Photo Gallery: Aurora vs Chicago City Dutch Lions
Day: June 13, 2025
Minnesota Aurora hosted Chicago City Dutch Lions on Thursday night, coming away with 3 more points after a 5-0 shutout. Here are our photos from the pitch.
Aurora de-claw Chicago City Dutch Lions
Minnesota Aurora FC 5-0 Chicago City Dutch Lions FC
Fresh from a win against a difficult Sioux Falls City side, Aurora hosted the newly minted Chicago City Dutch Lions FC, who were sent home with their tails between their legs.
“Summer” was in full flow at TCO Stadium, with the athletic trainer in a tent and supporters kitted out in rain gear. The first chance for the team in teal came after 8 minutes, when CCDL keeper Anna Jenkins saw the ball squirm out of her wet gloves and across the face of goal, but no one was able to capitalize. It would be another twenty minutes before Aurora’s Bayliss Flynn tallied her first save, but the home side would not find the net until the 42nd minute, and that Ava Bjorkman-Tracy finish was ruled offside.
4 minutes of first half stoppage time were scheduled, 4 minutes of stoppage time were needed for a go ahead goal.
FLYNN ➡️ HIRAI ➡️ WIMES@mnaurorafc.bsky.social 1-0
— Equal Time Soccer (@equaltimesoccer.bsky.social) 2025-06-13T00:58:19.363Z
The second half began with Natalie Tavana, Elizabeth Overberg, Ava Westlund and Austin Miller all entering for the hosts. 7 minutes later, Miller set up Tavana to make it 2-0.
Cat Rapp and Evelyn Calhoon joined the party for Aurora in the 63rd minute but it was Tavana's second in the 74th minute which triggered the most changes. Alyssa Gluting took over in net for CCDL.
Speaking to us after the match, Tavana was happy to share the credit:
I feel honestly amazing. I always love scoring goals, but it doesn't just come from me, it comes from the entire team and our buildup play and Austin being able to find me both for the goals in the right spot. It was an amazing night and I couldn't have done it without my teammates.
The fourth goal came in the 83rd minute, as Ava Westlund finished a high press down the center of the field to tap in a cross. Last but not least, the 90th minute saw Summer Diamond turn 3 defenders and float a shot over Gluting's glove. The Dutch Lions still have a way to go, but the merged side is still an improvement on its predecessors. Aurora just keep dancing on.
Tavana told us the Dutch Lions' defensive organization presented the biggest challenge.
They're hungry on the ball. So, I think we have to show a lot of grit throughout the game and wear them down, and the goals started to come right at the end of the first half and kept rolling in the second half. So I'm really proud of how we responded and adapted and stayed resilient throughout the entire match against a hard team.
She saw plays to work on, and games to be approached "one game at a time", as the oft-repeated phrase goes. That means the outlook is laser focused on Rochester FC.
Speaking to us after the victory, Aurora head coach Jen Larrick felt good:
I saw plenty of progress from our previous games so that's what I'm most excited about. We have so many people coming from around the country that we have been trying to get our game model and now the understanding and execution of the game model is at a spot that I'm really happy with.
There is a two game set against Sioux Falls City FC, Coach Larrick sees them as a "great side":
I'm really looking forward to some great football matches against them. They scout us, we scout them and we'll see how it goes.
In the end, the coach and the club were "relieved" that neither the wildfire smoke nor the thundery weather caused a postponement. They might have been the only elements that can stop Aurora right now.
