March 10, 2024 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – Lexington Sporting Club News Release
Lexington Sporting Club’s Amal Knight in action
(Lexington Sporting Club, Credit: Jacob Bramley | Lexington Sporting Club)
Lexington Sporting Club reached a 0-0 draw with NC Hailstorm FC in its season opener at Toyota Stadium on Saturday.
The draw sees the club start the new season with a 0-0-1 (1 point) record while NC Hailstorm FC shares the same record. The clubs take up the No. 3 and No. 4 spots in the USL League One standings with six teams still yet to play.
Lexington SC entered the match with a rejuvenated roster with a plethora of talent and a new head coach with Darren Powell taking the reins of the team.
The match was neck-and-neck from the get-go as, apart from a few shots off target from Lexington and a shot off the woodwork by Hailstorm FC, the first half saw very little give from either side.
With Northern Colorado Hailstorm receiving a yellow card in stoppage time, both clubs headed into the break deadlocked at 0-0.
Hailstorm FC got a quick shot attempt early in the second half, leading Amal Knight to make one of two critical saves he would have in the contest.
The remaining regulation time saw four yellow cards being issued across both clubs and perhaps the best chance for either team all night when Cameron Lancaster took a free kick that was saved by Hailstorm’s Lalo Delgado.
Pierre Mané was there for the put-back, but the attempt missed high, keeping the score deadlocked.
With four minutes of stoppage time, the visitors tried to find a late winner with plenty of time in the box, but it was once again Knight with the critical save to keep the 0-0 final score.
“Amal has been great, he was great last year, he’s great this year,” Kaelon Fox said. “I’m really excited for him, I think he’s going to have another great year. He’s a captain for us and he’s a leader. He pushes everyone to be better so to have him behind me in this game I was really happy. He had a great performance soon to be more great performances.”
Lexington Sporting Club controlled the possession in the match, holding onto the ball 61.4-percent of the time while also slightly winning in expected goals with a .77-.52 advantage.
“I look at the positives first and foremost, to keep a clean sheet at home in the first game of the season against one of the league leaders in goals last year, but I think it was one of those games where both teams were feeling each other out,” Powell said. “We’ve got to just…