Jamaican Romario Williams scored his fifth goal of the season to hand Miami FC its first MLS win while his fellow countryman Junior Flemmings extended his red-hot streak with a league-leading 10th strike as Phoenix Rising FC were held to a dramatic draw in the United Soccer League last weekend.
Playing at the Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami on Sunday, the hosts broke out of their awful slump when they came from a goal down to beat Charlotte Independence 2-1, with Williams netting in the 16th minute.
Entering the contest on the heels of three defeats and two draws in their previous five matches, Miami’s run of poor form appeared set to continue when Jake Areman capped off a driving run down the centre of the half with an outstanding 18-yard volley which beat goalkeeper Bryant Gammiero to his left.
Miami were level eight minutes later, however, after Hugh Roberts brought down Prince Saydee in the area, and Williams nodded home a rebound from close range after his penalty had been saved by Brandon Miller.
A draw appeared on the cards until Tomas Granitto struck four minutes from the end through a deflected free kick from 25 yards out.
Miami remain bottom of Group H on five points while Independence are second in Group G on nine points, behind runaway leaders Birmingham Legion FC on 18.
Flemmings scores for Phoenix
In a chaotic affair at Cashman Field in Las Vegas on Saturday, Flemmings scored an all-important second goal in the 68th minute but four goals in 19 minutes at the end left Phoenix with a 3-3 draw with Las Vegas Lights.
The result stopped Phoenix from a fifth straight win but saw them move to 20 points and continue top of Group B, while Lights remained rooted to the bottom of the group on five points.
At BBVA Field in Birmingham, Alabama also on Saturday, Guyanese international Keanu Marsh-Brown netted a 29th minute penalty as his visiting Memphis 901 FC drew 2-2 with Birmingham Legion FC.
And Turks and Caicos Islands winger Billy Forbes got on the scoresheet in the 16th minute at HEB Park in Texas as Austin Bold got the better of Rio Grande Valley FC 3-2.
– CMC
