NYRB II’s 3-3 draw against Loudoun United FC on September 30 was a big night for forward Luther Archimede.
In the 55th minute, Archimede received a curling cross from midfielder Kyle Zajec and headed it past the Loudoun goalkeeper for his first professional goal. His first professional assist came two minutes after the goal, as he set up forward Mathias Jørgensen who evened the match at three.
“It’s been a long time,” Archimede said. “I’ve been working hard, and it’s always a pleasure to help the team by scoring goals and giving an assist.”
Archimede made his professional debut on August 21 and has made three starts over nine matches. The 2021 MLS SuperDraft first-round selection did not let the delayed start to his professional career phase him.
“It’s not frustration, it’s the process,” he said. “You get some good moments and some bad moments, then this year I got two injuries, I had some visa issues. It’s just about still working hard, trusting the process, knowing that your chance is going to come, never losing faith and always working hard.”
Mixed in that stretch, over the summer Archimede was called up to the Guadeloupe National Team for the Gold Cup, appearing in multiple matches and making his first-ever start against Jamaica.
The big night for Archimede marked the culmination of a lot of hard work and resilience during his debut season.
“I’m happy to help the team and happy to score my first goal,” Archimede said. “I’m really excited for the future to try and help the team the best I can.”
New York will travel to face Charlotte Independence on Saturday, October 9. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET with coverage on ESPN+.
