to take on Sowegans Soccer Club Saturday evening. Alabama FC South holds a 3-0-1 record for 10 points while Sowegans is just one point behind with a 3-1 record. Both clubs hold a game in hand over third place Florida Roots who is tied with Sowegans with nine points.

Despite sitting atop the Gulf Coast Premier League East standings, being the only unbeaten team left in the league and going on the road for the second straight game against a top two opponent in the table, the week’s preparation remains solely on the next 90 minutes in south Georgia Head Coach Mateo G. Peral says. “We talk to the guys before every training session and we’re just going one game at a time. We can’t look back and focus on what we did previously and we cannot get caught up in what’s too far ahead of us; so we’re looking at the game Saturday. We know it’s important for us and it’s important for them. but we can only control what we do so we’re working on it so we can be well prepared so we can be ready to go to the game and play in a game that is suitable and comfortable for us. Hopefully we can manage the game and come back with a good result.”

“It’s a team we’ve been following closely. We know they’ve been getting a couple of really good results the past few weeks and they’re playing very well. They’ve gotten two really good results at home and they feed off their crowd and their atmosphere so we’re looking forward to the challenge of going down to Georgia and playing them. We know it’s a good team that is well coached and we’re looking forward to finishing a week of preparing for it so we can play a good game down there.”

Sowegans has scored 17 goals in its last three matches including two wins over AFC Mobile by a combined score of 16-1. After dropping their first match 2-1 on the road to Union 10, the Turtles are unbeaten and have surrendered just one goal in the 87th minute of what was then an 8-0 game on the road with AFC Mobile. Contrasting to the eye-popping score lines against the Azaleas is the highlight win so far of the season for Sowegans, a 1-0 win over Florida Roots making a third minute goal stand enough for three road points.

The match features two of the best goal differentials in the league with 28 goals scored and just seven surrendered between the two sides and presents what could be a really intriguing matchup according to Peral. “It’s going to be entertaining for sure. It seems like every time we play, there is something that happens out of our plans so we have to make the adjustment and go through it and figure it out and we’ve tended to get the job done. With two teams that attack very well and score a lot of goals, hopefully it is a game with a lot of scoring opportunities but with teams also defending organized and in a very strong way, I hope we can play from the back up and control the game and limit their scoring opportunities and make sure we take advantage of ours so if it is a game that has a lot of scoring chances we can put some of them away and if it’s a game with limited opportunities that we can make the most of our chances and come back with a good result.”

A substory line in the matchup is that each team features three current Faulkner soccer players who will be in the unique position of playing against guys they’ll play alongside in the fall. One of the anticipated matchups is AFC South goalkeeper Michalis Jackson who will likely face his fellow Eagle goalkeeper Matteo Scarduzio who has started every match for Sowegans.

“It’s going to be a good challenge,” Jackson said. “I know they’re good players; there are three of them on the opposite team. I can’t wait to see them and I want to beat them. It’s like a rivalry because we’re friends at college and when we go out, but now we’re going to be enemies for the first time. We’re going to have some fun for sure.”

Jackson, the Cypriot goalkeeper, has played every minute between the sticks for Alabama FC South so far. “It means a lot. I was not expecting us to be very good honestly since it’s our first year but we’re doing great. For me it means a lot to be a part of this team and start. I also feel like I’m improving myself and there’s a lot more work to do. We let some goals get scored and I want them to stop being scored.”

Jackson selflessly credits the guys in front of him for the second best goals against per match in the league performances Alabama FC South has turned in one match from the halfway point in the season. “The guys in our defense have been playing so well so far. I haven’t made a lot of saves and that’s because of them. They talk about clean sheets and say ‘the keeper made a clean sheet’ but that’s not true because without the defense the keeper cannot do anything and that’s the case. I don’t have to do a lot, but when I do I’m there. I really appreciate those guys. I feel different from previous situations. Every game when I was young I kept getting a lot of shots on me and now I don’t have to do a lot and that says how good our defense is.

The more limited shot stopping opportunities forced an adjustment for Jackson who grew up with a lot of work to do when wearing the gloves. “It’s a little bit harder [to not face as many shots]. I may sit over there at the goal just getting instructions and not have to do a lot for 20-30 minutes. [When not regularly involved in the action] you may get cold and or if you’re not careful you get distracted and everything then there’s one shot and you might get punished. I’m just trying to communicate with the team and move with them when they move so communication is a key for me. As long as I communicate with them, I stay part of the game and stay focused.”

With a win, Alabama FC South would move four points ahead of Sowegans and maintain a one point lead with a game in hand against Florida Roots regardless of how Roots wraps up its three match homestand against Union 10 Saturday night.

The match will not have a broadcast provided by Sowegans. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. central.

5/31/24- Matchday 4 Preview- Alabama FC South set for top of table clash Saturday

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A highly-anticipated top of the table matchup is ashore as Alabama FC South travels to Panama City Beach, Fla. to take on the Florida Roots Saturday evening with the winner occupying the top spot in the Gulf Coast Premier League’s East Division.

“As a coach, you tend to feed off the players’ attitude towards any game,” Head Coach Mateo Peral said. “The work we’ve had this week coming off the last two home results, it’s been great. The players are into it. The players are excited about the match. The players are focused and that’s making the coaching staff buy into their excitement and hopefully lead to a good result when we play away. They have been playing well and even though they had a negative result on Wednesday that’s going to make them come out at home and try to put on a good show for their fans and try to stay on top of the table. If we get the result we want, we can either get closer to them or ahead of them.”

The Boys in Red are coming off a 3-2 home win over Union 10 FC last week that saw three first half goals hold up for the win that followed a 3-0 win in a lightning-shortened opener the week before against AFC Mobile and are presently the only unbeaten team in the Gulf Coast Premier League.

Captain Logan Roach believes not only the goals, but the concessions will help AFC South on the road Saturday night. “I think [the last two results] have been good. Obviously the last two games we’ve scored six goals so it pretty much shows how we can play. I think having the game end how it did it definitely puts us in the mindset of we can concede so it’s switching to the point of how do we stop that and minimize that.”

The second half goals from Union 10 Saturday proved to Peral a measuring stick of his squad. “I think it was just a series of events that just went unfortunate for us. We created a great scoring opportunity, we couldn’t end the play with a shot on goal that led to a counter attack for the first goal. Soon after that, after a foul we made, perhaps with no need to on a cross to give up the PK for the second goal. But we know when we are on top of our game and focused on our defending assignments to the pressing and into the recovery of the ball in the areas of the field we want to, it is very hard for opponents to get behind us. As long as we can stay on top of it, we should be able to control the game and play the way we want to.”

For Roach, the approach should remain the same with the high stakes. “Just keep doing what we’re doing. We’ve been playing well over the last three games so pretty much just work hard throughout the week, stay on top of what we’re doing and just play the way we do.”

Florida Roots currently sit atop the GCPL East Division standings with nine points after opening the season on three straight victories, but fell Wednesday to Sowegans SC 1-0 at home after conceding in the third minute. The goal surrendered is the only goal allowed by Roots in the last 270 minutes of play. Pearl complimented the organization of Florida Roots on the pitch and is eager to see how Alabama FC South matches up. “They’re a very organized team, they stay compact and stay together. They move the ball around well. It’s a team that’s very aggressive; they like to attack. They’ve had some really good results in the last couple weeks and we’re looking forward to going to their field and hopefully coming back with a result.”

One of the main keys, Peral says, for coming back to Montgomery with all three points is finishing. “For the first three weeks, we’ve done a great job of creating scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, in the first couple of games we missed quite a few of our chances. However, we’re finding ways to attack and create scoring opportunities and we’ve been working on emphasizing the final touch–just passing the ball into the back of the net. If we can stay on top of that this weekend, hopefully we get the result we want. We’ve been defending very well. We’re staying organized and communicating better every time we play.”

The match will be the halfway point in Florida’s season and one match away from that for Alabama FC South. The two sit slim ahead of Sowegans who has six points through three matches. Alabama FC South’s seven points through three matches has AFC leading both divisions in points per match but trails the first place Roots who have won three matches and have nine points. The match stakes are pretty clear; with a win, either team is certain to sit atop the points standings in the table regardless of what happens in the Sowegans match against AFC Mobile in the home return after a 9-1 win for the Turtles on the road last week.

Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. at Publix Sports Park in Panama City Beach.

5/18/24 – Matchday 2 – Alabama FC South rolls past AFC Mobile in storm-shortened home debut
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama FC South picked up a rain-shortened 3-0 victory over AFC Mobile Saturday in the home opener with a dominant performance to earn its first win in the Gulf Coast Premier League Saturday night at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex. The performance proved the preseason and one week in adjustments worthwhile and entertained the fans in attendance for the home debut. 

“We’ve been working for a while now to put up a performance like we did in the first half today. Today it showed once the guys stepped foot on the field and we were able to move the ball and create chance after chance until we were finally able to break through and continue until we scored a few more after that.”

Alabama FC South controlled possession throughout the 45 minute match and held AFC Mobile to one chance that Michalis Jackson thwarted in the eighth minute with a kickstop on a one-on-one chance as the attacker attempted to dribble around him. “It was huge,” Head Coach Mateo Peral said. “It came right off a scoring chance we created and they caught us on the counter attack and next thing you know it’s a one-on-one. Michalis has to step and and he knows his role and he was able to stay calm and make the kick save and keep us in the game by maintaining the 0-0 score and we were able to continue to play and utilize the mistake we made and made sure we were better organized and were able to keep it in their half and prevent counter attacks.”

The Boys in Red struck first in the 17th minute when Glenn Waters drove a free kick to Logan Roach who headed home the opening goal. Roach earned his second goal contribution of the season after assisting the goal against Pensacola. Waters, the midfielder who assisted the opening goal was integral to the offensive success, linking the defense and the offense in a masterful way. “In the middle of the park you need to keep control of the ball to control the game,” Waters said after the match. “That’s what I like to do to keep nothing coming through and keep the forwards moving on and set them up where they can score.” The Irish midfielder was pleased with the adjustments ALFC made coming into the second match of the season. “We spoke after we came back from Pensacola and worked on a few things in training that we saw tonight and everything we worked on came out. We had a very, very good first half with three goals.”

Chances kept flowing for Alabama FC South and the hosts were rewarded again in the 42nd minute as Higor França struck a wormburner from 30 yards out to the bottom left corner to double the lead. França would go on later to be named the Man of the Match with his defensive contributions being a key factor in winning the ball back and getting back on the attacking foot. 

Just two minutes later, after a series of Mobile throws, Neill Kerr cleared a pass well downfield to Gabriel Dias who found Nate Grant making a run down the right center channel. Grant, who had to enter in the 10th minute as an injury substitute, dribbled around a defender who closed the space back in and the goalkeeper before slotting home a tight angle shot to make it 3-0. 

Possession, Peral felt, was the key to the victory Saturday night. ““The more you have the ball, the more chances you have to score and win the game so we were able to keep the ball and move it from side to side to create space and be able to find out players and to get behind them. If you have the ball, you control the game, you dictate what the other team does. Our boys were able to keep the ball and play comfortably, having the ball and being able to set up how they wanted to.”

As halftime hit, lightning struck within the 10 mile radius of the pitch and the match was halted and could not be resumed. By rule, the match became official after having completed the first half of play, sealing the first win in an unorthodox fashion.

“The work that the coaching staff has been doing on the field has been amazing. Working not just with the attacking players to score but the center mids to set up the offensive players and the defenders to move the ball. We’ve had lots of conversations over the past few weeks about how we need everybody to step in and provide something to help us win. If it’s a different goal scorer or the same guy putting the ball in the back of the net, they don’t care. They want to get the results and put goals away. Hopefully those that came out today were happy with what they saw and they’ll come back next Saturday and we hope to do it all over again.”

Alabama FC South moves to 1-0-1 on the season and has four points through its first two matches, just two points behind Florida Roots who occupy the top spot. 

The Boys in Red return to the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex Saturday when they take on Union 10 FC at 7:15 p.m.

5/10/2024 – Matchday 1 – Opportunity arises on eve of GCPL kickoff

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Opportunity. A word that brings optimism as a situation gives you a chance to do something special. A new opportunity is just one day away as Alabama FC South takes the pitch for the first time in the Gulf Coast Premier League Saturday evening in Pensacola, Fla. as the Boys in Red travel to Pensacola Bay United FC for a 5 p.m. kickoff to start the semi-professional journey for a long established soccer club.

Led by Head Coach Mateo Peral, ALFC is ready to take advantage of the opportunity ahead. “We are extremely excited about this opportunity. I think it’s going to be great for our players, our program, for the city of Montgomery. We are very thankful for the support we have received from our sponsors, our staff, our coaches, the players and we’re just counting down the hours.”

The chance comes against a Pensacola Bay United side that started as a branch off from now NPSL side Pensacola FC and is in its second year as the new club at the GCPL level. Pensacola Bay United “They’ve been in this league for a few seasons and had success. They’ve signed some really talented players,” Peral said. “We’re continuing to do our homework to prepare for the match and I think by the time we get there Saturday we’ll have everything we need to face a game and have a positive result.”

With this opportunity comes the chance for a first impression. Peral anticipates his squad will make an immediate impact. “Everybody is going to know we are a very competitive team and organized. We’re going to take every game on the road and home extremely seriously. We want to make sure we’re representing Alabama FC South, Montgomery and the River Region in the best way possible. We want people to know that their investment in this project is not only for the summer but for something bigger for years to come.”

One of the unique things about the Gulf Coast Premier League is the player pool in the league. Players, mostly all playing collegiate soccer throughout the Southeast, join forces with players across all levels of college soccer, including potential rival schools, for a summer competing together. Peral believes that this provides an incredible framework for growth. “As a coach, having the opportunity to work with players with such different and unique backgrounds, it is a great opportunity for me and the rest of the coaching staff. It’s one we will definitely take advantage of. Not only do we get the chance to coach them to work with them but we get the chance to learn and see the game in a different way. Having the chance to work with them and compete with them when the season begins it’s something we’re looking forward to and we do not take for granted. We’re thankful for the opportunity these guys have given us to coach them for the summer.”

One of those players is the Spanish centerback Pablo Moreno who is eager to represent a place he’s called home for four years now. “It’s amazing. I came here four years ago and I was playing here but this is a great opportunity and I already love it. Getting to play with very good players that’s amazing. Playing for the city, that’s an amazing thing. It’s a really good feeling knowing that we’re stepping from zero so it’s a process seeing the team growing and we want to keep going.”

Alabama FC South looks to build upon it’s exhibition performance Sunday afternoon at home that saw the visitors nick a 3-1 win. “We played a very competitive and very well-skilled Columbus team,” Peral said. “It gave us a good look at what we need to prepare for for our first game. I don’t think we did a good job with possession or maintaining. We didn’t do a good job with pressing and creating turnovers to give us opportunities to score, but once we got into a rhythm we were able to settle down and start putting into place the things we’ve been working on for the past few weeks. We’ve spent the past three days working on it and we hope by Saturday we have corrected all those things and we can improve and get a much better result.”

Alabama FC South will compete in the East Division of the Gulf Coast Premier League, playing all five other teams in a home-and-home round robin regular season. The first home match is slated for May 18 at 7:15 p.m. at Stadium 1 at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex against AFC Mobile. Tickets are available here.