Midwest, South to represent NPSL Sunday

DETROIT – Professional soccer hopefuls are on showcase this weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with the Major Soccer League (MLS) combine going on but for the first time ever, the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is holding their own combine as well for professional scouts to see in action.  The action during the matches held today against the four regions in NPSL exemplified why this combine was needed and showed how talented those selected truly are with both games being close.

The MLS is on the top tier of the US Soccer pyramid with the North American Soccer League (NASL) on the second tier, then the United Soccer Leagues (USL) next and then Professional Development League (PDL) and NPSL sharing the 4^th tier or division.  College players that are invited to the MLS combine are able to be seen by USL, NASL and MLS professional coaches in the hopes of being chosen, they will also select some PDL standouts as well.  Typically, NPSL players have not been invited however a few have made it into the higher leagues. 

This inaugural combine by the NPSL is a unique and great opportunity for the top players invited to play against each other and not with other college or different divisional players so scouts can view them independently and hopefully go on to draft and select a few players.  The players also were privy to prestigious speakers to help guide them and inform them about the higher levels of soccer.  The NASL Commission Bill Peterson spoke as well as EPL Coach Chris Ramsey who currently works for Queens Park Rangers FC.  Ramsey was seen in a picture on @NPSLGameday watching the matches and "assessing the talent".

Each of the four regions in the country for the NPSL are represented and are seen in a tournament layout this weekend with one game for each Saturday with the winners moving on to the Final game on Sunday at 1pm and the other two teams playing at 11am in the consolation game.

Yesterday was the NPSL training day with the Northeast and South regions practicing at 5:30-7pm and the West and MidWest teams training from 7-8:30pm. 

Today's matches began at 2pm with the Northeast team led by Fredericksburg FC's Coach Grover Gibson against the South region headed by Chattanooga FC's Coach Bill Elliott.  This game would be intense with numerous opportunities by each however the only scoring in regulation would be with one goal each in the 1^st half and with only 3 minutes between goals.  Northeast's M/F Salvatore Barone (Brooklyn Italians) would score with an assist by Forward Ryan Zinkhan (Fredericksburg FC) in the 40^th and the South region team would equalize in the 43^rd with a goal by Midfielder Ehjayson Henry (Jacksonville United FC).

Penalty kicks were needed to determine the winner and who would move on to the finals and who would end up in the consolation game tomorrow.  On a scouting standpoint, this was a great opportunity for professional coaches and representatives to view how each player handled this pressure, especially the goalkeepers.

The NPSL made mention prior to these PKs that there were a number of professional team scouts in attendance including but not limited to Cosmos, Sporting KC, Minn Utd and Rochester.  These individuals would have front row to a superb performance by a number of players, including the goalkeepers which were for the Northeast Peterson Occenat (Miami United) and for the South Greg Hartley (Chattanooga FC).  The PKs were not a slam dunk or a given this day as the South would end up winning 3-2 after NE's Occenat would save 2 shots but the South's Hartley would come up with 3 saves and help his team move onto the finals.

The next match was immediately following and was the MidWest region, which hails Detroit City FC's Midfielder Zach Schewee and from Lansing United their Head Coach Eric Rudland, Defender Cody Archibald, D/F Tyler Pasher, M Godwin Addai and Forward Brian Cunningham who faced the West Region.  West's team was headed by Sacramento Gold's Coach Ruben Mora and would come out first to score but this would not be until the 43^rd minute right before the half when Midfielder Eder Guzman (SF Stompers) would score on MidWest's GK Waleed Cassis (FC Buffalo). 

Rudland brought his MidWest team back at halftime and saw one of his own create the equalizer goal in the 51^st when Cunningham would find the net past the keeper and make it anyone's game at that point.  Not long after, Defender Bobby Ross (FC Buffalo) would score what would end up being the winning goal when he caressed the ball into the net with an assist by Pasher in the 66^th and gained the lead. 

Mora's team would try to find momentum and garnered a late drive with a shot which would go over the net just as the whistle rang out signaling the end of regulation and also ringing the decision that his team would move onto the consolation match.

The match would end 2-1 with MidWest going on to play in the in finals tomorrow verse the South region in the 1pm matchup.  All of the Michigan based players saw action in the first game and Rudland felt the "Boys played great. Excellent showing from Michigan NPSL teams and entire Midwest".   Coach went on to say to his Michigan team that "Our Lansing United boys were fantastic.  Cunningham with the equalizer and Pasher with the winning assist.  Cody and Godwin were critical components in the team's defensive schemes."

"Schewee was very good at outside left back" commented Rudland on the Detroit City FC standout invitee to the combine.  "He almost scored in the second half as we pushed our outside backs into a more attacking role."  This was brilliant and successful as defenders Pasher and Ross would end up with the winning goal.

"All and all it was a great first game but hopefully we can be even better tomorrow" concluded Rudland on the thoughts for the upcoming finals.

This weekend is a time of opportunities to be seized and the NPSL league's players to be recognized as legitimate contenders to play in the professional US Soccer system.

It is a time where rivals would become foes as opponents became teammates on the pitch and supporters united online to root for their regional teams.  

GAME ON tomorrow at the 2015 NPSL tournament combine!

Continued Coverage of soccer in Michigan from college, PDL, NPSL and Michiganders in the Pros (USL, NASL and MLS) can be found on ClickOnDetroit.com/soccer throughout the year and @Local4Sports and @KellyHaapala.