Larry Noel’s Hat Trick Powers Nona FC Past Shark Coast FC, 5-1

LAKE NONA — Nona FC (1-0-1, 4 points) earned its first victory of the 2026 USL League Two season Wednesday night, defeating Shark Coast FC (0-1-1, 1 point) 5-1 behind a historic hat trick from forward Larry Noel in the club’s home opener at Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.

In front of a packed crowd in the club’s first-ever meeting against Shark Coast FC, the Longhorns wasted little time rewarding the home supporters, opening the scoring in the 12th minute through forward Fabio Bozesan. After a Michael Appiah shot was saved inside the box, the rebound fell kindly for Bozesan, who chipped the goalkeeper to score his second goal in as many matches for the Black and Orange.

Shark Coast FC’s night became even more difficult in the 31st minute when defender Wade Stinson was shown a second yellow card, reducing the visitors to 10 men for the remainder of the match. Nona FC quickly capitalized on the advantage, with Michael Appiah setting up Larry Noel twice before halftime to extend the lead to 3-0. The forward from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte found the back of the net in the 39th and 44th minutes to record his first goals for the club.

Wednesday night also marked Academy Night for Nona FC, with the club honoring several Nona Soccer Academy teams at halftime following successful seasons and title-winning campaigns throughout the year.

After the break, Shark Coast FC found a response in the 51st minute through Hector Moreno to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Longhorns answered in the 76th minute when Larry Noel slipped a pass into Josiah Blanton, who powered his finish into the roof of the net to restore Nona FC’s three-goal advantage.

Noel completed his historic hat trick six minutes later after midfielder Xavier Rimpel’s strike ricocheted off the post and fell kindly to the striker, who finished from close range to score Nona FC’s fifth goal of the night and secure the club’s first win of the season.

Scoring Summary:

12’ Fabio Bozesan — NON 1, SCO 0

39’ Larry Noel (Michael Appiah) — NON 2, SCO 0

44’ Larry Noel (Michael Appiah) — NON 3, SCO 0

51’ Hector Moreno — NON 3, SCO 1

76’ Josiah Blanton (Larry Noel) — NON 4, SCO 1

82’ Larry Noel — NON 5, SCO 1

Head Coach Bruno Jaeger:

“It was special to see the stands packed in orange. Great job overall by the staff and all the volunteers who helped make this first night at home so special. I also want to thank the players for their hard work and discipline in following what the staff and I asked of them. Despite the score, the match demanded a lot from us and showed us what we need to improve if we want to be where we need to be. Now, we need to rest, celebrate the win, and then start preparing for Tuesday.”

Match Notes:

• Forward Larry Noel scored the first-ever hat trick in Nona FC history.

• Forwards Larry Noel and Fabio Bozesan have five combined goals in just two games to start the season.

• First time under Bruno Jaeger, the team scored three goals in the first half.

• Five goals in a match is tied for the most in a single match in Nona FC history.

• All 18 players named in the matchday squad made an appearance for the Longhorns.

• Bruno Jaeger made two changes to his starting lineup from the last game, inserting midfielder Osey Gyamfi and forward Fabio Bozesan.

• Defender Moah Silva was the lone player to feature in the home opener to have gone through Nona’s academy.

Next Match:

The Longhorns remain in Lake Nona to take on Sporting Jax on Tuesday, May 26 at Austin-Tindall Sports Complex. The match is set to kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be streamed on sportsengineplay.com.

Tickets:

Nona FC single-match home tickets for the 2026 USL League Two season are on sale now. Please visit tickets.uslleaguetwo.com/venues/4446 for more information and to purchase tickets.

About Nona FC:

Established in 2020, Nona FC is a USL League Two club proudly representing Lake Nona, Florida. Built on a commitment to player development, community, and excellence, the club serves as a pathway for players looking to advance to the collegiate and professional levels. Since its founding, Nona FC has earned national recognition, including a Southeast Conference Championship in 2022, while continuing to grow the game throughout Central Florida.

Follow Nona FC on Instagram (@nonafootballclub) and YouTube (@nonasportscast4180), and follow Nona Soccer Academy on Instagram (@nonasocceracademy)