MIAMI – 2021 USL Championship MVP Hadji Barry opened his account for the new season while Michee Ngalina had a goal and assist as Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC earned a 2-1 victory against Miami FC on Saturday night at Riccardo Silva Stadium, holding off a strong fightback from the hosts to take their fourth consecutive win to start the season.

Colorado Springs made a fast start when after only four minutes Barry switched onto his left foot at the top of the penalty area before rifling a finish just inside the left post from 20 yards. Ngalina then had a chance of his own in the 12th minute as he beat his marker on the right but couldn’t squeeze his finish from a narrow angle past Miami’s Jake McGuire, who pounced on the rebound.

Miami took more time to settle into the game but began to look dangerous around the half-hour mark before Lamar Walker – after cleverly keeping the ball in play after a challenge – finally tested Hartford goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell with a low shot from 15 yards. The hosts remained on the front foot to start the second half and had a chance to quickly grab an equalizer only for Walker to mishit his shot on a cross from the left by El Salvador international Josh Perez. Just past the hour-mark, Miami substitute Adonijah Reid also hit the crossbar with a shot from the right side of the penalty area as the ball spun over to safety.

The Switchbacks had chances, too, and both Cam Lindley and Zach Zandi tested McGuire midway though the second half. Off a corner kick following the chance for Zandi, though, the visitors got a second as Ngalina received a short corner near the top-left corner of the penalty area and cut inside onto his right foot for a curling shot to the top-right corner of the net. Miami pulled a goal back nine minutes later when Florian Valot delivered a good free kick from the right channel that found Romeo Parkes for a central header into the right corner of the net, and the Jamaican almost leveled with two minutes to go with a shot that curled just over the top-left corner of the net. Colorado Springs held on late, though, as Caldwell made a save in stoppage time to keep out an effort by Parkes to seal all three points.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Match

Michee Ngalina, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – Ngalina notched a goal and assist and completed 31 of 37 passes, while also completing four dribbles and three chances created overall for the visitors.

Scoring Summary
COS – Hadji Barry (Michee Ngalina) 4’
COS – Michee Ngalina (Cam Lindley) 68’
MIA – Romeo Parkes (Florian Valot) 77’

Full Box Score