Overview:

The Brooklyn FC men could not have gotten off to a better start as the USL Championship expansion team recorded 1–0 victory over Indy Eleven at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon.

Juan Carlos Obregon (29) celebrates his goal. (Photo courtesy of Brooklyn FC)

The Brooklyn FC men could not have gotten off to a better start as the USL Championship expansion team recorded 1–0 victory over Indy Eleven at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon.

Forward Juan Carlos Obregon scored the team’s first goal when he converted from the penalty spot in the 26th minute. The PK was called after midfielder Peter Mangione was fouled inside the box.

“I think I said to the guys before, it’s just three points, there’s 29 more games, and it’s a landmark for the club,” Brooklyn head coach Marlon LeBlanc said. “It’s a landmark obviously, for the team. I don’t want to understate what we’ve done here today. We’re, I think we’re picked to finish second to last in the league, and here we are top of the table on day one. And so you love to see it, you’re happy with it, but it’s just three points, and there’s 29 more games to go, plus Cup matches, so we’ll keep it in perspective. I want the guys to enjoy it tonight and have off tomorrow and then just come back and we go back to work again in two days.”

It could not have been a better game and start for Obregon, a Brooklyn native.

“Being from Brooklyn, I was once a kid, you know who would go to stadiums and watch soccer matches,” he said. “Fortunately, now you know they have a Brooklyn team. You know that they can come in every weekend and and look forward to to watch the game so, you know, just putting myself in their shoes, and I just trying to, you know, be a role model and and inspire them, you know that one day, in the future, they can be in the position that we are now.”

Brooklyn generated several attacking moments throughout the first half, including a shot from Mangione that forced a save from goalkeeper Eric Dick in the 21st minute., and multiple efforts from Obregon outside the box. Indy Eleven responded with chances late in the half through forwards Charlie Sharp and Dylan Sing, but Brooklyn goalkeeper Kayne Rizvanovich made key saves to preserve the 1–0 lead at halftime.

Indy pushed for an equalizer in the second half and produced several dangerous moments, including shots from inside the box and attempts from distance. Rizvanovich delivered multiple crucial saves as Brooklyn’s defense absorbed sustained pressure.

Brooklyn nearly doubled its lead midway through the second half when a close-range effort was blocked before the follow-up shot sailed over the crossbar. Despite Indy’s late push, Brooklyn held firm.

Defender Vuk Latinovich as pleased with the overall defensive effort.

“I thought we were controlling the game in the first half,” he said. And then they did change it up. They started playing longer balls, which is a strength of theirs. And I thought we dealt with it as best as we could, considering the size difference. But everyone stuck together as a group in the back line, goalie, back four, but even just collectively as a team, we’re fighting for the second balls, every 50-50 we were there. And that’s all you can ask. Everyone just giving their all on the defensive side.”