Seacoast United Phantoms Off to Strong Start
Seacoast United Phantoms Off to Strong Start
Along with the Western Mass Pioneers and Vermont Green FC, Seacoast United have been off to a fine start to the season.
After two consecutive first-place finishes in the Northeast Division in the USL League 2, Seacoast United Phantoms Head Coach Alex Ryan looks to continue the club’s run.
“It’s really exciting,” Ryan said after the Phantoms’ 4-0 victory over Boston City FC on Wednesday. “We’ve got a lot of exciting players and so much depth, but it’s still early in the season and we have a lot of work to do.”
Seacoast United kicked off their season with a 6-1 victory over A.C. Connecticut. Recent North Carolina State transfer from the University of New Hampshire Taig Healy scored a brace in the first hour of the game. In the last 20 minutes of the game, the Phantoms scored three goals including an 89th and 90th minute brace from substitute Alfred Baafi.
Having scored 10 goals in the first 2 games are joint second for goals in favor across the entire USL League 2.
“I mean 10 goals in two games, obviously great,” said Ryan. “However, with all due respect, it could’ve been a lot more.”
Of the 10 goals, four of them have come from penalties with two of them scored in each game.
A large cause of their ability to draw fouls comes from Boston College’s right winger Marco dos Santos. The 21-year-old earned a Man of the Match award after scoring a goal and creating many chances.
“He’s an exciting player with a high, high, high ceiling,” Ryan said about dos Santos. “It’s the way he plays; he’s agile, he’s very good on the ball. He’s someone who I want to try and help to push for a professional career which is what I think he’s destined for.”
Despite causing a penalty against Boston City FC, it was University of New Hampshire striker Ibrahim Conde who earned plaudits in the match. Conde scored capped off his hat-trick in the 56th minute and was subbed off before play resumed.
Despite the offensive firepower shown by Seacoast United, the clean sheet secured against Boston City allowed them to enter the title race against Vermont and the Pioneers.
“For me, clean sheets are very important,” said Ryan. “Is scoring goals important? Yes, but, well, we pride ourselves on not being easy to score against.”
Seacoast United currently sits in second place ahead of Vermont Green on goal difference and behind the Western Mass Pioneers but with a game in hand.
The Phantoms play their first away game on May 29th against the Boston Bolts in Newton, Massachusetts, at 7:00 p.m.