NAPLES, FL — Spokane Velocity FC fell 0-1 to FC Naples on Saturday in the final match of the 2026 regular season, conceding a stoppage-time goal to Andrés Ferrín in the 94th minute to close out an otherwise scoreless match.
Leigh Veidman reflected on a night where Spokane created plenty but couldn’t finish.
“We had more than enough chances to win the game,” said Veidman.
Neither team found the back of the net in the first half, though Spokane had the better of the early chances. In the 12th minute, Shavon John-Brown’s shot attempt was blocked by Naples defender Julian Cisneros. One minute later, Joe Gallardo tested Naples goalkeeper Edward Delgado with a right-footed shot from outside the box, but Delgado saved it in the bottom left corner. John-Brown was credited with the assist.
John-Brown kept pressing, sending a header out of play off a cross in the 16th minute and getting on the end of another cross in the 19th, which Delgado saved.
Nil Vinyals sent a run through to John-Brown in the 23rd minute, but Naples defender Luca Mastrantonio blocked it. Naples answered in the 29th minute, when Kevin O’Connor’s shot bounced off the post. Cisneros sent an effort off target in the 33rd minute to close out the first-half chances.
The match stayed scoreless after the break, and Velocity FC goalkeeper Sean Lewis was called upon early. In the 47th minute, Naples’ Marc Torrellas sent a right-footed shot from outside the box toward the center of the goal, and Lewis made the save. Lewis was needed again in the 64th minute, when Naples’ Gio Migletti met a ball at the six-yard line for a header attempt, which Lewis saved.
Spokane pushed back in the 72nd minute, when a header off a corner was saved by Delgado. Spokane came even closer in the 83rd minute, when Neco Brett had two shot attempts, and Delgado saved both to keep the match level.
“We had the better chances in the game, but if you don’t take your chances that’s what happens in soccer,” said Brett.
Veidman explained the late push for a winner. “We had to go for it at the end because the draw did nothing for us,” said Veidman.
Cisneros sent a shot just wide of the goal in the 92nd minute. Two minutes later, Ferrín took the ball just outside the box and sent a shot into the bottom left corner for the only goal of the match. The final whistle blew shortly after.
Veidman and John-Brown acknowledged the result and Veidman credited the home side.
“The luck was on Naples’ side tonight…but credit to them and Zak [Gordon], who have done a great job,” said Veidman.
“The effort was there—we did all the right things until the last 30 seconds of the game,” said John-Brown.
Velocity FC now turns its attention to the postseason, where they will face Forward Madison FC. “First we rest and recover and then we reset and get ready for Madison,” said Veidman.
Brett and John-Brown echoed the focus on what’s ahead.
“Now, it’s time for the playoffs and we just have to refocus and take it one game at a time,” said Brett.
“We’ll continue to work on finishing our chances and will do so in the playoffs.” said John-Brown.
After the results of this tilt, Spokane will not have home field advantage in the quarterfinals and will need some upsets in the bracket to host a playoff match at ONE Spokane Stadium.
Continue to keep up with the Lads and their journey to the USL League One Quarterfinals as they take on Forward Madison on Friday, October 30 at 4:30PM PT, with streaming available on ESPN+. Join us at Flatstick Pub for a watch party and cheer on Velocity FC as they make another run at a League One Championship!
