The Ocean City Nor'easters made it three wins in three PDL matches to start the season with a 1-0 road win at FA Euro New York. This is the club's first 3-0-0 start since the 2013 season, the year they reached the PDL National Semifinals. 

 

It was a fairly even affair in which both teams created good chances, but Ocean City's Francisco Neto (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil / West Virginia Tech) was the only one to score. Akeil Barrett (Kingston, Jamaica / Tulsa) took a shot from the edge of the penalty area which was saved, but bounced right to Neto who put it past the keeper to the bottom left corner to take the lead in the 34th minute. Neto's winner puts Ocean City alone in first place in the Mid-Atlantic Division. 

 

FA Euro's biggest chance came just one minute before they fell behind. The referee awarded the home side a penalty kick in the 33rd minute after a foul by Ocean City's goalkeeper, Jimmy Slayton (Wethersfield, CT / Hartford). Camacho stepped up for the hosts, but Slayton guessed correctly and saved the midfielder's spot kick. Had it gone in, the match would have had a much different outlook. 

 

Nor'easters manager, John Thompson, who has yet to lose a match in charge of the Nor'easters, had high praise for Slayton's performance. 

 

"Anytime you save a penalty, you've come up big for your team," Thompson said. 

 

FA Euro New York made the match tougher on themselves in the 64th minute as Charles Ledura was sent off for his second yellow card. Ledura lunged in late on a tackle and left the referee no choice. Late in stoppage time, New York's head coach, Joe Balsamo, and Adam Marcu, who was on the bench, were also shown red cards after an argument with the referee.

With the win, Ocean City remains perfect against FA Euro New York in five all-time matches (5-0-0). The Nor'easters have outscored New York 14-4 over those five matches.

Slayton's shutout is the club's first since in the regular season since a 3-0 win over Evergreen FC on May 28, 2016. 

 

Coming up next for the Nor'easters is battle for first place with the undefeated New York Red Bulls U23s on Saturday night. The match will take place at the Red Bulls Trailing Facility in Whippany, NJ. Ocean City will look to make it four wins out of four to start the PDL season.