Aurora Beat River Light to Rise Up the Table
When River Light FC played Minnesota Aurora FC in Aurora, IL, the game ended in a 1-1 draw. On Saturday, June 8, Minnesota Aurora FC got their turn to host River Light FC in Eagan, MN. Similar to the Illinois leg, River Light scored first and Aurora answered soon after. However, this match took a different turn. Instead of ending 1-1, the second half included three more goals. Who scored these five goals? Whether you were one of the 6,053 at TCO Stadium, watched on Fox 9+ or the Fox 9 website, or missed the match entirely, Northern Lights Football is here to summarize this action-packed match.
Women of Inspiration
This game was the Women of Inspiration match. A pre-game tweet stated, "Celebrating the women who lead with passion, purpose, and power." Local Social Network Strategist Nadine Babu has worked with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Gopher sports. She posted media of the video board that welcomed other Minnesota women's teams to the stadium: Minnesota Aurora 2, PWHL Minnesota, Menagerie Rugby Club, Twin Cities Amazons Rugby, Minnesota Roller Derby, and Team Trans Twin Cities Ice Hockey.
https://twitter.com/MNAuroraFC/status/1799613853967556886
"My dear, when people show you who they are, why don't you believe them?" or Starting XIs
Colette Montgomery lined up Aurora up in their typical 4-3-3 that can shift into a 4-2-3-1. For the second straight game, Alicia Donley played centerback next to Nicole Norfolk. Donley moved from forward to fullback at University of Dayton, and started the first four Aurora matches at right fullback. This switch for Donley allowed both Kelis Barton and Kacie Laurie to start at fullback. Another key benefit of Donley at centerback was Addy Weichers moving to the central midfield next to Morgan Stone. This marked only the second match for center midfield duo, but Weichers and Stone have played together in the midfield plenty on Aurora teams past.
Also for the second straight game, Cat Rapp received the start at center forward, who came in with 3 goals in 2024. Left wing Mariah Nguyen entered with four goals. Right wing Jill Bennett got her first start of 2024. At middle of it all was Katie Duong at center attacking midfielder.
River Light FC kept only Maya Nugent and Eliana Egeland in the starting lineup from last time. However, River Light used that midweek match against 6th-place RKC to rest most of their starting lineup. The River Light starting line up at TCO Stadium had nine returning starters from their weekend match against Bavarian United SC. Left fullback Sam Bodensteiner and center midfielder Gemma Gillespie were the only new starters Saturday night from a week ago.
"Do the best you can until you know better" or River Light Score First
Despite some dangerous Aurora chances close to the net, River Light's defense held Aurora at bay early. Then in the eleventh minute, River Light's Ella Burke sent a corner kick to the far post. Left wing Anya Gulbrandsen jumped high to head the ball into the back of the net. River Light led 1-0 in Minnesota early.
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1799596796517199925
"Then when you know better, do better" or Aurora's Answer
In the 32nd minute, Duong would send in a ball to Cat Rapp. While GK Blythe Braun saved the Cat Rapp attempt, the ball went wide to Morgan Stone who rocks the pebble into the back of the bag to tie the match 1-1. After all the Aurora acts of affection, Stone celebrates by miming setting down a golf ball and tee then driving one out of the box.
https://twitter.com/MNAuroraFC/status/1799602913087803628
"You don't have to think about doing the right thing. If you're for the right thing, then you do it without thinking" or Taylor Kane's Save
After the Aurora scored, River Light's Devin Lynch would take on several Aurora players and send in a dangerous ball. Taylor Kane was there contending for space with a player from each team.
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1799604459812634862
For much of the half, both teams struggled to pass through the compact midfield defensive blocks of the other. This half would end 1-1.
"River Light are a really well-organized team. They really want to play through those central spaces. And so that was a lot of what we wanted to do was shut down that middle space, make them go round us the long way and then win those balls in those outside spaces. So, you know, again, the game plan worked out really well. Different personnel coming in at halftime gave us a little of injection of energy, a little bit boost of confidence, and then let's go score some goals." — Colette Montgomery
"Make every effort to change things you do not like" or Substitutions
At the start of the second half, River Light subbed on midfielder Alexandra Tetteh for Gillespie and goalkeeper Bella Schopp for Braun. Aurora made three changes: midfielder Sofia Bush for Stone, right wing Saige Wimes for Bennett, and Yao Zhou for fullback Barton. Midfielder Zhou pushed Weichers back to centerback and Donley slid over to right fullback.
"I've never seen this one before," a goal like Duong's
Early in the second half, Cat Rapp square the ball to Katie Duong who booted the ball for a banger from 27 yards out.
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1800352491445596426
Duong commented on balancing her role to making teammates dangerous while being dangerous herself: "Especially playing the 10 a little bit more of an attacking role for Aurora, I've been trying to focus on being dangerous and varying the ways I'm attacking around goal. I think this front line and this midfield is so much fun to play with, and I have so much fun combining with these players."
"I am trying to find out who I am, who we are, what we’re capable of"
Later, Aurora would gain inroads into the box again. Despite Aurora's attack with deliberate daggers, River Light defend deftly by discharging all aggressions of Aurora's assailants.
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1799614634892419537
Saige Wimes' header or "You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I'll rise."
At the 69th minute, both teams made additional substitutions. Aurora's Julia Sattler came on for fellow centerback Nicole Norfolk. River Light subbed in Sophia Skoubis for Egeland and Ellen Persson for Burke. Around the 76th minute, Aurora would earn a corner kick. Katie Duong's service to the far side looked to be going out for a River Light goal kick. Alicia Donley kept the ball in play and sent it back across the goal mouth. Saige Wimes lept up and headed the ball. The ball pinballed into the net off the goalkeeper's shoulder and the back of a defender. Aurora led 3-1.
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1799618420281127033
Immediate after the goal, Aurora would sub in Tess Werts for Nguyen and Rami Rapp for her triplet sister Cat. River Light put in Victoria Adams for fellow defender Sam Bodensteiner.
"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."
Rami would soon threaten on the right side. A River Light defender would trip Rami in the corner of the 18-yard box. It was unclear if the defender poked the ball away or not. As Equal Time Soccer pointed out: it should have been a penalty or a corner kick for Aurora. Instead the referees awarded River Light with a goal kick.
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1799618650376487157
"You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."
In the 85th minute, River Light would make their last two substitutions (of seven allowed): Evyn Schokora for goal scorer Gulbrandsen and Shayna Da SIlva for Nugent. Those substitutions had an immediate affect. Less than three minutes later, River Light connected seven passes up the field. GK sub Bella Schopp sent a long goal kick up the middle. Alex Tetteh came back towards the ball and offloaded to Olivia Duray, who one-touched the ball wide right to centerback Rachel Kutella. Kutella passed up the line to Sophia Skoubis. Skoubis hit Kutella back on quick diagonal run. Kutella passed to a W I D E O P E N Evyn Schokora, scored.
Katie Duong would earn "Play of the Game" for her second half banger. However, at 1:42:15 of this Fox 9+ video, River Light can claim to the best team goal of the night. Two other River Light attackers were also near the net with Donely the only Aurora player back to help Taylor Kane.
When the final whistle blew, River Light scored first and last. However, this isn't pickup soccer. Last goal doesn't win. Aurora scored three goals and earn three points.
USL W League, Heartland Division Standings - "Does it come as a surprise?"
Aurora was in second place in the Heartland Division heading into this match; River Light was close behind in third. After Bavarian United SC beat Chicago City SC on Saturday, River Light would bounce back to Rochester FC on Monday.
Tuesday results featured two rivalry matches. Chicago City would lose again, this time at home to crosstown rival Chicago Dutch Lions FC. Bavarian beat their Milwaukee rival RKC Third Coast.
The two Thursday matches include four of the top five teams in the division. Aurora heads south on US Highway 52 to Rochester FC. River Light FC in fourth host Bavarian United in second place.
It's tight up at the top. How will this look after Thursday? Stay tuned to Northern Lights Football and find out.
WPSL Wrap Up: Week 5
Week 5 of WPSL action sees the last two clubs in the North finally make their season debut (in St Croix’s case, after two postponements). More about that match later, here’s the full recap of the week’s action.
Wednesday
Salvo SC 1-0 Minnesota Thunder
A lone goal by Khyah Harper, from Molly Fiedler, gave last year’s national finalists a win against the defending conference champions.
Friday
Salvo 3-0 Mankato United
Khyah Harper from Riley Lijewski broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. Becca Smith from Khyah Harper in the 79th minute made it sure and there was a late own goal.
Dakota Fusion FC 0-3 St Croix Legacy
St Croix came into Fargo-Moorhead having seen two successive season openers (one at home and then one on the road) postponed. For Fusion, this is the regularly scheduled opener. They are the only two sides in the ten-team WPSL Northern Conference not to play yet this season. Legacy finished fourth in the conference standings having managed to finish the season without a single draw and a record of 5-4 in their nine games. Fusion also did not draw a single game, but accumulated a conference worst record of 0-9 and a goal difference of -43. The hosts have a new head coach, in the shape of Chris Andreasen, who was director of coaching at Red River Soccer Club before they merged with Fusion in the offseason.
After a strong opening to the match, two goals in six minutes provided some scoreboard separation as Avery Murdzek swept home from the top of the box in the twentieth minute and then her sister Lainey tapped in off a rebound after a blast from the middle of the box.
It would remain 2-0, as the visitors missed a number of chances to widen the margin but it would be the home side with the best chance, a penalty kick after a tangle of legs near the top of the box in the 51st minute. Unfortunately, the shot was hammered off the post and the rebound saved.
Five minutes later, Legacy hit the crossbar with a shot and near chances for Legacy would continue to be a theme, albeit with Fusion providing some of their own. Their best chance from open play cane in the 66th minute as a Fusion free kick just outside the box culminated in a shot on target, punched wide by Kendall Ellis.
The icing on the St Croix performance came when Lainey Murdzek tapped in, off the post and in from a Henneman cross in the 75th minute. Both clubs would force flying saves from the opposing keeper but it finished 3-0.
Sioux Falls City 2-0 Minnesota Thunder
Thunder fell further behind in the race for the conference, with Sioux Falls City getting goals from Mia Mullenmeister and Yui Fujii.
Joy Athletic 1-3 Rochester United FC
A twenty minute flurry for Rochester saw two from Kylie Miranto and one from Savannah Maley, before Lennon Folstad scored the home team’s only tally.
Sunday
Salvo SC 7-0 Dakota Fusion FC
Salvo steamrolled Fusion, with braces from Angela Gutierrez, Khyah Harper and Sophia Barjesteh and a solo goal from Alma Beaton.
📹 FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
All of @SalvoWPSL’s goals in one spot! pic.twitter.com/2A8dT8uYY2
— Equal Time Soccer (@EqualTimeSoccer) June 10, 2024
Manitou FC 0-6 Sioux Falls Thunder
Keyera Harmon, Yui Fujii, Katharina Oelschlaeger, Mia Mullenmeister and a double from Kaydence Ramirez put Manitou to the sword.
St Croix Legacy 2-1 Minnesota Thunder
Lainey Murdzek and Lexi Huber put the Legacy into the lead. Thunder got a consolation in the 78th minute, the well-practised combination of Paige Kalal to Paige Peltier with the goal.
Rochester United FC 0-0 MapleBrook Fury
Here is the top of the WPSL Northern Conference standings ahead of tomorrow’s games:
Coming Up:
Tonight
Minnesota Thunder v Manitou FC
Friday
Dakota Fusion FC v Manitou FC
Rochester United SC v Mankato United SC
Saturday
Joy Athletic Club v St Croix Legacy
Sioux Falls City v MapleBrook Fury
Sunday
Mankato United v Dakota Fusion
Photo Gallery: Aurora vs River Light
Month: June 2024
Aurora took top spot in the Heartland Division with a 3-2 win over River Light FC at TCO Stadium on Saturday night. Here are our photos from the pitch.
NPSL Round Up: 8th June 2024
Dakota Fusion FC 2-0 Sioux Falls Thunder FC
Fusion fans brought a drum. The team proved them worthy of the accompaniment.
Fusion dominated possession in the opening 10 minutes but the first Fusion shot on goal came via Brandon Garcia at 9:45. Sioux Falls Thunder’s keeper Jack Howard played much of the match either out of his area or out of his goal, and in the 14th minute, Fusion took a snap shot with Howard out of his net, wide.
Fusion spent much of the opening half knocking on the door, including a flying volley by Nicolo Lai, saved by Howard diving one way and using his opposite hand. The first half would end goal less, chiefly courtesy of scrambling defense by Howard and center-back Colin Burke.
Just before the hour mark, a blasted clearance by Fusion defender Ahmad Hijaz from within his own half took a lucky deflection off a Thunder player for a corner. Lai was the first to a ricocheting ball in a goalmouth scramble, to poke the ball home for a home lead.
After yet more Fusion attacks were repelled by Thunder, the match took an unexpected turn in the 74th minute as a free kick for Fusion in their own penalty area led - for reasons that were unclear - to Lai being sent off for dissent.
The Thunder man advantage made no substantial difference to the flow of the game, and the match ended 10 v 10 as the visitors saw their own red card in the 87th minute. With nothing left to lose, Jack Howard fully released the hand brake and spent the last 5 minutes of the game in the Fusion penalty area. It was the hosts who scored, though, when a long clearance from Will Devine in the Fusion net in the second minute of stoppage time came all the way through to a Fusion attacker who was fouled. Takumi Sato hammered the penalty kick off the crossbar and down for the death blow.
Duluth FC 7-1 Minnesota TwinStars
The BlueGreens got revenge in grand style, putting up a touchdown against the TwinStars. Goals from Liam Pritchard and Jake Starling, a brace from Eduoard Nys and a hat trick by Jireh Oyebamiji were the emphatic answer to a third minute go ahead goal by the visitors - Fatorma Conneh seizing on a weak header back by Dylan Zavatini.
Siouxland United FC 5-0 Minnesota Blizzard FC
Early and then often, the home side turned over the Blizzard. Kenny Hewitt, Magloire Makila and Ben Shields made it three, and Nick Walker scored twice in the 89th minute, the last one a penalty kick.
Here are how the teams stand:
The conference table for the North Conference of the National Premier Soccer League (source: NPSL)
Coming Up:
Wednesday
Sioux Falls Thunder v Dakota Fusion
Joy Athletic Club v Siouxland United
Minnesota Blizzard v Duluth FC
Friday:
Sioux Falls Thunder v Siouxland United
Saturday:
Minnesota TwinStars v Sioux Falls Thunder
Joy Athletic Club v Dakota Fusion
USL-W Spotlight + Gallery: Aurora bests Rochester 2-1
On Thursday, June 6, Minnesota Aurora FC hosted Rochester FC in the first leg of the Minnesota Derby. The Rochester Loons kept the match close after conceding early, with their defense drawing the praise of Aurora coach and players, but the hosts found the breakthrough in spectacular fashion to win 2-1.
Despite scoring the opening goal in the third minute, Cat Rapp found a lot to be improved upon, for herself and for the team:
“I’m glad that we got the win but I think we could have done a lot more today We had a game plan. I think at some points we were able to execute it and others we weren’t able to do as we wanted,” she said. “But I’m glad we got the win. It shows that even when we’re not playing our best, we can still get results.”
“We wanted to start the game right but, you know, the game lasts for 90 minutes,” said head coach Colette Montgomery. “Sometimes scoring in the first couple of minutes is the worst thing you can do. You know, Rochester again shut things down. They’ve got – obviously – some really good individuals and you know, they’ve all had a really good game, some big saves as well.”
Rochester goalkeeper Emma Knack was key to keeping Aurora to just two goals on the night. At the other end, midfielder Aida Kardovic put Rochester on the board, scoring the equalizer in the 38th minute. The Creighton grad now has 5 goals this year for the Loons.
“They were just playing hard, obviously. We expect that from every single team. In particular that number seven [Kardovic], she was very good for them,” Rapp said. “I think she scored their goal off the free kick and she was very good, very technical.”
📹 EQUAL TIME EXCLUSIVE
Second look at the Putri Sazali to Aida Kardovic goal for @RochesterClub, including our goal line camera. https://t.co/9xcEI3nBKg pic.twitter.com/NOvfg1h7HY
— Equal Time Soccer (@EqualTimeSoccer) June 7, 2024
“We definitely have to give credit to their number seven,” echoed Jelena Zbiljic. “She was a baller. She was very good and hard to defend.”
Zbiljic scored the winner for Aurora, finding the far upper corner of the goal with a strike that coach Montgomery called a crot: “We call that a crot. Was it a cross or a shot so we call it a crot. At the end of the day the ball ends up in the back of the net so we’re happy with that.”
The ball found the back of the net and the play found the No. 6 spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10 that night.
We really want you to see this, @SportsCenter https://t.co/hotSQjIo5f
— Minnesota Aurora FC (@MNAuroraFC) June 7, 2024
“I like being very helpful and crossing, or just taking people on and going one-v-one,” Zbiljic explained. “So it’s kind of what I tried to do and then I kind of saw the keeper a little off her line and I just love to test the keeper and try to get a goal in and that’s exactly what happened.”
Aurora will go on the road this coming Thursday, June 13, to face Knack and Kardovic on their own turf. But first, Aurora (2nd) will host River Light FC (3rd) on Saturday night.
After coming out of the Rochester match feeling that her side was not as clinical as they’d like to be, Montgomery said, “The players know the standards and the expectation. And so we’re going to close the door on this one very quickly and move on to the Lights on the weekend.”
USL-W Spotlight: MN Aurora, Home and Away
(Photo by Seth Steffenhagen/Steffenhagen Photography)
Minnesota Aurora's home opener on Thursday, May 30, proved that Teal is still the real deal. A flurry of goals from both veterans and newcomers showed that the inaugural squad's results were not a fluke and that the franchise can continue to draw and develop top talent. Aurora shut out RKC Third Coast with a 7-0 win in front of 5,092 fans.
Midfielder Mariah Nguyen became one of the faces of the franchise in 2022 and her game has only gotten better. The Andover-native will begin her senior year at the University of St Thomas in the fall, where this past August, Nguyen was named TicketSmarter's Summit League Offensive Peak Performer of the Week for registering a hat trick in UST's 7-0 win against Niagara. She registered another for Minnesota Aurora on Thursday, on top of assisting in each of the opening two goals, scored by Addison Weichers and Saige Wimes. The hat trick earned her Star Tribune Player of the Game honors.
https://twitter.com/USLWLeague/status/1796546630742929521
"Pregame we just agreed, you know, we had to start really strong," Nguyen said. "We wanted to put on a show. It was an amazing turnout tonight, 5000-something right? So we knew - We just wanted to put away as many as we can as fast as possible. And at halftime, it is the same thing, just cleaning up so minor issues that we had in midfield, finding each other and stuff like that, and yeah exploiting their pockets."
(Photo by Seth Steffenhagen/Steffenhagen Photography)
Cat Rapp scored a brace and both goals were bangers, the first pinging off the crossbar to bounce down and in, the second a tight angle shot to the far post. Rapp said of the first goal: "I was thinking: turn it and shoot. I've -- I was actually telling Addy [Weichers], we had worked on this after practice, I was just thinking, you know, this is the exact thing that we set up. It's like I'm just gonna turn and shoot it and aim for the corner, and that's what happened."
"Obviously, Cat Rapp is well known in these parts," said head coach Colette Montgomery. "She's a fan favorite. We've kind of been bringing her in a little bit, gave her that start in that 10 position, moved her into the nine. We know that she's a valuable player, going to score goals. And I'm not sure; I'll check with the statistics, but I'm pretty sure that she put herself in line to be in the top scorers of the franchise, so excited for her."
But the new faces are also making an impact and making their own names known.
"Saige [Wimes] has really impressed," Montgomery said. "You know, we've been bringing her back from a little niggle, but she's looking fantastic as you can see. I wasn't lying when I said we've got top caliber players. [She has] lots of movement off the ball. She's really quick footed, really creative in that final third, exactly what we've been asking the team for."
https://twitter.com/MNAuroraFC/status/1796340677623918978
Despite going into the break with a 4-0 lead, Montgomery said she emphasized continuing to play their game, to their ability for the full 90 minutes:
"We've challenged the players to play with excellence no matter what minute it is, how many goals are scored. We want to be as sharp through the 60-to-90th minute as possible. And the players that come off the bench, we call them game changers because we want them to come in and make an impact, challenge that starting group for spots and keep everybody on their toes."
For their part, RKC Third Coast put up a fight. While they conceded 7 goals and were unable to score any of their own, they still took home some positives. As centerback Ellie Rebmann told NLF, "Even though the score was not what we wanted, I do think that there were still many positives. Getting to play in a stadium with a crowd like we did was a great experience for starters, but I also think that we were really able to come together as a team. I think that we definitely had some good moments at times, and I think we defended pretty well as well."
Rebmann was key to the damage control making one particularly massive block that may have had a few reporters whistling in the pressbox.
"Honestly, all that went through my mind was that this player had a perfect shot open to the back post, and I knew I could get my body behind it to block it," Rebmann said. "I saw her take the shot and just tried to make sure i got my foot on it with enough power to get it out of the box."
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1796355814925705297
Adding three goals to their tally in the second half, Aurora stamped a big W on their home opener. But then they hit the road - Chicago again.
[Miss the match? Click to view our full photo gallery.]
"[We're] excited to be on the road for one game and then come back for a home game stretch. So excited to be back with the fans, be back in this environment." - Aurora Head Coach Colette Montgomery
Sunday saw Minnesota Aurora return to Chicago proper (ie. not Aurora, Ill.) to face Chicago City SC on the campus of Loyola. Chicago City holds first place in the division, having won all three games played prior to Sunday. Aurora sat in second after sharing a point with River Light on the previous road trip.
Sunday's match was pretty similar to the River Light game - a scrappy midfield battle interrupted at times by blocked crosses and shots into the box. City took the lead early after Aurora keeper Taylor Kane tackled an attacking player inside her box, giving Chicago City a penalty kick for DOGSO (Denial of an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity) in the 9th minute. The hosts converted to go up 1-0.
Aurora finally found the breakthrough in the 27th minute when Yao Zhou sent a freekick in to Kaylie Chambers to level at 1-1.
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1797363397958283553
Both sides had a number of chances in the second half but none found the goal; instead they gutted out another 63 minutes for a draw. And now, Aurora is done with their road trips to the Chicago area.
Minnesota Aurora will return to TCO Stadium on Thursday, June 6, to host Rochester FC. Then on Saturday, June 8, they will host River Light. TCO Stadium will be ready and waiting.
(Photo by Seth Steffenhagen/Steffenhagen Photography)
WPSL Wrap Up: Week 4
Friday
Mankato United 0-3 Minnesota Thunder
A comfortable win, with goals by Kaitlyn MacBean (from Paige Peltier), Paige Kalal (from Paige Peltier) and Kalal again (from Mackenzie Jacobson). Here's the opening two goals - the second showing stunning ball control, via our friends at Equal Time Soccer and courtesy of Mankato United:
https://twitter.com/EqualTimeSoccer/status/1796703091326099735
Rochester United 0-7 Sioux Falls City
An absolute rout for City on the road, with a hat trick from Mia Mullenmeister and goals from Kaydence Ramirez, Katharina Oelschlaeger and Isabella Boccia Gomes de Moraes.
Manitou FC 1-1 MapleBrook Fury
Manitou got a goal from Tatum Trettel, and MapleBrook scored through Olivia Lovick.
Sunday
Joy Athletic Club 1-3 Sioux Falls City
Allison Wehrman scored for the Goats but City continued their red hot start to the season, with goals from Hailee Christensen, Mia Mullenmeister and Lourdes Moreno.
MapleBrook Fury 1-2 Mankato United
Kendall Stadden scored for the hosts but Mankato claimed all three points with goals from Ava Stanchina and Avery Korsching.
Manitou FC 0-0 Mankato United
Coming Up
Tuesday
Wednesday
Friday
Dakota Fusion FC v St Croix Legacy
Sioux Falls City v Minnesota Thunder
Joy Athletic v Rochester United FC
Sunday
Salvo SC v Dakota Fusion FC
St Croix Legacy v Minnesota Thunder
Rochester United FC v MapleBrook Fury
Manitou FC v Sioux Falls Thunder
NPSL Spotlight: Minnesota Blizzard v Sioux Falls Thunder
Spotlight Match: Minnesota Blizzard FC 1-1 Sioux Falls Thunder FC
In a first half of few chances, Blizzard broke through in the 38th minute, Ashton Hosler finishing a counter attack which he had led, beginning with an interception at the top of their own defensive area.
Thunder equalized in the 60th minute as Benjamin Schoenherr blasted the ball in from the left side of the area following a recycled corner.
Wednesday:
Siouxland United FC 0-2 Dakota Fusion FC
Fusion extended their lead at the top of the division with goals from half time substitutes Ryosuke Miyata and Felix Buabeng.
Minnesota TwinStars FC 3-1 Duluth FC
Fatorma Conneh scored and Rolando Barclay came on late to score twice and seal a home win. The BlueGreens’ goal came courtesy of Edouard Nys.
Saturday:
Sioux Falls Thunder 1-4 Duluth FC
Duluth with a road win courtesy of goals by Rory Doyle, Eduoard Nys and Paul Bobai. Thunder scored through Eric Beltran.
Minnesota TwinStars FC 4-2 Siouxland United FC
The Outlaws took the lead in the 8th minute through Magloire Makila but conceded goals from Chigozie Eneje, Fatorma Conneh, Rolando Barclay and David Diawara, punctuated by a penalty kick by Kenny Hewitt for the visitors.
Dakota Fusion FC 4-0 Joy Athletic Club
After an opening few minutes when Joy had the better possession, an injury stoppage was followed by Fusion finally putting together calmer possession of their own, before attempting to thread passes from midfield through the Goats back line. In the end, it was a lofted ball onto the right wing, crossed across the 6 yard box for a tap in by Fusion’s Lucas Peruzo in the 14th minute which broke the stalemate.
Action would ebb and flow with Joy having a good chance punched clear by Fusion keeper Will Devine and a couple of other chances which they failed to finish. The visitors would be caught on the counter attack in the 26th minute as Brandon Garcia poked the ball over the line after an initial shot was stopped by the Joy keeper, Drew Moseman.
Joy continued to have decent possession in midfield but could not threaten the Fusion goal. The half ended with Fusion defense and keeper in no hurry, sideways and backward passes and Joy’s high press making no impact.
The second half began with the Fusion head coach demonstrably upset about something, resulting in him getting a yellow card. In a scrappy start to the second half, it was Joy who would have a corner cleared but Fusion again who found the finishing touch.
A hard tackle at the top of the Joy penalty area was whistled as a foul and Toshiki Makimoto hammered the ball off the face of the left post and into the inside of the right side netting for a goal in the 54th minute.
After another Fusion chance only two minutes later was saved by Moseman, Alberto Romano Sanchez made it 4-0 on the hour mark, mopping up from the left after a shot was taken from the right and parried away.
Seven more minutes had elapsed when Fusion had had two chances of their own snuffed out, only for Devine to pull out a lightning double save to keep the clean sheet intact at the other end.
Much as in the previous game at Jim Gotta Stadium, there was late goalmouth action, as Joy saw a shot ping audibly off the crossbar before dropping on the foot of a defender for a scrambled clearance, which became a two on one Fusion counter, although the home team could not capitalize.
Coming Up:
Saturday June 8th:
Dakota Fusion FC v Sioux Falls Thunder FC
Photo Gallery: Minnesota Aurora FC vs RKC Third Coast
Month: June 2024
Minnesota Aurora held their home opener against RKC Third Coast in front of 5,092 fans. The home side came out victorious as they scored seven and kept a clean sheet. Mariah Nguyen had an outstanding night and provided a hat-trick while also setting up two other goals. Have a look back at all the action with our photo gallery.
