DC Power fell 3-1 to Ft. Lauderdale United FC on Monday night at Beyond Bancard Field. The hosts saw goals from Emily Thompson, Kelli Van Treeck, and Kate Colvin. Power FC’s Loza Abera scored just before the half. DC Power has a record of 2-2-2 all-time against FTL UTD.
This week’s matchup saw Power FC head coach Omid Namazi rotate the starting lineup. Goalkeeper Morgan Aquino was on the bench while Makenna Gottschalk was given the start. I’ve mentioned before how the club could benefit from giving Dasia Torbert more opportunities, so it was refreshing to see her start. Jaydah Bedoya didn’t start but saw the pitch late in the second half. The backline was anchored by Sydney Cummings and Claire Constant.
It was the same struggle with Power FC this week: a lack of goals and missed chances. Just like last week’s elongated list of missed chances, tonight’s matchup was more of the same. They outshot Ft. Lauderdale United 24-10 with only a single goal for their hard work.
“At 1-1, we had numerous chances to put ourselves in a winning position, but once again, we failed to capitalize on our chances. Then, we gave up a set piece goal, and from there, it was just chasing the game,” said head coach Omid Namazi after the match. “We had our moments and could’ve won, but when you don’t score, this is what happens. You leave points behind.”
With just five matches remaining in the regular season, the window of playoff opportunity is starting to dwindle for DC Power. Only the top four clubs will qualify for the playoffs. Dallas Trinity holds the last spot with 32 points, while DC Power sits just outside of qualifying with 26 points. The club needs at least two wins out of the five matches to have a chance at qualification (and a few losses from Dallas Trinity wouldn’t hurt).
“Even though the result wasn’t what we wanted, we’re going to keep pushing,” said DC Power striker Loza Abera. “The focus now is learning from tonight, staying disciplined, working hard, and trusting each other as a team. If we do that, we believe we can put ourselves in a strong position to fight for a playoff spot.”
DC Power has another match on the road this week, facing Tampa Bay Sun FC on Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 PM/ET. The match will be aired on Peacock.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Courtesy of DC Power