Brave SC has just one opponent left to beat this season in the Southeast Division and the club will get a crack at it this weekend.
The Buffalo (6-0-2) host Florida Elite SA (6-1-3) in a rematch of their season opener with a chance to overtake the Jacksonville side for first place and avenge a 1-1 draw back on May 20.
“That first game, we didn’t have the rhythm yet,” goalkeeper Mathias Tieppo said. “We played well, controlled the game, showed a little of what our team can do but, after this sequence of wins, we’re ready. We’re ready to win.”
Despite dominating possession and shots in the teams’ first matchup of the season, Brave left with a single point. Over their last six contests, though, the Buffalo have shaken any early-season offensive woes, outscoring their opponents 23-2.
“Obviously, there’s some anxiety to starting the season and then we start noticing, okay, we’re a good team,” midfielder Fabio Rodrigues said. “We get to know each other more and then things start smoothing out. I think that’s where we started to get our wins and, now, we’re comfortable and we trust each other.”
Florida Elite has been the team to put a stop to Buffalo runs in the past, though. Each year, FESA manages to take points away from Brave, even when the matchup is lopsided on paper.
“They’ve always been a tough team to play against,” defender Leo Andrade said. “They play a lot of mental games and they play very physical.”
Few know that better than Andrade, who received a red card in the Buffalo’s last home match against Florida Elite, a 2-1 come-from-behind win for the visitors. Earlier this season, Florida Elite equalized after conceding the opening goal of the match to take two points from Brave.
“It’s a dangerous game,” Tieppo said. “If you give them chances, they can score. Then, they’re going to park the bus and make it hard to score again.”
Elite have just two games left this season and hold a single-point advantage in the Southeast table. Their three draws and loss to Nona FC earlier this summer will make it difficult for them to maintain the lead in the division race. Stealing a result in The Villages this weekend would go a long way toward making it possible, though, which is why the Buffalo aren’t taking them lightly.
“Elite is not an easy team to play because they don’t give up,” head coach Anderson DaSilva said. “They’ll play all the way to the end with the same intensity, and we have a good history of competitive games against Florida Elite.”
Brave SC and Florida Elite SA will kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday at The Range at The Villages Charter Middle School.
For more information on Brave SC, including the roster, Southeast Division standings and a complete schedule, visit BraveSC.com.