Opponent: Detroit City FC
Match Date: March 16.
Location: Weidner Field.
Doors Open: 5:00pm MT.
Promotion/Giveaway: Free Switchbacks T-Shirt for first 2000 fans, courtesy of Sunbelt Rentals. Tickets are available HERE!
Last Meeting: Switchbacks 3, Detroit City 0. September 27 th , 2023, Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. Goals from Juan Tejada (15’) and Romario Williams (24’ and 49’).
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 5:30pm.
Coach Chamber’s Comments: “We were very good out of possession [in Miami],” said the Switchbacks’ Head Coach when asked about falling 2-0 last Saturday evening in South Florida. “We were we were good in possession without being overly clinical – I think that’s an area [where] we’d like to obviously get better. Overall, we’re disappointed, but we have metrics in place that showed it was a good performance [in Miami]. Look, we had 38 [ball] recoveries in the opponent’s half – that’s pretty high and we had chances that were off the back of that. We want to dictate the game [and] we want to have the ball [and] if the opponent has it, we would love to have it back!”
Player’s Points: “It [was] frustrating [in Miami] but we know it’s the beginning of the season and there’s lots to build on,” said Switchbacks captain Matt Mahoney. “We have a young group [and we are] obviously still putting things together after a long preseason, and the encouraging thing is that we had a lot of chances. I think there were over around 20 shots, so [if] we put a couple of those on target it’s a different game. If we’re better in the two boxes [then] that outcome could be different, but it’s a long season ahead and [we’re] excited to be back home this Saturday. “I think we just focus on ourselves – we know what we can do especially home in front of our fans at Weidner Field. If we can bring up the intensity and bring [a] fast-paced game to [Detroit City], then they should be able to hang with us here. Over my four years here I’ve loved these home games here. The seven, eight thousand people that show up every weekend and we had this season ticket member event a couple weeks ago and we see how many fans show out, and I’m excited to get going.”
Opposition Outlook: “I think [Detroit City FC Head Coach] Danny [Dichio] will be going in there – similar to Antonio [Nocerino] last weekend – to put his own stamp on it. He’s brought in some really, really good players that we’re familiar with, and he’ll be looking to do what we’re all trying
to do, which is put our style of play across to the players and get results. “Their club is built on hard work and effort and energy and they’re a battling team, but I think Danny will want to go in there, have [all] that, and then add his own little bit to it. I’m sure they’ll try and have a little bit more to the ball [and] be a little bit more possession oriented, which is what they have brought in [with] the players that they’ve recruited. We’ll be up for the challenge – we’re honestly excited to get home [and] we’re excited to have a home game now. And we really want the fans to come out with energy and we want to entertain them. “[Weidner Field] is beautiful – it’s a fantastic place to be. We’re blessed to train here every day, but there’s nobody in the seats, so it’s completely different come Saturday evening, and we’re just really, really focused on putting on a performance for the fans and giving them something to shout about because it’s been a long, long time – apart from the ones that traveled to Miami – without a game. We really want to give them back a little bit.”
Vargish’s Views:
Detroit City will do exactly as Switchbacks Head Coach James Chambers said, they’ll embody their city’s grit and penchant for hard work. As a player, Detroit’s new leader Danny Dichio was easy to hate…unless he was on your team. His name is still sung in the Town End at Preston North End’s Deepdale. There’s no regular season footage as Saturday evening will be Detroit’s first competitive match of 2024, but one must assume Le Rouge will come to Colorado Springs looking to out-work the Switchbacks. Last weekend in Florida the Switchbacks dominated possession (62%) and out-shot Miami 21-10 but were unable to find a goal. Expect similar possession dominance on Saturday in front of the home crowd in Colorado Springs. It’s the simplest and most obvious thing to say, but the Switchbacks must convert their chances on Saturday night. Speed will be the key factor against
Detroit. If the Switchbacks can dominate the tempo and pace of the game, they’ll be victorious. If Detroit can turn the match into a stop-start affair, then Le Rouge will leave the Rocky Mountains with points.