Through the midway point of the regular season, Brave SC is still undefeated, thanks in large part to a strong run in the last four contests. However, after their win over previously unbeaten Nona FC, the Buffalo will face a different but still dangerous opponent.
Wednesday, Brave (4-0-2) will face off with Inter Gainesville KF (2-3-1), the Buffalo’s first every meeting with the USL League Two newcomers, and the chief concern for head coach Anderson DaSilva is their opponents’ speed.
“They do have some players with national team experience and they’re pretty fast, so we have to be careful,” DaSilva said. “I knew the UPSL team and the caliber of players is just a step down, but I’m sure they’re stronger on the USL2 side like every other team.”
The Brave SC defense has been steady this season, allowing just four goals through six contests and no more than one in any match. Against Gainesville, the unit knows it will be tested, but is confident in its ability to hold up after Saturday’s win over the Longhorns.
“I think just good communication from the whole back line, including the center mids and the goalkeeper, read the play before it happens, communicate shifts, runs in behind, plays that they have, connect and analyze early in the game what they do and be ready for when it comes,” center back Henrique Gallina said. “We had the same thing happen in the first half with Nona. They had some really fast players and our back line was really focused, really concentrating on the plays, and we were there before it ever happened, so that’s what we found to stop them from creating danger.”
The game also comes at a challenging point in the Buffalo’s schedule, the final match in a run of four in 11 days. However, with DaSilva staggering some players’ minutes and staff physiologist Claudio Pavanelli in charge of recovery, the players feel they’re in good shape to finish off the first packed stretch of the season.
“In the spring, we play a lot of games, too, and it was good for us because we learned how to play like that, a whole schedule of two games a week. Here, it has been easy because we have Pavanelli and he helps us a lot with this… I feel like I’m ready to play every game because he helps us a lot.”
Brave SC and Inter Gainesville KF will kick off at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Southwest Recreation Center Fields on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville.
For more information on Brave SC, including the roster, Southeast Division standings and a complete schedule, visit BraveSC.com.