FORT LAUDERDALE (August 28, 2026) — Fort Lauderdale United FC secured its first victory of the 2026 Gainbridge Super League campaign on Friday evening, edging out Brooklyn FC 1-0 in front of an energetic and loud crowd at Amerant Bank Field. Midfielder Nicole Vernis provided the decisive touch early in the second half, finishing a brilliant setup from Sh’nia Gordon in a move started by Kelly Van Treeck with her first touch of the match to claim all three points for the home side.
The opening 45 minutes saw Fort Lauderdale dictate terms with disciplined defending and sharp playmaking. Ella Simpson and Kelsey Oyler set the tone defensively, snuffing out early Brooklyn advances before helping spark the transition game. Vernis dictated tempo from the middle of the park with elite vision, threading precise through-balls into dangerous areas for Kiara Locklear and Grace Cutler. Oyler was equally impactful along the flank, whipping dangerous left-footed crosses into the box—including a pinpoint 31st-minute switch that picked out Gordon inside the Brooklyn penalty area. Despite creating the clearer scoring opportunities, Fort Lauderdale went into the halftime break deadlocked at 0-0 largely because Brooklyn was winning most of the second balls and 50-50’s in midfield.
Head Coach Tyrone Mears made an immediate tactical adjustment at the break, bringing on midfielder Kelli Van Treeck for Emily Thompson whose first half performance was underwhelming. The shift paid instant dividends. Just 30 seconds into the second half, Gordon tore open the Brooklyn defense with an explosive run down the wing before finding Vernis at the back post. Vernis met the pass cleanly, driving a sharp one-touch finish inside the near post in the 47th minute to notch Fort Lauderdale’s first goal of the 2026 season.
With the lead secured, goalkeeper Haley Craig took center stage to protect the advantage. The Stanford product delivered a standout performance between the pipes, making dynamic, quick-reaction saves in the 49th and 77th minutes to deny Brooklyn an equalizer and earn her first clean sheet of the season. Mears utilized his bench effectively down the stretch, introducing fresh legs in Taylor Smith, Abi Hugh, Farrah Walters, and Daniela Todd to lock down the defensive third and close out the match.
The clean sheet lifts Fort Lauderdale United to 1-1-0 (3 PTS), while Brooklyn FC drops to 0-3-0. Fort Lauderdale now prepares for a two-match road trip, traveling north to face Carolina Ascent FC on Saturday, September 5 in a high-stakes rematch of the 2024/25 USL Super League Semifinals which Fort Lauderdale won in dramatic circumstances.
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