By Jinseong Kim and Ryan Makuch
AFC Ann Arbor are pleased to present the Diaza Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month Awards to Shion Soga of the men, and Lina Berrah of the women.
During the first month of the season, Soga was named as the men’s top scorer with five goals in four matches, which means the Japanese has scored more than one goal per match on average. Recording 218 minutes of playing time in the first four games, Soga netted the opponent’s goal approximately every 43 minutes.
Soga in the 5-0 season opening victory over Oakland County FC, in which he scored two goals.
Not only by his outstanding goal-producing attributes, Soga can also be praised by his sights and passes that comfortably find attackers up front. Soga has registered two assists in four games, which makes him the joint top assisted player of the men’s squad along with Curt Calov.
Soga’s performance was outstanding enough to be noticed by the USL League Two board. In their ‘Top Prospects’ report, published on May 31, Soga was ranked #38 out of 50 players. He was the only player from The Mighty Oak and one of the three players from the Great Lakes Division to be named in the list.
On discussing his thoughts on being selected as the men’s player of the month, Soga expressed how grateful it is to be named as the inaugural player of the month of the season. He also emphasized that the entire club members, including staff and fans, were important and influential in his standout performance.
“I'm so thankful to the entire team because everyone including coaches, teammates, staff, and fans brings their passion and effort together to build AFCAA even stronger. I also had fun playing with this team. I think this is one of the reasons I was able to perform well.”
Soga’s journey with AFC Ann Arbor kicked off in the best possible scenario. In the season home opener against Oakland County FC, which took place on May 8, Soga scored a brace and made an assist to AFCAA’s fourth from Sean Kerrigan. He quickly became a matchday hero and was later named the man of the match.
Recalling his past month, Soga admitted that the home opener remains the best memory. He pointed out that the 5-0 win over OCFC at Hornet Stadium set the confident atmosphere that prevails throughout the team. “The best moment was winning the first game against OCFC. The result was good as a team and personally as well, this game became a base of our confidence [throughout the season].”
AFCAA’s men are now heading to a packed mid-June, and Soga was ready to take the challenge. He demanded consistent hard work from the team, as well as eyeing to develop himself. “Getting better every day as a team and personally, the result will come if we keep the high intensity, effort, and be passionate.”
For the women’s squad, winger Lina Berrah earned Player of the Month honors as a reward for her tremendous month of May in the blues of AFCAA.
In the month of May, Berrah logged three goals, including a brace against Kalamazoo FC at home, and an assist, as she helped the AFCAA women to earning seven points out of those first four matches. While this occurred in the month of June, Berrah has continued to dazzle the AFC faithful as her 80th minute goal against Detroit City FC ensured a positive start to this second month of the season.
Berrah has played the primary goal-scorer role here in this extremely mighty attack. Spearheading the side from either wing, but usually the left, Berrah has found plenty of joy getting forward and linking up with her teammates–either her fellow attackers or her same-sided full-back partner.
Berrah racing down the wing in AFCAA’s 6/1 victory over Detroit City FC, in which she logged the lone goal.
Berrah beamed when we spoke to her following practice ahead of the 6/10 double matchday for the club. Berrah’s practice form has been as sensational as her game form, as she slotted in a pair of goals in just under ten minutes in an openplay scrimmage, including a lazer of a shot that she finished near post past the keeper, who had no shot of stopping it.
“It’s been very good to play the game with the team, to travel to games, and especially when we win a lot of games at home, and I hope we’ll continue winning because the fans are amazing,” Berrah said, summarizing her first month with the club.
Indeed, it hasn’t mattered whether it’s been home or away, Berrah has excelled. Whether it was her two goals in front of the home crowd, or what turned out to be a game-winner against Cincinnati Dutch Lions in a 3-1 victory on the road, Berrah has been one of several players to rise to the occasion and help along the side.
Berrah has taken to the AFCAA play style like a fish to water, and she has also enjoyed her time off-the-pitch. Discussing the city of Ann Arbor, Berrah said, “I love the city! It’s not too big, but there are still a lot of things to do–and the people are so nice.”
AFCAA congratulate Shion and Lina on an excellent May, and we look forward to seeing them continue to don the colors of The Mighty Oak throughout the rest of the summer.
About AFC Ann Arbor
Association Football Club Ann Arbor (AFC Ann Arbor) was founded in 2014 and competes in USL2 (men’s) and USLW (women’s) national amateur leagues. We are a community-based club, focused on equity, justice, and anti-racism. We consider all of our stakeholders, including supporters, players, staff, and ownership to be part of the #AFCAAFamily. Come On You Mighty Oak!