Jamaicans Dally, Brett net goals in USL Championship

TAMPA, Florida (CMC):

Trinidadian defender Jelani Peters and Jamaica winger Rashawn Dally helped Memphis 901 FC extend their unbeaten streak to 11 matches in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship in the United States with a 4-0 statement win against FC Tulsa on Wednesday.

Peters and Dally scored either side of half-time, and the Beale Street Boys earned a season sweep of Tulsa with the victory at AutoZone Park that gave the club their sixth win in seven matches.

Elsewhere, Jamaican forward Neco Brett enabled Birmingham Legion FC to shut the door on a comeback from Loundon United FC with his 31st career goal for the club in the second half at Protective Stadium.

In Memphis, Tennesse: 901 FC found early pressure with Emerson Hyndman, Rodrigo da Costa, and Laurent Kissiedou, and broke through in the 20th minute.

Dally found space behind the Tulsa defence to deliver a cross to the near post towards da Costa, whose pressure forced Tulsa defender Justin Malou to put the ball in the back of the net.

Five minutes later, 901 FC were back in the Tulsa box, and da Costa returned the favour, feeding the ball to Dally to finish his second goal of the season, and give the hosts a 2-0 lead at half-time.

The home team kept their foot on the gas in the second half and needed only three minutes to extend their lead when Hyndman answered the bell in his first start with a spectacular strike 25 yards out before Peters finished off Tulsa with a header in the 68th minute.

901 FC moved up to seven wins, two draws and four defeats and third in the Eastern Conference with a +17 goal differential since their last regular season loss on March 18.

They finish their three-match week tomorrow when they host Conference-leading Charleston Battery on home soil.

In Birmingham, Alabama, Brett celebrated his return from injury with a goal that sealed the win for the Black & Gold.

The Jamaican looked as though he did not miss a beat, when Enzo Martinez received a ball from Tyler Pasher at the top of the box and sent a beautifully weighted pass in behind Loudoun’s defence.

Brett took one touch and struck it low and across the keeper into the far post in a clinical finish in the 83rd minute.

“I know what I can do whenever I get the ball in front of the goal and I trust my teammates,” Brett said on the club’s website. “But it’s kind of frustrating that I’ve been getting injured, so I just have to work hard and eat properly, rest properly, and do everything in the right way.

“I’m just happy that I could stay healthy and be out on the field to help my teammates. I’m just here working really hard and trying my very best to be out there with my teammates and help them get something at each and every game.”

“I think we did really well. As a team, we are coming together, we just need to continue to work and get back to where we want to be, which is No. 1 in the east. But we’re going to take it one game at a time, and hopefully we’ll get there.”

Diba Nwegbo did the early damage, scoring off a cross from midfielder Anderson Asiedu in the 34th minute.

The Legion’s backline held up and kept out any chances for Loudoun before Brett shut the door on Loundon.

Brett and company hit the road for their next match when they take on San Antonio FC on July 1.