The Cocoa Expos defeated Ajax Orlando 1-0. Bryce Wegerle (Sp?) son of Roy Wegerle, scored in minute 71 when he dropped a bomb while taking a free kick. Ajax dominated the first half and had several chances to score, but didn't - they would either send the ball high/wide of the net, or in Dax McCarthy's case, dance around every single Cocoa defender and then pass it to a player who just couldn't finish. McCarthy left the game late in the second half after an injury. I hope he's OK as he was the life of the game. However, it is worth mentioning the Ajax played VERY well in the first half and were without several key players. Below is Ajax Orlando's lineup.

Starters: Justin Corrado, Nathan Sturgis, Salvatore Conigliaro, David Mackey, Noah Herbert, Omar Shoucair, Nicholas Mroczkowski, Sefton Kincaid, Dax McCarthy, Michael Rosso, Jason Osbourne.
Subs in: Liam Dillon, Judah Hernandez (played well in replacing McCarthy), Carlos Romero
DNP: Hugo Martins, Devala Gorrick, Ford Williams, Christian Cuevas-Carrasco, Brooks Griffith, Cameron Lewis, Andrew Rhea, James St. Cyr

Fan wise: WOW!!!!!! $5 for parking?!?! I'm not a big fan of that. In the A-League, OK...but in the PDL? Merchandise: They had some T-Shirts, a couple hats, and a couple polos. I think I might get a polo the next home game.

It was great to have a local PDL team to support again, even if I have to pay $5 for parking.

Eddie

Do you have an estimate of how many folks attended? Also, obviously the jerseys are the same for AO as for ACT and Ajax, but what is the jersey sponsor, if any? I can't find photos.

Rough start for you, but sounded far from disastrous. Hope you make the USOC.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm hoping that we still will have a shot at the Open Cup, but it will be tough seeing that usually a team has to go without a loss in their first four games to qualify. Cocoa is basically halfway in now with two wins in two games.

Attendance (fans) was somewhere between 50-100. Orlando does horrible on Sunday games. But for an opener, I was disapointed that more fans didn't show.

Ajax Orlando's jerseys are the same as Ajax Amsterdam's with the ABN-Amro sponsor. Just no names on the back. They didn't have the PDL patches on yet either. The GK was wearing Ajax Amsterdam's current road jersey.

USL site lists 138 as the official attendance. In fact USL site lists every match and their attendance.

BTW Kraze had 250 at theirs.

Thanks for the information about the game. Just one correction on your post. Bryce Wegerle is the son of Tampa Bay Rowdies legend Steve Wegerle and not Roy, Roy is his uncle.

Bryce hit one on me as well. Other than his free kick he went un-noticed. Although his strike was a bomb.

Attendance problems? Gee, I wonder why. The website is pile of steaming dung. The calendar is confusing and poorly done. The PDL team should be the featured group on the bill. I don't really care about the ODP and GK clinics. They will continue to draw 138 until they market.

BTW, I noticed this as I was planning my trip to Orlando next week.

I wonder why so many people up north have nothing better to do than whine about the Ajax and Orlando soccer in general?

Must be jealous or something.
It was the Ajax Orlando first match, give them a break. And yes, the PDL team is secondary for now. They make way more money doing their academies. Remember they are fielding a A-League team next year. Be patient.