Sporting JAX secured a 2–1 victory over Brooklyn FC on Saturday, with Baylee DeSmit scoring twice to lift the hosts to all three points in USL Super League action. Georgie Brown pulled one back for Brooklyn, but it wasn't enough to deny Sporting JAX.
DeSmit opened the scoring in the 17th minute, giving Sporting JAX an early advantage they would carry into halftime. The hosts looked comfortable through the opening 45 minutes, with Brooklyn unable to find an equalizer before the break.
The second half grew testier. Jennifer Cudjoe picked up a yellow card for Brooklyn in the 49th minute, and nine minutes later DeSmit doubled the lead, finishing off a pass from Sophia Boman to make it 2–0. At that point, the result looked settled.
Brooklyn had other ideas. Brown cut the deficit to one in the 67th minute, and suddenly the final stretch had an edge to it. The tension spilled over quickly — Kaitlyn Parks was booked for Sporting JAX just a minute later, and within moments Rebecca Cooke and Tomás de Campos Tengarrinha Soares Martins both received yellows for Brooklyn in the 69th minute. Stacey Balaam added another Sporting JAX booking in the 71st minute. Five yellow cards were shown across a fractious 22-minute spell in the second half.
Despite the late pressure and rising tempers, Sporting JAX managed the game out without conceding again. Brooklyn pushed but never truly threatened an equalizer after Brown's goal.
The win keeps Sporting JAX moving in the right direction as the season enters its stretch run, while Brooklyn FC will look to regroup after a result that slipped away in the first half.
USL Super League