Turks and Caicos International, Billy Forbes, netted a brace while Reggae Boy Junior Flemmings extended his scoring streak, in contrasting results for their respective sides in the United Soccer League.
The 30-year-old Forbes struck in both halves at the FIU Soccer Stadium in Miami as he fired Miami FC to a 2-0 win over Hartford Athletic last weekend.
Flemings, meanwhile, tucked away his fifth of the new campaign but his 68th minute strike was not enough to save Birmingham Legion from a 2-1 defeat to FC Tulsa, who had Jamaican Jason Johnson on the scoresheet.
Miami’s victory was their third in five games, keeping them unbeaten in as many outings. It also moved them to 34 points to continue in third but now just three points behind leaders Tampa Bay Rowdies and Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Atlantic Division.
Hartford have lost three from five and are three from bottom on 27 points but only a point outside the playoff spots.
For Birmingham, the defeat was a setback as they failed to close the gap to leaders Louisville FC in the Central Division. They lie second on 33 points, seven adrift of Louisville.
Following a goalless first half in Miami where Jamaican international Devon Williams missed a penalty on the stroke of half-time, Forbes put the hosts ahead almost immediately after the resumption to make up for his teammate’s error.
A half-time substitute, Forbes scored in his third minute on the field, rifling home a left-footed stunner from a difficult angle from the left-side of the box.
Forbes found his second goal in the 90th minute, slotting home calmly from close range on the left after finding himself unmarked in the box, following a superb diagonal ball from Adonijah Reid who has Jamaica eligibility.
At the BBVA Field in Birmingham, Johnson put the visitors ahead in the eighth minute with a clinical finish at the near post, a lead maintained at the half after Jamaican Nico Brett was denied from close range in the 14th and Flemmings skimmed the crossbar in the 21st.
Against the run of play, Dario Suarez beat the offside trap to add a second in the 56th before Flemmings pulled one back for the hosts 12 minutes later.
French Guiana defender Thomas Vancaeyezeele swung in a corner which found Flemmings completely unmarked and the 25-year-old headed in from six yards.
Flemmings has been on a hot scoring streak ever since returning from Jamaica’s campaign in the CONCACAF Gold Cup last month.
CMC
