W League: Detroit City FC wins division, clinches first playoff berth

Detroit City FC launched a women’s team in 2020, and on Thursday night in Kentwood, Le Rouge for the first time won the W League’s Great Lakes Division and clinched a playoff berth by beating a longtime rival.

Tatiana Mason’s first goal of the season came in the ninth minute and lifted DCFC to a sweep over Midwest United with a 1-0 road victory. 

Earlier this week, DCFC head coach David Dwaihy told The Detroit News that capturing the league title against United would put the cherry on top of what’d already been — by a wide margin — the best women’s season in club history.

“It would mean so much to achieve that, and we’re within reach of that, and it would really just make everything, make all the effort worthwhile,” Dwaihy said.

The first round of W League playoffs will take place the weekend of July 6. Le Rouge has applied to host a postseason game at Keyworth Stadium. More information will be available at a later date.

DCFC (9D-2D-0L) heads into Saturday’s finale at AFC Ann Arbor with the chance to finish undefeated. DCFC won the first meeting in the series at Keyworth, 4-1, on June 8.

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi