NPSL Midwest Preview
Welcome back to NPSL coverage on Northern Lights Football.
This year, we will be covering the whole Midwest Region, except for the Heartland Conference — because their closest club would be Kansas City Sol and their furthest away is Tulsa Athletic. I may live in Summit League country, but I’m not prepared to stretch that far. Strangely, NPSL has Kansas City Sol in the Heartland and Sunflower State in the Gateway. Anyway, on to those clubs we do cover.
The Gateway Conference features two clubs from Greater St. Louis, Des Moines United and Iowa Raptors in the Hawkeye State, Sunshine State FC on the Kansas City Kansas/Missouri border and Milwaukee Torrent in Wisconsin.
Club Atletico St Louis is fielding a young side in the conference. Regarding the roster, they have Erik Pereira, who seems to be a professional indoor player in town. I have seen players from NCAA D1, D2 and D3 schools in St. Louis. They are operating teams in NPSL, Midwest Premier League and UPSL and have suggested that the there will be movement between the three before the lists are finalized in June. They have a 60 man pool and only 8 players listed with the league as of today.
Across the river, but still in the St. Louis metropolitan area, Ehtar Belleville FC will bring NPSL football to a city which has previously hosted the storied WPSL program Fire & Ice SC. There is little public information on the makeup of their squad at this time. Of the 11 men listed with the league, Cody Blentlinger used to play pro indoor soccer for St. Louis Rush, Wyatt Fowler is a current pro arena player for St. Louis Ambush, Adam Knight is a coach at D2 level, Connor Woulahan is a coach at D3 level. There are also former players from NCAA D2, D3 and NJCAA level. The two St. Louis clubs are separated by only 33 miles, but seemingly by a chasm of organisational focus.
Des Moines United FC play at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, familiar to anyone who watches the extremely accomplished Des Moines Menace over in USL League Two. They are an expansion club, born out of the professional indoor club DemonHawks, like their conference mates, the Raptors. DMU list Menace GM (and current DemonHawks player) Charlie Bales on their roster — as well as current NCAA D1 players Evan Carlson, Austin Holtebeck, Erich Legut, Lesego Maloma, Kevin Qi, NJCAA coach Raphael Nascimento, and a present D3 player. They also include former USL Championship player Mawolo “Gabe” Gissie and former players from NCAA D1, D2, NAIA, NJCAA levels.
Further north in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Raptors are an established side but there is zero published data on their roster this season. Like CASL, they are also operating (outdoor) teams in UPSL and Midwest Premier League.
Milwaukee Torrent are another club with a professional outlook and a well-established presence at Hart Park in Wauwatosa. They also presently have no roster published. They are somewhat on an island, owners of the furthest road trip in the conference — 560 miles to KC.
Sunflower State FC play at Rockhurst University, in Kansas City, Missouri, about 5 miles from the border of the Sunflower State (Kansas). Their roster includes current D1 players Ryder Barrett, Kevin Hubbell, Caden McLagan, Grant Peters and current D2 players Connor Brummett, Miguel Cobos, Bryce Dickerson, Garrison Hill and Tim Smith. There’s also current NAIA players.
This conference has the potential for healthy derbies, CASL vs Ehtar and DMU v Raptors although we are denied a KC derby by the strange decision of NPSL to place two KC teams in separate conferences. I guess that’ll have to wait for the playoffs.
I’m gonna say that Des Moines United will be the team to beat in the Gateway.
The Great Lakes Conference has been expanded. It features teams from the Cleveland, Akron, Detroit, Columbus, Grand Rapids (MI) and Pittsburgh metropolitan areas as well as Erie, Pennsylvania.
Akron City FC play at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, whose most famous alumnus is the NBA’s all time leading scorer, LeBron James. Their roster includes a 2022 College Cup winner in Colin Biros and 14 other D1 players (Nathan Childress, Gyuwon Chong, Dyson Clapier, Samuel George, Will Jackson, Ryan Kolonick,
Adam Lubell, Brent Nanchoff, Josef Paulus, Roarke Schmeider, Levi Stephens, Sam Tojaga, Cameron Victor, Jaden Wright). They also have a D2 player (Luan Tufani) as well as some D3 and high school kids from the local area.
Carpathia FC are based in the Detroit metropolitan area, splitting between Avondale, MI and Pontiac. They include 10 players from D1 (Zain Akeel, John deLeon, Kieran Hayes, Hunter Johnson, Finn Jurak, Luke Morell, Spencer Nolff, Dawsun Schrum, Michael Teller, Dylan Wismont) D2 (Adrian Rakipi) and D3, as well as NJCAA and NAIA players and NAIA coaches. They also list former D1 players.
Cleveland SC play at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. They are a seasoned lineup, with some D1 (Thomas Beck, Parker Csiszar, Matthew Skye Harter, Corban McAvinew, Julian Pellegrini, Jannis Schmidt) D2 (Ben Bolinger, Conner Hollett, Angel Murillo) D3 players and coaches and an indoor professional (Haralambos Tsirambidis) . They also return the veteran Vinny Bell and other former college players.
Erie Commodores FC play at Gannon University. Their lineup includes present players from D1 (Tyler Card, Adam Hunt, Blaise Liess, ) D2 (Reise Corpuz, Joseph Gasper, Connor Hartwell, Frank Lovett, Charlie Petersen, Marcus Rathburn, Philipp Strube, Luis Jonathan Trapp, Ezequiel Villarreal, Kevan Wambugu, Simon Zahalka) and D3 as well as former college players.
FC Columbus play at the Wellington School. Their roster information is incomplete and possibly out of date.
Michigan Rangers FC play at Davenport University and will split games between Grand Rapids and Caledonia, MI. They have 8 D1 (Grant Balcer, Giuseppe Barone,Elliott Bentley, Lito Esquivel, Miltiadis Hadjipanayiotou, Michael Howell, George Pitsillides, Max Wilhelm) and 5 D2 (Anthonius Berkeley, Adam Hanson, Kaffie Kurz, Chris Mendez-Sanchez, Daire O Riordan) players. They also include NAIA players, a D2 coach and former D2 players and high school players. Finally is the familiar name of Vitalis Takawira Jr, who was last seen playing for Muskegon Risers in the last post-season.
They are the most isolated club in this conference, with a longest road trip of 415 miles to Steel City.
Steel City FC are the NPSL side founded by Pittsburgh Arsenal and Hotspurs (which is ironic in an English context, but anyway…) They play at Pittsburgh Harlequin Rugby Club’s Founders Field in Cheswick, PA. Their roster is a strong one, headlined by twenty D1 players (William Afawubo, Bryan Akongo, Evan Anderson, Rami Bensasi, Giuseppe Croce, Anthony DiFalco, Jack Emanuel, Ethan Hackenberg, Nolan Hutter, Keaton Jennings, Justin Kopay, Ryan Kopay, Ryan Landry, Charlie Lawrence, Eben McIntyre, Ryan Mertz, Tate Mohney, Gabe Norris, Zander Plizga and Michael Sullivan) and backed up by four D2 players (Bryce Ghandi, Daniel Rodgers, Mikel Ubeda, Garret Watson) as well as a former pro (Nicky Kolarac) and a former D2 player.
This division has some of the most obvious rivalries, with a true derby ( Akron v Cleveland, only 40 miles apart) , and two intra-state rivalries (Carpathia v Rangers, Steel City v Erie)
Prediction: Akron City and Steel City fight for their conference title.
North Conference
Dakota Fusion FC have never played in North Dakota. However, their home stadium in Moorhead, MN is 2.5 miles from the Red River and whence into ND. They are up on an island, with the closest teams being Sioux Falls Thunder (244 miles South) and Duluth (238 miles East), and much like the Torrent are on an island in the Great Lakes conference, Fusion’s position in the Red River Valley makes for some daunting travel — the most of which will be 320 miles to Med City in Rochester. The roster is headlined by D1 athletes Wasi Ewnetu and Rashaad Ogun with a D2-heavy mix, (Jeremie Briquet, Ben Colborn, Dylan Ellingson, Máté Lengyel, Yuto Nakamae, Benjamin Nicholson, Xavier O’Garro, Cai Pritchard, Mohammad Sanyang and Kenshiro Yamaguchi) and JuCo players sprinkled in and 2021–22 Gatorade High School Player of the Year in North Dakota, Gannon Brooks.
Duluth FC play at Public Schools Stadium. Their roster includes a Mr Soccer finalist, Parker Chastey, Four D1 athletes (Tom Akinola, Conor Behan, Paul Bobai, Myles Edmondson) leading the way on a roster with ten D2 members (Kostyantyn Domaratskyy, Rory Doyle, Duban Santiago Erazo Medina, Colin O Mahony, James Price, Liam Pritchard, Stefan Roeb, Luis Felipe Santos, Andres Solares, Jake Starling) and an NAIA coach.
Joy Athletic play at St Louis Park High School’s Oriole Stadium. They are the tip of the Joy of the People youth club setup and their roster is largely made up of former Joy youth players. That said, they have moved on to D1 (Aiden Cavenaugh, Bennett Kouame) D2 (Philip Caputo, Noah Eklund, Mika Folstad, Noah Kantorowicz and Zinedine Kroeten) and D3.
It has been announced in a fun way. As featured in that graphic, the club/program is best known for Emmanuel Iwe, who is in the farm system of Minnesota United.
Aris are slated to play at Logan High School but they have a history of changing venues, so stay tuned. Aris are another club with a strong youth focus, but have struggled to translate this into effective play on the pitch. Of the 8 players announced, Anfernee Stokes stands out as a D1 player.
Nicknamed for the Mayo Clinic’s strong presence in the city, Med City FC is based at Rochester Regional Stadium in Rochester, Minnesota. Their roster is powered by D1 (Jack Hilton-Jones,
Abdul-Quddoos Hypolite, Tristan Jumeau, Matias Milla) and D2 players (Noah Gjervik, Lucas Hart, Julian Heppner, Julio Rojo, Ricardo Schroeder and William vanHoornbeek). Chileshe Chitulangoma is at Clemson but not as a varsity player.
Minnesota TwinStars will split games between Minnetonka High School and Spring Lake Park High School, both in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. They are returning to action following a hiatus, and can trace their history overall all the way back to 1997. Their roster is led by D1 athletes Sadra Golzarian, Andrew Holmes, Sidike Jabateh and
Alex Lynch, and D2 players Yuken Harmon, Jonathan Harris, Matthew Janke and Cullen McSweeney.
Sioux Falls Thunder play at University of Sioux Falls’s Bob Young Field.
Their roster remains a mystery as they still have their 2022 lineup posted with the league and on their club site. Of the players who have been announced on Twitter, a couple of guys from D2 Montana State University, Billings jump out (Callum Bryan and Guillermo Gonzalez).
The potential for rivalries sits with the remaining Twin Cities derby between St Louis Park’s Joy Athletic and the more mobile TwinStars, and the I-29 derby between Fargo’s Dakota Fusion and Sioux Falls Thunder.
Prediction: The North will be a scrap.
So, all in all, looks like another fun season with the usual mixture of college athletes, with a sprinkle of high school aged kids and men who have graduated but want to keep playing.
Playoff note:
If you are new to this league, the top two teams in the North, Great Lakes and Gateway (as well as the Heartland) will advance into the playoffs based on points-per-game. More on who will play whom nearer that time.
This week’s fixtures
Saturday 13th:
Steel City FC v Akron City FC
Carpathia FC v Cleveland SC
Dakota Fusion FC v Med City FC
Joy Athletic Club v LC Aris FC
Minnesota TwinStars FC v Duluth FC
Wednesday 17th:
Des Moines United FC v Sunflower State FC
Friday 19th:
Michigan Rangers v Akron City FC
Steel City FC v FC Columbus
USL League Two : Conference Finals and National Semifinals
Friday Conference Final:
Des Moines Menace v Kalamazoo FC - 7:30pm - Valley Stadium, West Des Moines, IA - CISN
The top teams from the Heartland and Great Lakes face off for the Central Conference title and a spot in the National Semi-Finals. Menace finished the season 11-1 before finishing off Flint City Bucks 1-0. Kalamazoo, on the other hand, finished the season with a record of 9 wins, 1 loss and 4 ties and rallied to put away Mississippi Brilla behind the excellence of Parker Smith in a penalty shootout. All in all, Kzoo will face a tough challenge holding down the Menace attack.
Sunday National Semi-Finals:
Menace/Kzoo vs Park City Red Wolves/Portland Timbers 2 - 7:30pm - Valley Stadium, West Des Moines, IA - CISN
The winners of the Central face the winners of the West. Park City finished top of the Mountain Division with a record of 5 wins, 3 losses and a tie. Timbers 2 had a record of 9 wins, 1 loss and a tie at the top of the Northwest Division.
Western Mass Pioneers/West Chester United SC vs North Carolina Fusion U23/South Georgia Tormenta 2 - 7pm - Erk Russell Park, Statesboro, GA - No Announced Stream
The winners of the East and the South collide. Pioneers racked up 10 wins, 2 losses and 2 ties in the Northeast Division. WCU finished with a record of 11 wins, 1 loss and 2 ties in the Mid Atlantic Division. Fusion finished with 11 wins, 2 losses and a tie in the South Atlantic Division. Tormenta 2 finished second in the Deep South Division, with a record of 10 wins, 3 losses and 1 tie.
All times Central Time.
UWS National Championship
Friday Semi-finals:
Midwest United v CT Fusion - 6pm - Round Rock Multipurpose Complex, Round Rock, Texas - Eleven Sports
The Midwest Regional champion Midwest United out of Grand Rapids, MI have rolled through the season so far, accumulating a record of 9 wins and 1 draw and they dispatched Corktown AFC on penalties to arrive at this stage against the surprising Fusion side. The Eastern Conference playoff champions entered the post season as the #3 seed in the East but with a goalscoring streak similar to MUFC. Midwest United's defense could prove key in this match.
SA Athenians v SC Blue Heat - 8:30 pm - Round Rock Multipurpose Complex, Round Rock, Texas - Eleven Sports
The Southwest Conference #2 seed San Antonio Athenians finished the regular season with 9 wins and a loss but they ended the perfect season of Lone Star Republic in the playoffs to secure the SWC title. They face Santa Clarita Blue Heat, the Western Conference's #1 seed with a record of 4 wins and 2 draws. Both teams have strong defenses.
Sunday:
UWS National Final - 11 am CT - Round Rock Multipurpose Complex, Round Rock, Texas - Eleven Sports
2021 US Open Cup canceled, full 2022 USOC planned
The US Soccer Federation has announced that the 2021 US Open Cup will not take place in any form. There had been many suggestions as to a limited tournament for this year but instead, they have pumped the brakes on this year's Cup and will go from 0-100 next year - with as many as a century of participants expected.
Some of the new participants will be guaranteed professional entrants from NISA and USL expansion, whereas amateur clubs face the usual two options - playoff positioning from NPSL and USL League 2, or qualifiers which will start as soon as September and go through November. From this pool of eventual winners, the eventual round 1 participants will be chosen on January 19th - with the matches to be played on March 22nd and 23rd.
Stay tuned to our site for coverage as the amateur clubs progress through the rounds.
NPSL Midwest: Week 11 Recap
Friday:
Med City FC 1 vs Minneapolis City SC 2 : Rochester Regional Stadium, Rochester, MN - Eleven Sports
Med City's season ended with a whimper as they fell 2-1 to the Crows, and fell out of the playoff positions. Minneapolis opened the scoring in the 37th minute through Max Stiegwardt and doubled their margin in the 78th minute, with a goal by Aidan O'Driscoll. The Mayhem spoiled the clean sheet with an 86th minute tally from Joshua Balsiger. With their win, Minneapolis City secured the top seed for the playoffs and a bye into the regional semifinals - which they are also hoping to host.
Duluth FC 5 vs Sioux Falls Thunder 2 : Public Schools Stadium, Duluth, MN - Eleven Sports
The BlueGreens rolled over the Thunder and continued their momentum into the playoffs, although they will have to navigate a regional quarterfinal against Carpathia on Tuesday. As for the match itself in Duluth, Dylan Sumner scored twice and Golden Boot winner Sidney Warden, Martin Grzywa and James Westfield all also scored. The South Dakotans bright spark Stephenson Storm got their two goals.
Saturday:
FC Indiana 1 vs FC Milwaukee Torrent 2 : FC Indiana Stadium, Lafayette, IN - Facebook
Torrent regained the second seed for the Midwest region and its bye into the regional semi-finals in a back and forth match against the Lions. Tony Doellefeld opened the scoring for the Torrent before Indiana equalized through Ricardo John. Flavio Cruz then provided the winner for the visitors.
La Crosse Aris 0 vs Dakota Fusion FC 4 : Logan High School, La Crosse, WI - Facebook
Aris made their season debut in La Crosse in their final match of the season. Fusion got doubles from Samuel Coxon and Diego Valle.
Panathinaikos Chicago 0 vs Carpathia FC 5 : Nike Sports Complex, Naperville, IL - No Announced Stream
Carpathia warmed up for the playoffs with a routine 5-0 win over PAO. Doubles from Jeff Adkins and Ryan Williams were completed by a solo shot from Joseph Tinnion.
NPSL Midwest Week 11: Preview
Friday:
Med City FC vs Minneapolis City SC: 6:45pm - Rochester Regional Stadium, Rochester, MN - Eleven Sports
Med City look to limit the damage against the red hot Crows, and in the process keep their playoff run going. A Minneapolis City win would restore some of the momentum lost against Joy last time out and would knock the Mayhem out of the playoffs regardless of the result in Duluth.
Duluth FC vs Sioux Falls Thunder: 7pm - Public Schools Stadium, Duluth, MN - Eleven Sports
With the tiebreakers in their favor, and a kickoff scheduled for 15 minutes later, Duluth FC enter this match against an inconsistent Thunder side looking set for the playoffs. A win by the BlueGreens or matching Med City's result in Rochester would confirm that, and the 5th seed in the playoffs.
Saturday:
FC Indiana vs FC Milwaukee Torrent: 4pm - FC Indiana Stadium, Lafayette, IN - Facebook
Torrent have slid down to the number 3 seed but should have no trouble against the winless Lions, with a -20 goal difference.
La Crosse Aris vs Dakota Fusion FC: 6pm - Logan High School, La Crosse, WI - Facebook
Fusion are nowhere pleasant in the table but Aris are predictably horrendous so the visitors will come into La Crosse hoping for a win.
Panathinaikos Chicago vs Carpathia FC: 8pm - Nike Sports Complex, Napierville, IL - No Announced Stream
The 3-6-0 PAO squad have nothing to play for but pride against playoff bound Carpathia.
*All Times CT
WPSL Central Region Week 10: Preview
Monday:
Chicago City SC vs Milwaukee Bavarians SC - 8pm - Chicago Hope Lions Complex, Chicago, IL - No Announced Stream
The 4-3-1 Bavarians face a City squad with only one win, with the Milwaukee squad looking for some momentum to push up the table after their win against the Torrent.
Salvo SC vs MapleBrook Fury - 7pm - Reynolds Field, Roseville, MN - No Announced Stream
MapleBrook's stop-start season faces Salvo as the visitors look to solidify second place, following a blowout win on the road last time out.
Wednesday:
Milwaukee Bavarian SC vs Green Bay Glory - 6pm - Bavarian Soccer Club, Glendale, WI - No Announced Stream
The Bavarians host the winless Glory, in what should be a routine win for the hosts.
FC Milwaukee Torrent vs Chicago Dutch Lions - 7pm - Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI - Eleven Sports
The 4-2-2 Torrent face a 3-3-2 CDL squad. It could be a closely contested game.
Chicago City SC vs Chicago Red Stars Reserves - 8pm - DuPaul College Preparatory, Chicago, IL - No Announced Stream
A Chicago derby as the Red Stars Reserves roll into town and face the struggling City team, with the professionals expected to extend their lead at the top of the Lake Michigan Conference.
Friday:
Salvo SC vs Fire SC 98 - 7pm - Reynolds Field, Roseville, MN - No Announced Stream
In a Twin Cities derby, the one win Fire squad face Salvo - who will have played on Monday.
Saturday:
Milwaukee Bavarian SC vs Chicago Dutch Lions - 4pm - Bavarian Soccer Club, Glendale, WI - No Announced Stream
Bavarians face the Dutch Lions in another close match up.
Cincinnati Sirens vs Fire & Ice SC - 7pm - Lakota West High School, West Chester Township, OH - No Announced Stream
6-1-4 Fire & Ice faces 6-0-2 a Sirens squad, with the hosts at roughly double their visitors' goal difference.
Lady Victory FC vs FC Pride - 7pm - Guerin Catholic High School, Noblesville, IN - Eleven Sports
The top 2 teams in the Midwestern Conference face each other in a matchup of metro Indianapolis clubs. Lady Victory is on a run of five straight wins, whereas FC Pride have two losses in the last five games.
Sunday:
FC Milwaukee Torrent vs Chicago Red Stars Reserves - 3pm - Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI - Eleven Sports
Chicago Red Stars Reserves are rolling into Wauwatosa but will face a tougher challenge with Torrent than Chicago City.
Green Bay Glory vs Chicago City SC - 3pm - Capitol Credit Union Park, Ashwaubenon, WI - Eleven Sports
This match sees two struggling squads who will hope to have picked up points earlier in the week.
FC Pride vs Cincinnati Sirens - 3pm - Pride Performance Center, Indianapolis, IN - No Announced Stream
Pride play host to the Sirens in a matchup of teams with close records, results permitting earlier in the week.
Lady Victory FC vs Dayton Dutch Lions FC - 5pm - Guerin Catholic High School, Noblesville, IN - Eleven Sports
Dayton Dutch Lions travel into Indiana with a record of 3-3-4 and they face the top team in their division in Lady Victory.
USL League Two: Week 10 Preview
Wednesday:
Toledo Villa FC vs Flint City Bucks - 5:30pm - University of Toledo, Toledo, OH - Eleven Sports
Against the 3-6-4 Villa, Flint City will be looking for an easy match to keep up their playoff positioning in the Great Lakes division.
Kings Hammer vs Fort Wayne FC - 6pm - Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH - No Announced Stream
Kings Hammer will need a win to keep up their playoff spot, but should have an easy ride against a Fort Wayne side with only 1 win all season.
South Bend Lions vs Dayton Dutch Lions - 6pm - TCU School Field, South Bend, IN - No Announced Stream
This matchup of declawed lions sees a South Bend club at 4-5-3 face a basement dwelling Dayton side with a record of 0-10-1.
Grand Rapids FC vs Oakland County FC - 6pm - Midwest United FC Soccer Complex, Grand Rapids, MI - No Announced Stream
Grand Rapids will be looking for a win against a team around them in the table to bolster their playoff quest.
Des Moines Menace vs Chicago FC United - 6pm - Valley Stadium, West Des Moines, IA - CISN
The Class of the Heartland meet again, with the Menace looking to maintain their top spot against a CFCU team who could vault above them with a win.
Friday:
Kings Hammer vs Dayton Dutch Lions - 9am - Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH - No Announced Stream
Kings Hammer should gain an easy win to bolster their playoff positioning against a Dayton side struggling for points.
Dayton Dutch Lions vs Grand Rapids FC - 6pm - DOC Stadium, West Carrolton, OH - No Announced Stream
GRFC looking to push for a playoff spot against a struggling Dayton Dutch Lions squad.
Saturday:
Chicago FC United vs FC Wichita - 2pm - Bridgeview Sports Dome, Bridgeview, IL - No Announced Stream
Chicago looking to push for the top playoff seed against a pointless Wichita squad.
Flint City Bucks vs Oakland County FC - 6:30pm - Kettering's Atwood Stadium, Flint, MI - Eleven Sports
Flint City will be hoping they can solidify their playoff spot against an OCFC team just out of contention.
Green Bay Voyageurs vs Kaw Valley FC - 7pm - Capital Park, Ashwaubenon, WI - Eleven Sports
4-7-0 Kaw Valley travel to 1-7-2 Green Bay with late season pride and fitness on the line.
Des Moines Menace vs St Louis Scott Gallagher - 7pm - Valley Stadium, East Des Moines, IA - CISN
The Menace will look to push on against a St Louis squad who pushed hard but will just miss out on the playoffs this season.
Sunday:
Kings Hammer vs South Bend Lions - 3pm - Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH - No Stream Announced
Kings Hammer will be looking to solidify playoff positioning against a lower third South Bend Lions squad.
Fort Wayne FC vs Kalamazoo FC - 5pm - Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, IN - No Announced Stream
Great Lakes leading Kzoo will be looking to build their goal difference and solidify top spot.
NPSL Midwest Week 10: Preview
Wednesday:
FC Columbus vs FC Indiana - 6pm - Roberts Field at The Wellington School, Columbus, OH - Eleven Sports
FCC face a winless Indiana squad, with only pride on the line.
FC Milwaukee Torrent vs Panathinaikos Chicago - 7pm - Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI - Eleven Sports
After their perfect season came to an end vs Carpathia, Torrent looking to get back on the beam and fight for the playoff bye. PAO will be looking to improve their sub zero goal differential.
Duluth FC vs La Crosse Aris FC - 7pm - Public Schools Stadium, Duluth, MN - Eleven Sports
Duluth's battle for the second playoff spot continues with the visit of the -20 goal differential of Aris and one of the hottest strikers in the entire league in Sidney Warden.
Joy Athletic Club vs Med City FC - 7pm - Oriole Stadium, St Louis Park, MN - CCX Sports
The other half of the battle for the North's second spot sees the visitors from Rochester try to hold off a hot and cold Joy Athletic team who nonetheless have a hot striker in Immanuel Iwe and a well drilled squad.
Sioux Falls Thunder FC vs Dakota Fusion FC - 7pm - McEneaney Field, Sioux Falls, SD - Eleven Sports
2-5-2 Thunder plays 2-7 Fusion in a match when both teams could enter wishing there was overtime, since a tie does neither much good.
Saturday:
FC Columbus vs Carpathia FC - 6pm - Roberts Field at The Wellington School, Columbus, OH - No Announced Stream
Carpathia have secured their spot in the playoffs, but will have to watch out for Chukwuemeka Eneli.
Minneapolis City SC vs Joy Athletic Club - 6pm - Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis, MN - YouTube
The second Twin Cities Derby sees Joy visit Minneapolis. The first match was one of City's few competitive matches, and the visitors will hope for a repeat but with a more generous result. The Crows, on the other hand, have perfection on the line.
Dakota Fusion FC vs Duluth FC - 7pm - Jim Gotta Stadium, Moorhead, MN - Magnitude Sports Network
Duluth's game in hand sees the BlueGreens visit Moorhead against the struggling Fusion, in what should be a chance for the visitors to build up their goal differential.
Sioux Falls Thunder vs La Crosse Aris FC - 7pm - McEneaney Field, Sioux Falls, SD - No Announced Stream
Two struggling sides face each other in Sioux Falls, but Thunder should still have the fire power to finish off Aris.
NPSL Midwest Week 9: Preview
Wednesday:
Carpathia FC vs FC Columbus: 6 PM - Avondale High School, Auburn Hills, MI - Eleven Sports
Two playoff spots are on the line in each division in the Midwest Region. With four games left to play the points difference makes this a do or die for FC Columbus. If they win they keep their hopes of making the playoffs alive. If the hosts Carpathia FC win, the playoff representatives from the Great Lakes are set with every team still having 3-4 matches to play.
Duluth FC vs Minneapolis City SC: 7 PM - Public Schools Stadium, Duluth, MN - Eleven Sports
Host Duluth FC needs to win to keep the Crows from winning their third straight North Conference title. However Minneapolis City SC are heavy favourites entering the match tonight against Duluth.
La Crosse Aris vs Med City FC: 7 PM - Arcadia High School Stadium, Arcadia, WI - No Announced Stream
A win for Med City and the Mayhem could take over the second spot from Duluth FC provided City wins on Wednesday night. Once again the match will not be played at Logan High School in La Crosse but rather Arcadia High School Stadium an hour away from La Crosse.
Sioux Falls Thunder vs Joy Athletic Club: 7 PM - McEneaney Field, Sioux Falls, SD - Eleven Sports
After a great run of matches for Sioux Falls the Thunder are now sitting mid table and along side them is their opponents Joy Athletic. The Goats will look to try and finish out their season on a high note after a fairly poor run of form in their last three matches.
Saturday:
FC Indiana vs FC Columbus: 3 PM - Legacy Sports Club Stadium, Lafayette, IN - Facebook
An impromptu win on Wednesday over Carpathia FC has kept the playoff hopes alive for FC Columbus. FCC trails Carpathia by just four points with three matches to play. With a win Columbus could pull as close as one point away from Carpathia. They also come into the match with the advantage, already having defeated FC Indiana 4-0 back in May. The Lions however are 0-1-5 with one point and will be looking for an upset win to get themselves their first three points of 2021.
Carpathia FC vs FC Milwaukee Torrent: 5 PM - Adams High School, Rochester Hills, MI - Eleven Sports
An upset loss to FC Columbus held off Carpathia FC's playoff hopes until this weekend and has stunted their chances at a Great Lakes Division title. Now Carpathia will play host to the unbeaten Torrent tonight, a win is desperately needed for the hosts tonight. A Milwaukee win would not only hand the Torrent the Great Lakes title but also will make the playoff race even tighter entering the final two matches.
*Note – All Times CDT
NPSL Midwest Week 8: Recap
Friday:
Med City FC 4 vs Dakota Fusion FC 1 - 6:45pm - Rochester Regional Stadium, Rochester, MN - Eleven Sports
Med City did what they need to do in the playoff hunt, jumping up to second with a masterful display of set piece play. The scoring was opened from a corner, finished by Jack Hilton-Jones. Ayrton Redmore finished off a free kick in the 32nd minute for 2-0. The third goal came from a corner, finished off by Till Trippner. Two minutes later, Fusion spoiled the clean sheet with a goal from Aaron Pike but Redmore made it 4-1 off a corner in the 80th minute to complete the home team's scoring.
Saturday:
Minneapolis City SC 3 vs LC Aris SC 0 - 6pm - Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis, MN - YouTube
The Crows cruised to a three goal win against a spirited, and lightly refereed, Aris. Nick Hutton opened the scoring in the 20th minute, across the keeper, low to the right. Arthur Parens had a tap in in the 31st minute and Eli Goldman scored in the 49th minute to complete the stroll. The Crows remain perfect on the season so far.
Joy Athletic Club 1 vs Duluth FC 5 - 7pm - Oriole Stadium, St Louis Park, MN - CCX Media
Sidney Warden picked up two, a chip on the run over the approaching keeper and a penalty, and Aiden Hill scored. Gabriel Campora scores another substitute goal and Michael Devlin also came off the bench to tally, as Duluth FC ensure that their goal difference advantage over Med City FC remains intact and retake playoff position from the team from Rochester.
In the process, Duluth FC end any hope that Joy AC have of taking that playoff spot. Dennis Mensah scored for Joy, with their only shot of the first half, with virtually the last kick of that half.
FC Columbus 2 vs Panathinaikos Chicago 1 - 7pm - Roberts Field at the Wellington School, Columbus, OH - Eleven Sports
The 1-0 lead came in the 31st minute as PAO whipped in a corner from the right wing, headed onto the left side of the crossbar and the goalkeeper was beaten to the rebound by Salvation Nkiko. Even with the Greens dominating possession, Jordan Dees took the ball in from the left wing and let fly from distance through the keeper for 1-1 in the 79th minute. Three minutes later, Dees completed the comeback for the visitors.
Sunday:
FC Milwaukee Torrent 7 vs FC Indiana 2 - 3pm - Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI - Eleven Sports
A winless FC Indiana was handed a decisive defeat against a Torrent team on the edge of running a perfect regular season. Things started badly for the Lions as they conceded an 8th minute penalty kick to Malik Mennana for a cynical tackle on Torrent's Gutierrez in the box. 2-0 came from Tony Doellefeld as a short pass across the box was lifted back past the goal keeper into the upper left hand corner of the net.
Mennana claimed his second after only 22 minutes, chipping the keeper as he came out to the edge of the box. It was 4-0 through Alex Filian in the 30th minute, with a tap-in, and the same player made it 5-0 less than a minute later with a considerably less easy finish off the rebound after an Indiana player smacked into the post with a block. Indiana's first goal came in the 42nd minute as Andrew Revanales beat his defender for speed.
Ricardo John made it 5-2 on a counterattack. A Shemar De Gannes header in the 80th minute salted away any remaining doubt and the host's final goal came when Ian Cerro chipped the FC Indiana keeper from 50 yards out.
NPSL Midwest Week 8: Preview
Friday:
Med City FC vs Dakota Fusion FC - 6:45pm - Rochester Regional Stadium, Rochester, MN - Eleven Sports
Coming off the back of back to back losses to Duluth FC which dropped them out of playoff position, comes an opportunity to run up the score against a Fusion side which has nothing to play for but pride. That said, the same logic applied before the Fargo side's recent match up against hot firing Joy and that match ended in favor of the Fusion, so don't be completely surprised if they pull another upset.
Saturday:
Minneapolis City SC vs LC Aris SC - 6pm - Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis, MN - YouTube
There's not much to be said about this matchup which hasn't already been said. The Crows, driven by a balanced attack and rock solid defense, face a team with only 2 points all season and an abysmal -17 goal difference.
Joy Athletic Club vs Duluth FC - 7pm - Oriole Stadium, St Louis Park, MN - CCX Media
Duluth FC continue their run of teams around them in playoff positioning, looking down on their hosts by a full five points. However, this match is in part a test of how Duluth's defense handles Immanuel Iwe and how Joy handle Sidney Warden - numbers 8 and 6 in the NPSL-wide goals per game respectively
FC Columbus vs Panathinaikos Chicago - 7pm - Roberts Field at the Wellington School, Columbus, OH - No Announced Stream
Warden and Iwe in the North are lukewarm compared to Chukwuemeka Eneli, who has 5 goals in 2 games for Columbus and leads the league in goals per game. A 2-4 PAO side with a negative goal difference will probably struggle to contain him. Both sides need a run of form to depose the current holders of the two playoff spots in the Great Lakes.
Sunday:
FC Milwaukee Torrent vs FC Indiana - 3pm - Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI - Eleven Sports
The long weekend/week ends with the Great Lakes's perfect season at the feet of the Milwaukee Torrent, at home against a winless Indiana team - which should be easy win for the home team.
WPSL Central Week 7 : Recap
Wednesday:
Fire SC 98 0 vs Rochester United 4 - 7pm - Centennial High School Stadium, Circle Pines, MN - No Announced Stream
FC Milwaukee Torrent 2 vs Milwaukee Bavarian SC 2 - 7pm - Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI - Eleven Sports
Torrent went ahead through a penalty in the 8th minute from Jelena Sever after a handball but conceded almost immediately at the other end as Hailey Block blasted home a shot from the top of the box after pressure from the left. Bavarians then went ahead after a neat finish by McKaela Schmelzer from a right wing cross in the 20th minute but Torrent equalized through Sever's second goal, her own shot from the edge of the box which went in off the post. That was it for the scoring, as Torrent registered their first draw of the season and missed an opportunity to go level on points with the Red Stars Reserves.
Friday:
Dakota Fusion FC 0 vs MapleBrook Fury 4 - 5pm - Jim Gotta Stadium, Moorhead, MN - Magnitude Sports Network
Fury came into town having only played 3 times, but undefeated. Their short form also includes a perfect 1-0-0 on the road and it became 2-0-0 with a comfortable 4-0 win, in which they outshot Fusion 15-2. The game was broken open with two quick-fire goals in the 33rd minute. The first came from a quick breakaway by Claire Odmark . The second was a piece of quick thinking and sublime skill by Karina Gilson, chipping the Fusion keeper from the right side, fully 40 yards out. 3-0 was a solo dribbled effort by Kelsey Kallio off a recycled corner. The final goal was a tap in from Karina Gilson in the 70th minute, after solid buildup led to a shot spilled by the Fusion goalie.
Salvo SC 2 vs Mankato United SC 1 - 7pm - Reynolds Field, Roseville, MN - Eleven Sports
Mankato went ahead in the 22nd minute as Salvo failed to clear their area and it remained 1-0 to the visitors through half-time but the home side struck back in the 52nd minute as Sophia Boman rifled a shot in from 30 yards out, over the despairing dive of the keeper. Boman then completed the rally in the 75th minute, finishing off a marauding run down the right.
Green Bay Glory 0 vs Chicago Red Stars Reserves 4 - 6:30pm - Capital Credit Union Park, Ashwaubenon, WI - Eleven Sports
RSR opened their scoring in the 3rd minute, de Filippo chipping the Glory goalkeeper from the edge of the penalty area. It was 2-0 after a striker dribbled it past the Glory goalkeeper from close range in the 31st minute. 3-0 arrived through a strong header from de Filippo, from a right wing cross in the 62nd minute. Pinball in the Glory area gave the Red Stars Reserves a fourth goal from an own goal in the 86th minute and they extended their lead in the Lake Michigan Conference to 7 points.
Saturday:
FC Pride 4 vs Columbus Eagles FC 0 - 3pm - Pride Performance Center, Indianapolis, IN - No Announced Stream
Milwaukee Bavarian 1 vs Chicago City SC 0 - 4pm - Bavarian Soccer Club, Glendale, WI - No Announced Stream
Another 1-0 win against a Chicago side, this time Hailey Bloch sealed the win against the 1-1-2 Chicago City.
Cincinnati Sirens 5 vs St Louis Lions 0 - 7pm - Lakota West High School, West Chester Township, OH - No Announced Stream
Dayton Dutch Lions FC 1 vs Fire & Ice SC 2 - 7pm - DOC Stadium, West Carrolton, OH - Gem City Sports Network
In a tightly contested game, the goal scoring was opened in the 69th minute as MacKenzie Litzsinger countered down the right wing and calmly rounded the on rushing DDL goalkeeper. The visitors doubled their tally in the 85th minute when Sofia Hernandez uncorked one from outside the area and watched it fly past a diving keeper. Dayton scored in the 86th minute through Lauren Bastian after F&I failed to clear within their own 6 yard area.
Sunday:
Dakota Fusion FC 0 vs Mankato United SC 4 - 5pm - Jim Gotta Stadium, Moorhead, MN - Magnitude Sports Network
A routine Mankato win was made uncomfortable by heat, rain and a lightning delay. Mankato started early, with Jenny Vetter notching yet another goal in her storied career in the first minute. Caitie Brown made it 2-0 off a corner in the 8th minute. Things then settled down, with the third goal coming in the 27th minute through Nadia Lowery. About ten minutes after Lowery's tally, what had been a steady drizzle gave way to a full deluge and a lightning delay. After the rain subsided, United added a fourth through Rachel Luedtke with a close range rocket.
MapleBrook Fury 2 vs Minnesota Thunder 4 - 7pm - Maple Grove High School Stadium, Maple Grove, MN - No Announced Stream
Columbus Eagles FC 4 vs Fire & Ice SC 2 - 2pm - Bernlohr Stadium at Capital University, Bexley, OH - Eleven Sports
Fire and Ice opened the scoring with McKenzie Litzinger on a solo counter attack within the opening 15 mins. Sarah Foley doubled the margin in the 37th minute from close range but Jordan Fike struck back almost immediately and Foley's strike would be the last for the visitors as the Eagles grabbed the lead even before half time, with goals in the 42nd and 45th minutes. The last goal came from the spot as Abby Townsend was felled in the box.
Lady Victory FC 3 vs Cincinnati Sirens FC 0 - 7pm - Guerin Catholic High School, Noblesville, IN - No Announced Stream
Victory vaulted to the top of the Midwestern Conference by knocking off the previously perfect Sirens.
Green Bay Glory 2 vs Chicago Dutch Lions FC 5 - 6pm - Capital Credit Union Park, Ashwaubenon, WI - Eleven Sports
WPSL Central Region Week 7: Preview
Wednesday:
Fire SC 98 vs Rochester United - 7pm - Centennial High School Stadium, Circle Pines, MN - Eleven Sports (probably not live)
Fire SC 98 are fresh from a late loss to the division leading Thunder, and now match up against another strong team in United, although the visitors have yet to win a match on the road this season.
FC Milwaukee Torrent vs Milwaukee Bavarian SC - 7pm - Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI - Eleven Sports
The Milwaukee Derby could also be referred to as the Davi Derby as the German is the owner of the Torrent and the WPSL head coach but also coached the Bavarian men for three years. As for their present situation, a surprise win for MBSC over Red Stars Reserves ironically gives Torrent a chance to draw level with the professional squad on top of the division. Obviously, that Bavarian victory also gives them momentum making the short trip south west.
Friday:
Dakota Fusion FC vs MapleBrook Fury - 5pm - Jim Gotta Stadium, Moorhead, MN - Magnitude Sports Network
If there were playoffs this season (there aren't) then MapleBrook would be making a late run for contention. If there was relegation (there isn't), Fusion would be facing a spell in the next division down. Emily Soukup will presumably have to stand on her head once more for the home side to emerge with any points from this encounter.
Salvo SC vs Mankato United SC - 7pm - Reynolds Field, Roseville, MN - Eleven Sports
Mankato will be seeking to maintain their positive momentum after the demolition of Fusion last time out. Salvo has games in hand on the teams above them in the standings, but have had a mixed start to the season.
Green Bay Glory vs Chicago Red Stars Reserves - 6:30pm - Capital Credit Union Park, Ashwaubenon, WI - Eleven Sports
A Green Bay side with only 1 point from 5 games will struggle to contain the Red Stars Reserves.
Saturday:
FC Pride vs Columbus Eagles FC - 3pm - Pride Performance Center, Indianapolis, IN - No Announced Stream
Pride look to sneak up the table with a matchup against one of the Midwestern Conference's strugglers this season.
Cincinnati Sirens vs St Louis Lions - 7pm - Lakota West High School, West Chester Township, OH - No Announced Stream
Sirens look to continue their perfect start to the season against the pointless St Louis Lions, who have a goal difference of -24.
Dayton Dutch Lions FC vs Fire & Ice SC - 7pm - West Carrolton High School, West Carrolton, OH - Gem City Sports Network
A 2-3-3 DDL squad faces a 3-1-2 Fire and Ice squad, with the visitors looking to build on their St Louis Derby win.
Milwaukee Bavarian vs Chicago City SC - 4pm - Bavarian Soccer Club, Glendale, WI
With their derby result unknown, it is hard to suggest how Bavarian will enter this match up, but both teams have comparable results so far and this match could be close.
Sunday:
Salvo SC vs Fire SC 98 - 3pm - Reynolds Field, Roseville, MN - No Announced Stream
Salvo should win this intercity match-up easily and could gain ground on the teams around them.
Dakota Fusion FC vs Mankato United SC - 5pm - Jim Gotta Stadium, Moorhead, MN - Magnitude Sports Network
Fusion will have revenge on their minds after conceding 9 to the team from the Key City but Kato travel to the Red River Valley wanting to duplicate their performance and put some pressure on Thunder for the division title.
MapleBrook Fury vs Minnesota Thunder - 7pm - Maple Grove High School Stadium, Maple Grove, MN - No Announced Stream
Another Twin Cities rivalry as Thunder come into Maple Grove in blistering form, and will attempt to arrest the upward momentum of the Fury.
Columbus Eagles FC vs Fire & Ice SC - 2pm - Bernlohr Stadium at Capital University, Bexley, OH - Eleven Sports
A struggling Eagles squad play host to an up and down F&I team.
Lady Victory FC vs Cincinnati Sirens FC - 7pm - Guerin Catholic High School, Noblesville, IN - No Announced Stream
Sirens' perfect start to the season faces the test of the only team above them in the standings, 5-1 Lady Victory, who also have a better goal difference than their opponents.
Green Bay Glory vs Chicago Dutch Lions FC - 6pm - Capital Credit Union Park, Ashwaubenon, WI - Eleven Sports
CDL FC face the basement dwelling Green Bay Glory hoping that they can capitalize on their relative form.
USL League Two Week 7: Recap
Wednesday:
Green Bay Voyageurs 1 vs Chicago FC United 1 - 5pm - SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, IL - No Stream Announced
Chicago FC United remain undefeated due to a Gutierrez equalizer in the 71st minute, after the visitors had threatened to take all three points through a Briggs goal in the 49th.
Kings Hammer 0 vs South Bend Lions 0 - 7pm - TCU School Field, South Bend, IN - No Announced Stream
A goalless draw was nonetheless not without controversy as a late goal was disallowed.
Flint City Bucks 0 vs Kalamazoo FC 1 - 7pm - Mayor's Riverfront Park, Kalamazoo, MI - Eleven Sports PPV
De Lacio was the difference in the 88th minute for Kalamazoo, stealing 3 points and building the team's margin at the top of the Great Lakes Division.
FC Wichita 0 vs Des Moines Menace 6 - 7pm - Valley Stadium, West Des Moines, IA - CISN
Des Moines continue their run of perfection with a dismantling of a FC Wichita who go to 0-5 on the season. The first goal came as early as the 2nd minute through Nil Ayats, James Thomas doubled the lead after 13. Matters were made immeasurably more difficult for the winless visitors when they were reduced to 10 men in the 23rd minute, the referee deeming that the defender had denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. The third goal came only two minutes later through Alberto Suarez. Ayats scored again in the 28th. Sebastian Andreassen scored number 5 in the 35th minute and the last goal came in the 63rd, as the Menace looked invincible.
Kaw Valley FC 1 vs St Louis Scott Gallagher 2 - 7pm - World Wide Technology Soccer Park, Fenton, MO - No Announced Stream
SLSG opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through Goddard, Bruch added to his earlier assist to make it 2-0 in the 50th minute and Kaw Valley got their tally only 4 minutes later through Meehan but could not score further. The home side extend their unbeaten run to 5 matches, without gaining any ground on the teams ahead of them.
Friday:
Fort Wayne FC 1 vs Kalamazoo FC 1 - 6:45pm - Mayor's Riverfront Park, Kalamazoo, MI - Eleven Sports PPV
Fort Wayne opened the scoring through Sammy Sarver in the tenth minute but division-leading Kalamazoo levelled the score with a penalty in the 78th minute.
Dayton Dutch Lions 2 vs Oakland County FC 3 - 7pm - Clawson Stadium, Clawson, MI - No Announced Stream
Oakland County claimed all three points with goals from Shannon, Steinwascher and Buca. DDL kept it close with goals from Stans and Erlandson.
FC Wichita 0 vs Des Moines Menace 1 - 7pm - Valley Stadium, West Des Moines, IA - CISN
Zyan Andrade scored the only goal, off a rebound in the 25th minute, as the Menace stay perfect.
Chicago FC United 7 vs Kaw Valley FC 1 - 7:30pm - Rock Chalk Park, Lawrence, KS - Eleven Sports
A hat trick from Wintermeyer, two from Gutierrez and a one from Sullivan saw undefeated CFCU romp to victory away at the University of Kansas. Salvadego scored for Kaw Valley, who also saw a red card in the 68th minute, at which point it was already 6-1.
Saturday:
South Bend Lions 3 vs Toledo Villa 0 - 7pm - The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH - Eleven Sports PPV
In a nice piece of symmetry, three goals for the Lions bring them three points and a record of 3-3-3.
Green Bay Voyageurs 1 vs St Louis Scott Gallagher 4 - 7pm - World Wide Technology Soccer Park, Fenton, MO - No Announced Stream
Goals from Klein in the 35th minute, Kraus in the 83rd and a double from Lynn (37 and 67 respectively) saw SLSG past the Voyageurs of Green Bay, although the GBV goal in the 55th minute from Stephenson had threatened to make it more competitive at 2-1.
Chicago FC United 2 vs FC Wichita 1 - 7pm - Stryker Sports Complex, Wichita, KS - Eleven Sports
Goals from Chris Sullivan in the 17th minute and Andrew Akindele in the 49th minute lift the away side up over FCW.
Sunday:
Oakland County FC 2 vs Kings Hammer 3 - 4pm - Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH - No Announced Stream
Oakland County FC led this match for most of the first half, the lead coming through a Buca goal in the tenth minute, but a failure to close out the half would seem costly as they conceded an equalizer in the 42nd minute to Robinson and would not regain the lead the rest of the match. Further Kings Hammer tallies came from Erhardt and Ennin before Hooks scored in the 90th minute to make the score more respectable.
Grand Rapids FC 1 vs Kalamazoo FC 2 - 5:30pm - Mayor's Riverfront Park, Kalamazoo, MI - Eleven Sports PPV
Two Banuelos goals, in the 25th and 45 minutes took the division leading Kzoo FC up over their neighbors. Matty Cornish had the Grand Rapids goal.
Flint City Bucks 3 vs Fort Wayne FC 0 - 6pm - Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, IN - Eleven Sports PPV
In what I'm going to call the Battle of the Water Crests, it would be those unusual creatures - the waterborne Bucks who would prevail with goals from Amadou Cisse and a brace from Jacob Erlandson.