Written By: Ryan Flynn
18 year-old Rockson Amedeka receiving his third professional start on the season
After a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over New York Cosmos, Sarasota Paradise traveled to take on rival FC Naples on Saturday night, turning in a complete performance for their third straight victory in all competitions.
Paradise’s defense was put to work early, smothering a Naples chance that looked destined for goal in what would become a theme for the Sarasota defense. They got an early chance at goal just past ten minutes when they were awarded a free kick in Naples territory. With pressure to deliver on his shoulders, Andres Rodriguez curled a ball into the box that found the head of Declan Watters meeting it at a perfect time to put it past Naples goalkeeper Joshua Grant, giving Paradise an early 1-0 lead. The team would carry that momentum through the rest of the first half, creating a strong defensive line that denied Naples any chance of scoring they got. Amedeka kept a cool and composed head in his second USL Cup start, snuffing out two big Naples chances for an equalizer at the end of the first half that allowed Sarasota to go into the break with their slim 1-0 lead still intact.
The Paradise defense continued their strong form in the second half, as captain Declan Watters helped anchor a back four that produced 22 clearances and made 7 tackles to help keep Naples off the scoreboard and preserve the Sarasota lead.
Sarasota’s youth showed poise and composure throughout the game as they denied Naples chances to tie the game as the clock ticked closer to the final whistle. They were able to put the game away in the 83rd minute, when a Dominik Brulinski cross reached Ethan Bryant in the penalty box, who slipped Chandler O’Dwyer through on goal to send the ball in the back of the net to give the Paradise a 2-0 lead, which they held until the final whistle.
Academy signing Dominik Brulinski challenging for a header against FC Naples
The win was the first professional clean sheet for goalkeeper Rockson Amedeka. Amedeka, a signee from Ghana’s Right to Dream Academy, had 7 saves and 14 recoveries in a standout performance.
ACADEMY PLAYERS MAKE PRO DEBUTS
Two Paradise Academy players, Adam Kend and Kevin Sanchez, made their professional debuts for the club on Saturday night.
Kend, a defender from Boca Raton, FL, joined Paradise after developing his talents in Germany and playing for Spanish club Huesca. Reflecting on his debut, Kend said, “Words can’t begin to describe how I feel. A lot of emotions are coming to me all at once, but I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who’s been a part of this journey, especially my teammates, and the coaching staff who prepared me for this moment and entrusted me with this opportunity.”
Sanchez, a defender from Newport News, VA, joined the club after coming through the Richmond Kickers U20 program. Sanchez spoke enthusiastically after making his debut, saying “I’m excited to have made my debut, especially after a major setback in preseason. I want to say thank you to my family, teammates and coaches for supporting me throughout the whole process!”
With a total of eight rookies taking the field for the club on Saturday, these debuts further the commitment Sarasota Paradise is making to develop the next generation of talent and build a pathway to professional experience for younger players.
STATS TO KNOW
80% – Declan Watters anchored the back line, winning 80% of his challenges and making 3 tackles on the opposition.
6 – Dominik Brulinski had 6 interceptions in the game, helping solidify Sarasota’s defense.
Player Quotes
I’m super grateful for my first ever professional start and a full 90, winning this game made it even more special. Thank you to the Paradise fans who showed up and helped us through this gritty win tonight!” – Dominik Brulinski, Winger
“I am very happy for the team for the win. We showed that we have good depth and we can win in different ways. Tonight was also important in the bigger picture, as we had two more first professional starts, two more professional debuts for academy players, and the first professional clean sheet for Rockson Amedeka. We had five players born in 2005 or later on the field tonight and we got a gritty win in a rivalry match, under difficult circumstances in a lot of ways.
I am very proud of our team and our club. Now we prepare for another tough road test mid-week all the way in California” – Mika Elovaara, Head Coach
UP NEXT
Paradise return to league play next week as they travel to face AV Alta in California on Wednesday before returning home to take on league leaders Union Omaha on Saturday.