4-0 WIN….CHAMPS

Highland Heights, KY  July 3, 2018 - The Dayton Dutch Lions (8-2-3) have won the Great Lakes Division Championship with a 4-0 convincing win over the Cincinnati Dutch Lions (6-4-3).

Dayton Outpatient Center Man of the Match, JJ Williams (Montgomery, AL/Kentucky) scored early and often as he led the Lions attack with three goals on four shots.  He scored two goals in two minutes to blow the match wide open at the 13' minute mark. The victory was the second in a row over Cincinnati and pushed the overall series in favor of Dayton at 3-2-3.

DDL FC continued their unbeaten away record at 6-0-1 while pushing their current unbeaten streak to four matches.  The win and Great Lakes title places the Lions in the Central Conference playoffs next weekend.  Dayton will face the Heartland division runners-up, Chicago United FC, on Friday, July 20th in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Lions came into the match well rested as they had not played for 10 days while Cincinnati was playing their third match in six days.  Dayton appeared to have the fresher legs from the onset and never let up the pressure from the opening whistle.  Head Coach Dan Griest had made several line-up changes to execute his game plan.  Emiel Wendt (Netherlands/v.v. Noordwijk) and Antoine Ravera (France/Urbana) joined Williams on the front line while Tate Robertson (Springfield, OH/Bowling Green) dropped into the #6 role behind attacking midfielders Jackson Dietrich (Las Vegas, NV/Wright State) and Eric Hutton (Chilicothe, OH/Wright State).  This put the Lions offense on the attack and added some speed in the middle of the pitch and on the wings.

"In big games you need for your best players to step up and give a strong performance," shared Coach Griest. "Tonight, this entire team stepped up and were outstanding for 90 minutes.  Our back-line was awesome, the trio of Robertson, Dietrich and Hutton owned the middle of the park and the attacking three challenged Cincy all night.  It was a complete win and our reserves came in and just continued to control the match.  You don't get many near perfect performances, but tonight was one of them."

As the game kicked off in sweltering heat and humidity, Dayton looked to be a step ahead to almost every ball.  DDL FC was swarming to the ball, applying high pressure all over the pitch and pushing the pace of the match from the onset.

With Dayton having the majority of possession, the first goal came in the 13' minute as Robertson won the ball at midfield and started the counter-attack.  His penetrating pass to Dietrich allowed the Lions to get into the attack quickly.  Dietrich took one dribble and found Wendt on the left flank.  As Wendt entered the corner of the penalty box, his square pass beat two defenders and was perfectly placed for an onrushing Williams.  The Cincinnati keeper had no chance as Williams opened his body and slotted the ball far post for a 1-0 lead.

In just a moment, the Lions doubled the lead. Abdul Kooistra (Madison, WI/Northern Kentucky) won a throw-in and fired it long down the left wing.  Wendt was able to flick the ball forward to Ravera who was running full speed.  His first touch was perfect as it allowed him to separate from the defender and he placed his cross into the middle of the box.  On a 30-yard sprint, Williams was able to first time the cross into the lower left corner and Dayton had scored two goals in less than two minutes.

This was the first time all season that Dayton was able to get on the board early with back-to-back goals.

The game settled a bit, but DDL FC continued to control the middle of the field.  The team was working so hard for each other and their shape was excellent all over the pitch. The defensive backline was outstanding.  Bradley Schluter (Centerville, OH/CDL Dynamo), Jake Stovall (Centerville, OH/Puerto Rico FC), David Lianes (Spain/Dayton) and Kooistra were shutting down the passing lanes and forcing the home team to start trying to play more direct.

The long balls created several half chances, but nothing that keeper Jack Steele (Springboro, OH/Dayton) wasn't able to handle.  Halftime came with Dayton still holding onto the 2-0 lead and playing very confidently.

A strong start to the second half was paramount for the Lions as the next goal would be vital to the contest.  Cincinnati needed something to swing their way if they were to get back in the match.

Both teams sent the same XI out to start the final 45 minutes, but disaster struck the home team.  In the opening minute, Ravera intercepted a pass at midfield and looked to have a great chance to counter-attack.  The Cincinnati defender tripped Ravera and was issued his second yellow card. As he left the field, CDL FC were now a man-down for the entire second half.

With Cincinnati already on tired legs, the man advantage completely tilted the remainder of the match.  Dayton was able to move the ball around easily having possession of 10-12 passing sequences and making Cincinnati chase the game.  Dayton was pushing in the attacking third earning three consecutive corner kicks and forcing several saves.  More goals were just a matter of time.

Robertson was able to move more forward and he started to drive the attack.  In the 52' minute, he switched the run of play with a 40 yard pass to Dietrich on the right side.  Dietrich settled the pass, dribbled into the box and hit a well placed shot on goal.  It was slightly deflected and found the back of the net.  The Lions led 3-0.

As they did in the first half,  another goal came quickly to put the game away. Hutton won the ball on the left side and pushed towards goal.  He fired a low cross into the box where Williams was waiting.  Williams hit a bullet past the keeper and completed his hat-trick for the night.  His team-leading 7th goal of the season put the game out of reach and started the celebration in the stands for the Dayton supporters.

Steele was not asked to do too much in goal, but he did come up big with a reaction save from 4 yards out off a corner kick and then he knocked the rebound away to ensure the shutout.

Dayton General Manager, Ric Campbell said, "At the start of the season, our coaching staff told the team that a Great Lakes Division Championship was within in our grasp if they played for each other and stayed focused one game at a time.  They bought into that plan and have stayed the course all season long.  To be in first-place virtually the entire season, but still need to win match #13 on the road gives an indication of just how hard it is to win the Great Lakes.  It is and has been arguably the toughest division in the Premier Development League for years."

"I am so pleased with the way this team and coaching staff have performed.  We could not have played much better than we did tonight....so happy for our entire organization.  Our ownership has been so supportive, our sponsor/partners have been super great and this is the culmination of a lot of people doing the right things all season long.  Congratulations on our club's first division title.  It is a defining moment in our history."

Coach Griest was quick to empty the bench and bring on all six substitutes for the final 30 minute of the match.

RELATED: GREAT LAKES DIVISION STANDINGS

Dayton has one match remaining. The final home game will be tomorrow, Sunday, July 15th when they play host to Lansing United.  Kickoff is 4:00pm. Tickets are $10 adults and $6 youth, military and veterans at the gate (5 and under free).  Specially priced discounted tickets are available for groups of 12 or more by calling the ticket office at 937 530 2123.

To keep up with all the latest news on the Lions, follow us on Facebook @DaytonDutchLionsFC and on Twitter @DaytonDutchLion.

FULL MATCH STATS – https://www.uslpdl.com/game/show/20627140