# 2020–21 Michigan Stars FC season

The 2020–21 Michigan Stars FC season was the club's second season playing in the third division National Independent Soccer Association and first full professional season.

## Club
### Roster

As of April 19, 2021.
| No. | Pos. | Name | Date of birth (age) | Since |
| 1 | GK | Micah Bledsoe | (1994-09-26) September 26, 1994 (age 30) | 2021 |
| 2 | DF | Tekodah Lobsiger | (1995-02-14) February 14, 1995 (age 29) | 2020 |
| 3 | MF | Grant Elgin | (1997-04-02) April 2, 1997 (age 27) | 2021 |
| 4 | DF | Robert Juncaj | (2001-10-15) October 15, 2001 (age 22) | 2019 |
| 5 | DF | Joseph Aidoo | (1995-08-24) August 24, 1995 (age 29) | 2019 |
| 6 | FW | Bernardo Majano | (1993-12-09) December 9, 1993 (age 30) | 2021 |
| 7 | MF | Steven Juncaj | (1998-03-08) March 8, 1998 (age 26) | 2019 |
| 8 | DF | Brian Vang | (1998-03-17) March 17, 1998 (age 26) | 2020 |
| 9 | FW | Waleed Cherif | (1998-01-31) January 31, 1998 (age 26) | 2021 |
| 10 | FW | Kyle Nuel (captain) | (1993-07-02) July 2, 1993 (age 31) | 2019 |
| 11 | MF | Bryant Nardizzi | (1998-04-09) April 9, 1998 (age 26) | 2021 |
| 12 | GK | Colin Coppola Sneddon | (1995-12-23) December 23, 1995 (age 28) | 2021 |
| 13 | FW | Tom Suchecki | (1997-09-09) September 9, 1997 (age 27) | 2021 |
| 14 | FW | Alexander Satrústegui | (1994-01-01) January 1, 1994 (age 30) | 2020 |
| 15 | DF | Andrés Chalbaud | (1994-12-26) December 26, 1994 (age 29) | 2020 |
| 16 | GK | Tatenda Mkuruva | (1996-01-04) January 4, 1996 (age 28) | 2019 |
| 17 | MF | Jay Lee | (1998-07-08) July 8, 1998 (age 26) | 2021 |
| 20 | DF | Yuki Shibata | (1998-01-15) January 15, 1998 (age 26) | 2021 |
| 21 | MF | Zachary Reynolds | (1994-02-15) February 15, 1994 (age 30) | 2020 |
| 23 | DF | Carl Schneider | (1992-11-19) November 19, 1992 (age 31) | 2021 |
| 25 | DF | James Abraham | (1993-09-17) September 17, 1993 (age 31) | 2019 |
| 30 | DF | Devon Amoo-Mensah | (1995-11-27) November 27, 1995 (age 28) | 2020 |

### Coaching staff

| Name | Position |
| Alexander Strehmel | Head coach |

## Transfers
### Transfers In

| Date from | Position | Player | Last team | Type |
| July 23, 2020 | DF | Devon Amoo-Mensah | Lewis University | Free transfer |
| July 23, 2020 | DF | Tomas Bernedo | Dayton Dutch Lions | Free transfer |
| July 24, 2020 | DF | Brian Vang | University of Wisconsin–Green Bay | Free transfer |
| July 24, 2020 | DF | Sebastien Des Pres | Orange County SC | Free transfer |
| April 6, 2021 | DF | Carl Schneider | Forward Madison FC | Free transfer |
| April 6, 2021 | FW | Waleed Cherif | Duquesne Dukes | Free transfer |
| April 7, 2021 | FW | Tom Suchecki | Stumptown Athletic | Free transfer |
| April 7, 2021 | MF | Jay Lee | Free Agent | Free transfer |
| April 7, 2021 | FW | Bernardo Majano | Virginia United FC | Free transfer |
| April 8, 2021 | MF | Grant Elgin | Northeastern Huskies | Free transfer |
| April 8, 2021 | MF | Bryant Nardizzi | Framingham State Rams | Free transfer |
| April 12, 2021 | GK | Colin Coppola Sneddon | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | Free transfer |
| April 12, 2021 | GK | Micah Bledsoe | Stumptown Athletic | Free transfer |
| May 2021 | DF | Yuki Shibata | FK Ibar | Free transfer |

### Transfers Out

| Date to | Position | Player | Next team | Type |
| | MF | Zanin Mahic] | Free agent | Released |
| | MF | Nenad Markovic | Free agent | Released |
| | MF | Nils Valdmanis | Free agent | Released |
| November 2020 | GK | Arshia Aghababazadeh | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | DF | Gonnie Ben-Tal | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | DF | Tomas Bernedo | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | DF | Sebastien Des Pres | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | MF | Jannik Eckenrode | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | MF | Alexandre Frank | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | DF | Adil Gowani | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | GK | Sergio Orozco | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | FW | James Pipe | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | DF | Cameron Schneider | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | DF | Terence Smith | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | DF | Patrick Sullivan | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | MF | Remy Tazifor | Free agent | Not re-signed |
| November 2020 | FW | Travis Ward | Stumptown AC | Not re-signed |

## Competitions
### NISA Fall season

On June 4, NISA announced the initial details for the 2020 Fall Season with the member teams split into conferences, Eastern and Western.
Details for the Fall regular season were announced on July 31, 2020. The Stars will take part as a member of the Eastern Conference.

#### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Chattanooga FC | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 9 |
| 2 | Michigan Stars FC | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 8 |
| 3 | New York Cosmos | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 5 |
| 4 | Detroit City FC | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 5 |
| 5 | New Amsterdam FC | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 12 | −11 | 0 |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: September 12, 2020. Source: Match reports

#### Matches
### Fall Playoffs

All eight NISA teams qualified for the 2020 Fall tournament, which will be hosted at Keyworth Stadium in Detroit, Michigan, beginning on September 21 ending with the final on October 2.

#### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Oakland Roots SC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 | Advance to semifinals |
| 2 | Detroit City FC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 6 | Advance to semifinals |
| 3 | Michigan Stars FC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | |
| 4 | New Amsterdam FC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 1 | |

### 2021 Spring Season
#### NISA Legends Cup

NISA announced initial spring season plans in early February 2021, including starting the season with a tournament in Chattanooga, Tennessee with a standard regular season to follow. The tournament, now called the NISA Legends Cup, was officially announced on March 10 and is scheduled to run between April 13 and 25. All nine NISA members teams taking part in the Spring were divided into three team groups and played a round robin schedule. The highest placing group winner automatically qualified for the tournament final, while the second and third highest finishing teams overall played one-another in a semifinal to determine a second finalist.
The Stars were drawn into Group 1 alongside the debuting Maryland Bobcats FC and the returning San Diego 1904 FC.

##### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Chattanooga FC | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 | 6 | Advance to Legends Cup final |
| 2 | Detroit City FC | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 4 | Advance to Legends Cup semifinal |
| 3 | San Diego 1904 FC | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 | Advance to Legends Cup semifinal |
| 4 | Los Angeles Force | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 3 | |
| 5 | Michigan Stars FC | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 6 | California United Strikers FC | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 7 | Maryland Bobcats FC | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 | |
| 8 | Stumptown AC | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1 | |
| 9 | New Amsterdam FC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0 | |

##### Group 1 results

| vte Home \ Away | MAR | MIC | SDG |
| Maryland Bobcats FC | — | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Michigan Stars FC | | — | 1–1 |
| San Diego 1904 FC | | | — |

##### Matches
#### Regular season

The Spring Season schedule was announced on March 18 with each association member playing eight games, four home and four away, in a single round-robin format.

##### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Detroit City FC (Y, X) | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 3 | +11 | 20 | Advance to season final |
| 2 | Los Angeles Force | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 18 | Advance to spring final |
| 3 | Stumptown AC | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 15 | |
| 4 | California United Strikers FC | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 13 | |
| 5 | Maryland Bobcats FC | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 11 | |
| 6 | Chattanooga FC (Z) | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 8 | Advance to spring final |
| 7 | San Diego 1904 FC | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 17 | −9 | 7 | |
| 8 | Michigan Stars FC | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 5 | |
| 9 | New Amsterdam FC | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 4 | |
* ↑ If either 2020 Fall Champion Detroit or 2021 Legends Cup runner-up Chattanooga finish the spring season in first place, or both teams finish in the top two, the spot in the spring final will go to the next best team.

##### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: June 25, 2021. Source: Match reports

##### Matches
### U.S. Open Cup

As a team playing in a recognized professional league, Michigan would normally be automatically qualified for the U.S. Open Cup. However, with the 2021 edition shorted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NISA has only been allotted 1 to 2 teams spots. On March 29, U.S. Soccer announced 2020 Fall Champion Detroit City FC as NISA's representative in the tournament.

## Squad statistics

    As of Match played June 25, 2021

### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Fall Season | Fall Season | Fall Playoffs | Fall Playoffs | Legends Cup | Legends Cup | Spring Season | Spring Season |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | USA | Micah Bledsoe | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | USA | Colin Coppola Sneddon | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | GK | ZIM | Tatenda Mkuruva | 16 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | USA | Tekodah Lobsiger | 16 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | USA | Robert Juncaj | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | LBR | Joseph Aidoo | 17 | 1 | 4+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 1 | 7+0 | 0 |
| 8 | DF | USA | Brian Vang | 9 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | VEN | Andrés Chalbaud | 17 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 4+3 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | JPN | Yuki Shibata | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0+2 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | USA | Carl Schneider | 9 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 3+0 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | ENG | James Abraham | 16 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | USA | Devon Amoo-Mensah | 17 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||||
| 3 | MF | USA | Grant Elgin | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | USA | Steven Juncaj | 16 | 3 | 4+0 | 1 | 3+0 | 1 | 3+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | USA | Bryant Nardizzi | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | USA | Jay Lee | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | USA | Zachary Reynolds | 15 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||||
| 6 | FW | SLV | Bernardo Majano | 7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | USA | Waleed Cherif | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | USA | Kyle Nuel | 16 | 5 | 3+0 | 2 | 3+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 1 | 7+0 | 2 |
| 13 | FW | USA | Tom Suchecki | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1+2 | 1 | 5+0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | ESP | Alexander Satrústegui | 15 | 3 | 1+2 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 1 | 5+1 | 2 |
| Left during season ||||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | IRN | Arshia Aghababazadeh | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | DF | ISR | Gonnie Ben-Tal | 7 | 3 | 2+2 | 1 | 3+0 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 6 | MF | CMR | Remy Tazifor | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 9 | DF | CHI | Tomas Bernedo | 7 | 2 | 2+2 | 1 | 3+0 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 11 | FW | USA | Travis Ward | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 12 | GK | USA | Sergio Orozco | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 17 | DF | FRA | Alexandre Frank | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 19 | DF | USA | Cameron Schneider | 6 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 20 | DF | USA | Sebastien Des Pres | 5 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 22 | DF | USA | Adil Gowani | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 23 | DF | USA | Patrick Sullivan | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 26 | DF | BRB | Terence Smith | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 29 | FW | USA | James Pipe | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 31 | MF | USA | Jannik Eckenrode | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |

### Goal scorers

| Place | Position | Number | Name | Fall Season | Fall Playoffs | Legends Cup | Spring Season | Total |
| 1 | FW | 10 | Kyle Nuel | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2 | DF | 3 | Gonnie Ben-Tal | 1 | 2 | - | - | 3 |
| 2 | MF | 7 | Steven Juncaj | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | FW | 14 | Alexander Satrústegui | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | DF | 9 | Tomas Bernedo | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| 4 | DF | 5 | Joseph Aidoo | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | FW | 13 | Tom Suchecki | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | 21 | Zachary Reynolds | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Position | Name | Fall Season | Fall Season | Fall Playoffs | Fall Playoffs | Legends Cup | Legends Cup | Spring Season | Spring Season | Total | Total |
| 1 | GK | Arshia Aghababazadeh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Gonnie Ben-Tal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Joseph Aidoo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 6 | FW | Bernardo Majano | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Remy Tazifor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | MF | Steven Juncaj | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | DF | Brian Vang | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | DF | Tomas Bernedo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | DF | Kyle Nuel | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Alexander Satrústegui | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 15 | DF | Andrés Chalbaud | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | GK | Tatenda Mkuruva | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Zachary Reynolds | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Patrick Sullivan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Carl Schneider | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | James Abraham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Devon Amoo-Mensah | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |