Notes ahead of Cleveland

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What: FC Buffalo’s first road game of 2016
Opponent: AFC Cleveland
Where: Stan Skoczen Stadium, 6001 Archwood Rd, Independence, OH 44131
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, May 21, 2016
Follow the action:  Twitter

[ FCB: 2016 schedule | 2016 roster | History ]

Welcome: The vast majority of FCB’s rostered players have completed school or arrived in town, giving head coach Brendan Murphy a pleasant squad headache ahead of the trip to Ohio.

Unofficial Rust Belt Derby: AFC Cleveland did not schedule Detroit City this season, so the Rust Belt Derby is a two-legged affair between FCB and Detroit on June 3 and 5, but the rivalry remains strong between Buffalo and Cleveland. The Royals won the first RBD, but have finished below Detroit and FCB in each of the past three seasons

History lesson: Though FCB head coach Brendan Murph is 3W-2L-2T all-time against Cleveland, the Royals hold the all-time edge with four wins and three ties in 10 games since the rivalry began in 2012.

FCB is 1W-3L-1T in five trips to Cleveland, but has had success at other Ohio destinations. Toss in Cincinnati Saints and Zanesville Athletic, and your Blitzers are 4W-4L-1T in Ohio. The all-time mark against Ohio competition is 8W-4L-3T.

FC Buffalo versus AFC Cleveland
May 18, 2012 — L 2-4 AWAY
May 27, 2012 — T 2-2 HOME
July 6, 2012 — L 0-3 AWAY
May 31, 2013 — W 2-0 AWAY
June 9, 2013 — W 3-2 HOME
May 18, 2014 — T 1-1 HOME
June 13, 2014 — W 3-0 HOME
June 27, 2014 — L 1-2 AWAY
June 27, 2015 —  T 1-1 AWAY
July 17, 2015 — L 2-3 HOME

— Cleveland center back Coletun Long played with FCB winger Nicky Watson and goalkeeper Steve Casey at Niagara University before transferring to Dayton.

Out-of-town scoreboard
FRIDAY — Rochester at Indy Eleven NPSL, 7 p.m.
SUNDAY — Rochester at FC Indiana, 1 p.m.

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