NPSL Round Up: Week 5
Wednesday
Minnesota Blizzard 1-0 Joy Athletic Club
Shannonsider Cian Mcgoey ran all night, frequently ending offside but also popping up on the hour mark as an outlet pass for Carter Hermanson, a former Mpls City Futures product out of St Paul, MN. Mcgoey calmly dispatched the chance and Blizzard collectively defended from midfield back as the division's hottest striker, Phil Caputo with 9, put them under severe pressure. There were at least 3 calls for a penalty kick for Joy turned away, although Mcgoey also could have earned one at the other end.
Saturday
Joy Athletic Club 1-2 Siouxland United
Siouxland United took the lead after half an hour, João Rocha with a clean half volley strike in at the near post after he chested down a recycled ball from a 35 yard free kick whipped in from the left wing. In stoppage time at the end of the first half, the Outlaws high press produced a second, blasted into the far side netting by Daniel Contreras Portorreal. The Goats were only able to spoil the clean sheet with a soft penalty kick award, the ball hammered at a Siouxland defender from close range for a handball. Nonetheless, Phil Caputo stepped up and scored his tenth goal of the campaign.
Iowa Demon Hawks 0-3 Sioux Falls Thunder FC
In the 13th minute, a tough sequence saw the visitors break the deadlock. Max Matthies chipped the ball past the advancing Demon Hawks keeper Luan Teles, who clattered into him - leaving the Thunder player on the ground but the ball in the net. The goal was awarded, a penalty kick (or caution) was not. The hosts were, however, reduced to ten men in the 63rd minute when Matheus Barbosa da Silva received his second yellow card.
A mis-hit clearance in the 69th minute left Aran Hernández Vivar to slide the ball home for Thunder's second. Luke Waeschle added the icing to the visitor's cake in the last ten minutes, softly cushioning a header back across the keeper from a right wing cross.
Minnesota Blizzard FC 1-2 Duluth FC
The BlueGreens scored all three of the game's goals, opening the scoring from the wrong end in the 13th minute as a corner bounced fortuitously off a defender. It took them 15 more minutes to level the match, Liam Pritchard picked up the ball in midfield, beat three defenders and wrong footed the Blizzard keeper by reversing to put the ball in at the near post. The Tees-sider scored his second, and the game's winning goal, in the early stages of the second half with another near post effort, this time playing off the shoulder of the left back and blasting it into the roof of the net.
Coming Up:
Tuesday
Thursday
Siouxland United FC v Sioux Falls Thunder FC
Saturday
Iowa Demon Hawks v Minnesota Blizzard FC
Duluth FC v Sioux Falls Thunder FC (in Superior, WI)
