August 7, 2024 – United Soccer League One (USL1)
Spokane Velocity FC News Release
Spokane Velocity FC completed their first season series sweep after a 1-0 win against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC at CHI Memorial Stadium on Wednesday.
The win moves Velocity into the seventh spot on the USL League One table, where they are tied with sixth-ranked Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC in points.
“I can’t express how proud I am of the team,” said head coach Leigh Veidman. “It’s been a long road trip, many adversities but the players really showed up tonight and dominated the game after only 2 days rest. They worked incredibly hard, showed real togetherness and got their rewards.”
The lone score of the day came from Andre Lewis, but the “GOAT of the Match” was awarded to goalkeeper Brooks Thompson, who registered the first clean sheet of his young career with Velocity. The 22-year-old recorded five crucial saves against a dangerous Red Wolves offense, which is ranked fifth in goals scored among USL League One teams.
“It’s definitely been a tough week, but the boys in the squad have been resilient and fought through it all,” Thompson said. “[I’m] super proud of the guys and for digging out two good results.”
Thompson and Chattanooga keeper TJ Bush didn’t see much action early on, with only one off-target shot registered in the first 19 minutes of the contest. The defense of Velocity looked solid, with Ish Jome making his second start alongside Camron Miller, Marcelo Lage and Javier Martín Gil on the backline.
On the flip side, Velocity had strong offensive possessions throughout the first half, utilizing key aspects of their players up front like Kimarni Smith’s speed, Josh Dolling’s good positioning and Masango Akale’s tremendous dribbling.
The half ended with four registered shots inside of the box, with three on target. The team showcased its ability to play level-headed, even when inside the opposing box, with 14 touches inside the box compared to the Red Wolves’ four.
As the second half got underway, it was clear that Veidman’s squad made the necessary adjustments to finally finish an offensive possession with the ball in the other net, as their first shot of the half resulted in an Andre Lewis goal.
“It was a hard week for us and we knew going into this game (it) was going to be tough, but we stuck to our game plan and executed,” Lewis said.
The shot from just outside the top of the box came off two great passes: one from Akale from the left wing to Dolling in the middle…