WPSL Central Region Week 6: Recap

Wednesday:

Mankato United 2 vs Rochester United 0 - 7pm- Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN - Eleven Sports

Mankato took the inaugural Highway 14 Derby with goals from McKenna Buisman off the high press and half-time substitute Dakota Wendell after the ball had shot upwards and around like a pinball.

Cincinnati Sirens 3 vs Dayton Dutch Lions 1 - 7pm - Lakota West High School, Liberty Township, OH - No Announced Stream

Goals from Hueber from the penalty spot and Donovan and Renie from open play brought the Sirens back from a 1-0 deficit and secured their undefeated record for another match.

Fire and Ice 2 vs St Louis Lions 0 - 7pm - Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL, Eleven Sports

The first St Louis Derby went the way of the elemental squad, with the goals for Fire and Ice coming from a goalkeeping error just before half time and Breece with a driven shot back across the keeper from a left sided cross. The margin would have been even greater were it not for the Lions goalkeeper, who must be getting her work in for a 0-4 club. 

Thursday :

Minnesota Thunder 3 vs Salvo SC 1 - 7:45pm - Academy of Holy Angels StarDome, Richfield, MN - Eleven Sports

It took Thunder until the 39th minute to break the deadlock, when a cross field pass was taken back across the Salvo keeper by Morgan Turner. The lead was doubled shortly after half time and the home side's third came in the 56th minute, on the second chance. Salvo spoiled the clean sheet when Anderson scored in the 64th minute, but in the end Thunder get revenge for their only dropped points of the season so far. 

Friday:

Fire SC 98 6 vs Dakota Fusion FC 0 - 7pm - Centennial High School Stadium, Circle Pines, MN - Eleven Sports

The Fire were up 3-0 at the half, with two goals from Sara Wendt (one from a header from a right wing cross, and one from a defensive miscue) and another from Lexi Larson. The home team then pulled away as Wendt secured her hat trick in the 63rd minute and Anna Breffle (in the 80th) and Erin Becker (in the 85th) added late goals.   

Mankato United 1 vs MapleBrook Fury 3 - 7pm - Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN - Eleven Sports

Mankato took the lead in the 5th minute through Kenna Buisman, bursting down the left wing. It remained 1-0 at half time. The Fury kept things close and accelerated through the second half before a furious few minutes saw them snatch victory. The equalizer came in the 78th minute after Claire Odmark (highlighted by the club's owner in our previous chat) beat a Mankato defender into the box and she was felled. The penalty was subsequently dispatched by Odmark herself. The visitors went ahead in the 82nd minute from a corner, which beat the goalkeeper to the spot and was headed in by Kyra Sosinski. The clinching goal came in the 90th minute as Maille Mathis chipped the goalkeeper from the left edge of the penalty area.   

Milwaukee Bavarian SC 1 vs Chicago Red Stars Reserves 0 - 7pm - Bavarian Soccer Club, Glendale, WI - No Announced Stream

In one of the surprises of the season, the women's expansion team of the amateur soccer behemoth pulled out a 1-0 win against the professional juggernaut of CRS Reserves. The goal came through Alex Campana. 

Saturday:

Chicago Dutch Lions 2 vs Milwaukee Torrent 3 - 6pm - Benedictine University, Lisle, IL - Eleven Sports

Chicago Dutch Lions took the lead on the road in the 16th minute but Elsi Twombly equalised for the Torrent just before half time. CDL went ahead again the 50th minute but Jelena Sever made it 2-2 in the 57th minute from the penalty spot, and then 3-2 from open play in the 73rd minute for the win.

Cincinnati Sirens 2 vs FC Pride 0 - 7pm - Lakota West High School, Liberty Township, OH - No Announced Stream 

Morgan White and Makala Woods picked up the goals for a perfect Sirens squad on top of the Midwestern Division. 

Dayton Dutch Lions 6 vs St Louis Lions 0 - 7pm - West Carrolton High School, Dayton, OH - No Announced Stream

DDL FC opened the scoring after only 5 minutes through a St Louis own goal from a Huber cross. Marcella Cash scored in the 24th and thus it remained through half time. Anuci scored shortly after the half. Jenssen scored number 4 in the 52nd minute. Huber added a goal to her earlier assist in the 83rd minute and another in the 90th minute, with another St Louis own goal in the 83rd minute. 

Fire and Ice 6 vs Columbus Eagles 0 - 7pm - Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL - Eleven Sports

Doubles from Olivia Smith and Sarah Foley added to solo shots from Sofia Hernandez and Mackenzie Litzs for the blowout of the winless Eagles.  

Sunday:

Salvo SC vs MapleBrook Fury - 3pm - Reynolds Field, Roseville, MN - No Announced Stream

This game was suspended due to lightning at 1-1 in the 50th minute, with the remainder of the match to be rescheduled. The Salvo goal was scored by Khyah Harper and the equalizer was in the 37th minute. 

Mankato United 9 vs Dakota Fusion 1 - 5pm - Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN - Eleven Sports

Danielle Tazic opened the scoring in the 5th minute for the home team but pretty constant pressure from Mankato failed to secure further goals, prior to a Hallie Thompson equalizer in the 31st minute from 20 yards out, just past the Kato keeper.  It was just before halftime at Mankato United finally made their superiority count, after busted defense at a corner left Dakota Wendell open to slot the ball home from the top of the six yard box. The second half started as rapidly for Kato as the first had, with Tazic repeating her trick within 50 seconds of the restart, from a Wendell cross. Wendell was again the benefactor of fortune in the 51st and 54th minutes as she scored off two charge downs of Emily Soukup in goal for the Fusion. Ironically, the margin could have been even larger, were it not for the efforts of Soukup, who is graduating from high school in Moorhead and joining Minnesota State Mankato in the fall. Abigail Hoisington made it 6-1 in the 63rd minute. Cassidy Joyce made it 7-1 before Tazic completed her own hat trick in the 82nd minute with a close range blast into the top right corner. Scoring was completed through a PK in the 87th minute. 

Fire SC 98 0 vs Minnesota Thunder 1 - 7pm - Centennial High School Stadium, Circle Pines, MN - No Announced Stream

It took until the 80th minute for the red hot division leading Thunder to break the deadlock against a Fire side fresh off a strong performance against Dakota Fusion, and there would be no further scoring. 

Dayton Dutch Lions 1 vs Lady Victory 4 - 4:30pm - West Carrolton High School, Dayton, OH - No Announced Stream

Goals in the 23rd, 25th and 35th minutes led Victory to a lead. Second half goals came in the 58th from Dayton and the 60th from Victory for the win. 

St Louis Lions 2 vs Columbus Eagles 3 - 5pm - Tony Glavin Soccer Complex, Cottleville, MO - No Announced Stream

Columbus win the battle of the basement, claiming all three points in the 87th minute after a back and forth match. 


WPSL Central Region, Week 6: Preview

Wednesday:

Mankato United vs Rochester United - 7pm- Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN - Eleven Sports

Unbeaten Rochester took a tie against Kato at their home and the visitors enter the match unbeaten on the season, having tied their last three matches. Mankato will look to rediscover some momentum, with their only win of the season a 7-2 drubbing of Fire SC 98 to open the season. 

Cincinnati Sirens vs Dayton Dutch Lions - 7pm - Lakota West High School, Liberty Township, OH - No Announced Stream

The unbeaten Sirens will expect their fourth victory from four against a club who are only 1-3-1 on the season.

Fire and Ice vs St Louis Lions - 7pm - Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL, Eleven Sports

An up and down season for the hosts is still preferable to the 3 straight losses for the Lions to open theirs and they will expect their form to continue. 

Thursday :

Minnesota Thunder vs Salvo SC - 7:45pm - Academy of Holy Angels StarDome, Richfield, MN - Eleven Sports

The surprise package of this Central season so far, Thunder have so far proven the value in a youth pipeline approach to WPSL play. Having won their last three matches, they will enter play against perennial threat Salvo with plenty of confidence although the league leaders did drop the corresponding fixture 2-1 to their neighbors. 

Friday:

Fire SC vs Dakota Fusion FC - 7pm - Centennial High School Stadium, Circle Pines, MN - Eleven Sports

Fire and Fusion have both been on the receiving end of some ugly results early in their seasons so this basement battle could really show whether those results are indicative of deeper malaise.  

Mankato United vs MapleBrook Fury - 7pm - Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN - Eleven Sports

MapleBrook have managed a 1-1 draw with second placed Rochester and a 4-1 win over struggling Fire SC so it will be interesting to see where a match against third placed Mankato registers. The home side sit third, with a game in hand on the two teams above them and will be hoping they can punish a possibly rusty Fury squad.

Milwaukee Bavarian SC vs Chicago Red Stars Reserves - 7pm - Bavarian Soccer Club, Glendale, WI - No Announced Stream

Even though this match is at the friendly confines of the Bavarian Soccer Club, expect another win for the juggernaut that is Chicago Red Stars Reserves. That said, BSC limited the damage to just one goal when the two sides met recently. 

Saturday:

Chicago City SC vs Green Bay Glory - 4pm - Chicago Hope Lions Complex, Chicago, IL - Eleven Sports

Green Bay come into Chicago 0-4 on the season and will be hoping for better results against a CCSC squad which is 1-2. 

Chicago Dutch Lions vs Milwaukee Torrent - 6pm - Benedictine University, Lisle, IL - No Announced Stream

Second placed CDL face a hungry Torrent squad who are only a point behind them in the standings.

Cincinnati Sirens vs FC Pride - 7pm - Lakota West High School, Liberty Township, OH - No Announced Stream 

The undefeated Sirens play host to the table topping FC Pride, who are 4-1-1 on the season, raising the prospect of a very good game. 

Dayton Dutch Lions vs St Louis Lions - 7pm - West Carrolton High School, Dayton, OH - No Announced Stream

Dayton will need to get to grips defensively but they face a St Louis squad with no wins at the time of publication and a -15 goal difference. 

Fire and Ice vs Columbus Eagles - 7pm - Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL - Eleven Sports

This match pairs two teams with unappetizing starts to their seasons, so this will be a litmus test of their direction. 

Sunday:

Salvo SC vs MapleBrook Fury - 3pm - Reynolds Field, Roseville, MN - No Announced Stream

Salvo should win this battle of the Twin Cities, but MapleBrook's stop start season so far makes it difficult to rule out any result. 

Mankato United vs Dakota Fusion - 5pm - Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN - Eleven Sports

Having sought to exorcise demons against Rochester, Kato will face a Fusion squad which has had a slow start to their own season and the hosts should expect an easy win. 

Fire SC 98 vs Minnesota Thunder - 7pm - Seafoam Stadium at Concordia University, St Paul, MN - Eleven Sports

Rolling into the week top of the division, Thunder should dispatch the struggling Fire without much difficulty. 

Chicago City SC vs Milwaukee Bavarian - 5pm - Chicago Hope Lions Complex, Chicago, IL - Eleven Sports

With one win against their name, and playing host, CCSC will be hoping to deepen the gloom of a winless Bavarian squad fresh off a match against the Red Stars Reserves. 

Dayton Dutch Lions vs Lady Victory - 4:30pm - West Carrolton High School, Dayton, OH - No Announced Stream

Lady Victory, on 4-1 for the season, will fully expect to beat a DDL squad with only one win to their name. 

St Louis Lions vs Columbus Eagles - 5pm - Tony Glavin Soccer Complex, Cottleville, MO - No Announced Stream

This matchup of leaky defences and sputtering offences could well end up a goalless draw. 


WPSL Central Region, Week 5: Recap

Wednesday:

Chicago Dutch Lions 3 vs Green Bay Glory 1: 5 PM - Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex, Lisle, IL - Eleven Sports 
Rochester United FC 2 vs Mankato United SC 2: 7 PM - Spartan Field at Mayo High School, Rochester, MN - Eleven Sports

Thursday:

Minnesota Thunder 6 vs Fire SC 98 0 : 7:45 PM - Academy of Holy Angels StarDome, Richfield, MN - Eleven Sports

Saturday:

FC Pride 2 vs Lady Victory FC 3: 2 PM - Pride Performance Center, Indianapolis, IN - No Stream Announced
Cincinnati Sirens 2 vs Columbus Eagles 1: 6 PM - Lakota West High School, West Chester Township, OH - No Stream Announced
Chicago Dutch Lions 2 vs Chicago City SC 1: 7 PM - Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex, Lisle, IL - Eleven Sports
Chicago Red Stars Reserves 1 vs Bavarian Soccer Club 0: 7 PM - Oak Brook Park District Family Recreation Center, Oak Brook, IL - Eleven Sports
Dakota Fusion 0 vs Minnesota Thunder 7: 7 PM - Jim Gotta Stadium, Moorhead, MN - Magnitude Sports Network

Thunder rolled into Moorhead and scored in bursts. Despite the scoreline, the first goal took 20 minutes to arrive, and were followed by tallies in the 35th, 42nd and 45th minutes of the first half. These were supplemented by strikes in the 71st, 72nd and 85th minute. All but two of the goals were a result of well constructed Thunder play rather than bad defence by the home team. 13 goals in 2 games does tend to suggest the Thunder are really that good. For Fusion, it's back to the coaches' white board. 

Fire & Ice SC 0 vs Dayton Dutch Lions 0: 7 PM - Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL - Eleven Sports
Rochester United FC 2 vs Salvo SC 2: 7 PM - Spartan Field at Mayo High School, Rochester, MN - Eleven Sports

Sunday:

Columbus Eagles 1 vs Lady Victory FC 2: 1 PM - Bernlohr Stadium at Capital University, Bexley, OH - Eleven Sports
Fire & Ice SC 0 vs FC Pride 3 : 2 PM - Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL - Eleven Sports
St. Louis Lions 1 vs Dayton Dutch Lions 6: 2 PM - Tony Glavin Soccer Complex, Cottleville, MO - No Stream Announced
Green Bay Glory 0 vs FC Milwaukee Torrent 3: 3 PM - Capital Credit Union Park, Ashwaubenon, WI - Eleven Sports
MapleBrook Fury 4 vs Fire SC 98 1: 7 PM - Maple Grove Crimson Stadium, Maple Grove, MN - No Stream Announced

*Note – All Times CDT


WPSL Central Region, Week 5: Preview

Wednesday:

Chicago Dutch Lions vs Green Bay Glory: 5 PM - Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex, Lisle, IL - Eleven Sports
Rochester United FC vs Mankato United SC: 7 PM - Spartan Field at Mayo High School, Rochester, MN - Eleven Sports

Thursday:

Minnesota Thunder vs Fire SC 98: 7:45 PM - Academy of Holy Angels StarDome, Richfield, MN - Eleven Sports

Saturday:

FC Pride vs Lady Victory FC: 2 PM - Pride Performance Center, Indianapolis, IN - No Stream Announced

The top two teams in the Midwestern Conference face off in Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon. The teams only have one loss between with and a combined record of 5-1-1 in 2021. Lady Victory will attempt to rebound after losing to Fire & Ice last week while FC Pride wants to continue their 3 match winning streak.

Cincinnati Sirens vs Columbus Eagles: 6 PM - Lakota West High School, West Chester Township, OH - No Stream Announced

After two road matches, including a few weeks ago against Columbus, Cincinnati will finally play at home for the first time in 2021. The Sirens are 2-0-0 with wins of 3-0 and 4-0 with the latter being over the Eagles. On the other hand Columbus has struggled to this point going 0-1-3 with one point and a goal differential of -11.

Chicago Dutch Lions vs Chicago City SC: 7 PM - Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex, Lisle, IL - Eleven Sports

Both sides enter the match on a fairly even keel. CDL sitting at 1-1-1 and CCSC is at 1-0-1, both teams have only lost to the Red Stars Reserves as well. In a season with only 10 matches and no playoff a win is imperative if one of the two hope be able to take the Lake Michigan Division from the Red Stars.

Chicago Red Stars Reserves vs Bavarian Soccer Club: 7 PM - Oak Brook Park District Family Recreation Center, Oak Brook, IL - Eleven Sports

Red Stars Reserves have the weekend all to themselves as the senior side has the weekend off the NWSL. A Chicago/Milwaukee battle, RSR looks to jump to 4-0-0 with 12 points. If Bavarians hope to stop that it will take some stout defence as their opponents have scored 14 goals in three matches and no less than 4 in a given match.

Dakota Fusion vs Minnesota Thunder: 7 PM - Jim Gotta Stadium, Moorhead, MN - Magnitude Sports Network

After yet another delayed match last week that was to have been played against the MapleBrook Fury, the Fusion will finally get to play at home. The Fusion have lost their only match of 2021, that one a 4-0 loss to Rochester United, while the Thunder are coming off a 6-0 win over Fire SC 98 just a few days prior. Momentum is on the side of the visitors but the Fusion have the element of rest in their hands.

Fire & Ice SC vs Dayton Dutch Lions: 7 PM - Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL - Eleven Sports

This match between two mid-table sides in the Midwestern Conference could be Match of the Week in the Central Region. Fire & Ice are 1-0-1 having beaten Lady Victory however they lost to FC Pride in their season opener. DDL on the other hand drew FC Pride in the Dutch Lions home opener, however have not managed a win yet as they then lost to the Sirens before drawing the Eagles in their last two matches.

Rochester United FC vs Salvo SC: 7 PM - Spartan Field at Mayo High School, Rochester, MN - Eleven Sports

Another match that could possibly be Match of the Week.Salvo has only played one match so far, that being a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Thunder. Rochester on the other hand defeated Dakota Fusion 4-0 before drawing with MapleBrook and Mankato United, two sides that are expected to be at the top of the Conference. If Rochester can win, even at home this would be a huge upset and could change the table in the Northern Conference for the entire season.

Sunday:

Columbus Eagles vs Lady Victory FC: 1 PM - Bernlohr Stadium at Capital University, Bexley, OH - Eleven Sports
Fire & Ice SC vs FC Pride: 2 PM - Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL - Eleven Sports
St. Louis Lions vs Dayton Dutch Lions: 2 PM - Tony Glavin Soccer Complex, Cottleville, MO - No Stream Announced
Green Bay Glory vs FC Milwaukee Torrent: 3 PM - Capital Credit Union Park, Ashwaubenon, WI - Eleven Sports
MapleBrook Fury vs Fire SC 98: 7 PM - Maple Grove Crimson Stadium, Maple Grove, MN - No Stream Announced

*Note – All Times CDT


The W League is back

Today, in a move which had been suggested by The Athletic, USL announced a new women's amateur league with an old name. 

The new USL W League was unveiled with a Selection Sunday-style stream, together with 8 founding members and a strong trend of organizations whose men's sides are within the professional tiers of the USL system. The old W League folded in 2015.

The eight founding clubs are:

  • Minnesota Women's Soccer, a brand-new club which will be more fully unveiled this weekend but which already promises "a women majority owner which will be paired with a unique element of community and supporter ownership" and ownership independent of current organizations. 
  • Kaw Valley FC will be debuting its women's side in USL W. It's men's side currently compete in the USL League Two's Heartland Conference
  • Chattanooga Red Wolves, currently compete in the Southeastern Conference of the WPSL and are the sister of the USL League One side.
  • Greenville Triumph, who have a women's academy but no existing senior women's side, and are the sister of the USL League One side. 
  • Hartford Athletic, another club debuting its women's side in the new league. It's a sister to a USL Championship side. 
  • Queensboro FC, has yet to debut in either men's or women's soccer but are slated to begin play in both USL Championship and USL W next year.
  • South Georgia Tormenta FC, has a female co-owner but no senior women's side at the moment. It is the sister to a USL League One side.
  • Washington D.C., heralded as a former member of the original W-League, DC United also has women within its front office. 

The league has projected that there will be 30 members of the inaugural season. Stay tuned for more details, especially with regards to our regions. 


What is the Unity Cup? - A Q and A with MapleBrook's Jean-Yves Viardin

The 2021 Unity Cup : MapleBrook 58ers and Friends vs Joy Athletic Club takes place at Maple Grove High School Stadium at 5pm. Admission is free.

Q: What is the Unity Cup?

A: Joy Athletic is coached by a friend of mine and I'm very familiar with the organization and I respect that organization. I run the youth club over here in Maple Grove called Maplebrook. We had a UPSL team. We took a year off because of Covid.

Because it is Joy Athletic's first year in the NPSL. We share players. We had planned to have a game. A friendly game. When all the bad stuff happened in Minneapolis and then we decided not to play in our league it didn't look like we were gonna be able to do it but a date popped open for them and we said “Hey, would you be willing to have a game with us?”

What's really been the hard part with Covid is in the soccer community, we didn't get to see our friends. We're all in different communities, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park wherever...

And then all the stuff happened with Daunte and George Floyd and I said I'm gonna do something fun for my community and you know we share a lot of common things with Joy Athletic.

Long story short, I'm gonna start a tradition. We're going to play them, 1 year here, 1 year there. We're gonna have a cup, it's gonna be called the Unity Cup. The whole spirit of the event is to get two communities which have a lot of similiarities, and eventually grow it to a point where we can raise money for charity or scholarships for kids to play soccer.

I didn't have my team, that's why you see Maplebrook 58ers and friends, we invited people from the different clubs in the Cities. They are all people who we feel represent something positive in the community, in and out of soccer – who they are as human beings. Everybody who is on my team is there for a specific reason, above and beyond that they are good soccer players. The fact that we partnered with Joy Athletic is for a specific reason, above and beyond that they are good soccer players. It's a Cup to celebrate Unity, here and in Minnesota and to have an excuse to spend time together. We hope to raise money for good causes and we got picked up by Sanneh Foundation – Tony is a friend of mine. Planet Soccer, our local soccer vendor and the mortgage company that I work for said “Hey, we love what you are doing”

We're doing it in conjunction with our youth tournament, that's gonna be going on during the weekend. It's an opportunity for kids to come watch high level players, we have a whole bunch of ex-pro players on our team that we're part of Minnesota soccer history

A bunch of guys are coaches so their teams will come and it's kinda unifying four or five youth clubs in the area.

Q: Is there any concern that you're gonna impact Joy's NPSL season?

A: No, not really. They have enough players, I'm sure it's a good opportunity for them to pick the younger players and it's really a friendly game. It's not about the score and the result. Our team is on the old side. I think half our roster is 45. It's really an exhibition game, more than anything.

Q: What are the plans for the MapleBrook 58'ers UPSL side going forward?

A: When the UPSL was cancelled, the organiser of Vlora FC – Adi, he organized the Goals Cup. We won that and then after that our boys went back to school so we didn't participate in the Fall season. UPSL was gracious enough to let us carry over our “tuition”, if you would call it that, until next year. So, we will be back next year for sure. We just needed a year off to recover from financial hardships. These teams don't make money. I lose money on both the teams every year, I do it because I love it and it lets me be around people I wanna be around.

Q: The Fury WPSL side were scheduled to play against Dakota Fusion last weekend, was the postponement due to an issue with your side or theirs?

A: I believe there was a Covid issue with Fusion but we are looking forward to playing them this weekend at Maple Grove and have rescheduled the game in Fargo for June 25th.

Q: Are there any players that we should keep an eye out for?

A: We have a pretty good team. We finished in a 3 way tie with Salvo and Mankato during the 2019 season.

Marie Sennes is a good player. Claire Odmark plays for Wisconsin Badgers as a forward. Haley Landrus is also a good player. We have a good squad.

Q: There are no playoffs in the WPSL this season. So why play a team?

A: I considered it because of no playoffs but my commitment is to get these players ready for college. We have alums from our youth clubs that have somewhere to play in Summer between college seasons. I believe 80% of our squad is from our youth clubs. The most fun part is we can show the young kids what they will be able to do next , like in Europe where everyone has their hometown team, whereas in college people can't do that because they are all scattered around.


WPSL Central Region, Week 4: Recap

Wednesday:

Chicago City SC, 0 vs Chicago Red Stars Reserves, 5 : 8 PM - DePaul College Prep Turf Field, Chicago, IL - Eleven Sports

After a 4-0 win over the Chicago Dutch Lions last weekend Chicago Red Stars Reserve squad faced another local Chicago side in Chicago City SC. Halftime saw CRS Reserves only hold a 1-0 lead, however the NWSL reserve side added four more goals in the second half en route to a massive win over Chicago City.

Friday:

Mankato United, 7 vs Fire SC 98, 2 : 7 PM - Bethany Lutheran College Soccer Field, Mankato, MN - Eleven Sports

Mankato United debuted in a new home on Friday night, now playing at Bethany Lutheran College's brand new Soccer Field rather than the Caswell North Soccer Complex in North Mankato. The hosts opened with an early goal before Fire 98 struck back with their own. Mankato proceeded to score five unanswered between the first and second halves before Fire 98 scored their second of two goals. MUSC capped off the night in the 86th minute with their seventh goal of the match.

Salvo SC, 2 vs Minnesota Thunder, 1 : 7 PM - Reynolds Field, St. Paul, MN - Eleven Sports

Defending champions vs a debuting side, Salvo SC hosted the Minnesota Thunder at Reynolds Field on the campus of Northwestern University in St. Paul for a clash of Twin Cities clubs. The Thunder scored first in just the 6th minute off a corner kick and held that lead for a good part of the first 45 minutes. Salvo had an opportunity to level the score in the 30th minute on a penalty, however that kick hit the post and the rebound shot was sent just wide. Katherine Jones evened the match in the 43rd minute on a screamer from 25 yards out. After a leveller near 45 minutes, in the second half Alaysia Lane gave Salvo SC the win on another screamer from 20 yards out.

Saturday:

FC Pride, 2 vs Fire & Ice SC, 1 : 2 PM - FC Pride Performance Center, Indianapolis, IN - No Stream Announced

Chicago City SC, 2 vs FC Milwaukee Torrent, 1 : 4:30 PM - Chicago Lions Hope Complex, Chicago, IL - Eleven Sports

This battle of contenders to be runner-up in the Lake Michigan Conference saw the visitors take an early lead in the 7th minute after a quick break down their right wing. However, the home team rallied to equalize only 4 minutes later and the comeback was completed mid-way through the second half.

Chicago Dutch Lions, 1 vs Bavarian Soccer Club, 1 : 5 PM - Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex Stadium, Lisle, IL - Eleven Sports

Lady Victory FC, 9 vs St. Louis Lions, 1 : 6 PM - Guerin Catholic High School - Noblesville, IN - Eleven Sports

Lady Victory took the massive win here, scoring early and often and not letting their feet off the gas, even outscoring their opponents 3-1 in a second half which could have been seen as academic.

Chicago Red Stars Reserves, 5 vs Green Bay Glory, 0 : 7 PM - Evergreen Bank Group Athletic Field, Oak Brook, IL - Eleven Sports

MapleBrook Fury, 1 vs Rochester United FC, 1 : 7 PM - Maple Grove Crimson Stadium, Maple Grove, MN - No Stream Announced

Sunday:

Lady Victory FC, 0 vs Fire & Ice SC, 1 : 2 PM - Guerin Catholic High School - Noblesville, IN - Eleven Sports

Dayton Dutch Lions, 2 vs Columbus Eagles, 2 : 3:30 PM - Dayton Outpatient Center Stadium, West Carrollton, OH - Gem City Sports Network

St. Louis Lions 2 vs FC Pride, 4 : 4 PM - Tony Glavin Soccer Complex, Cottleville, MO - No Stream Announced

MapleBrook Fury vs Dakota Fusion: 7 PM - Maple Grove Crimson Stadium, Maple Grove, MN - No Stream Announced 

Covid caused the postponement of this match. With a makeup date yet to be announced, this leaves both the Fury and the Fusion with only one game each in the books - from an originally scheduled three.

Minnesota Thunder, 3 vs Mankato United, 1 : 7:45 PM - Academy of Holy Angels StarDome, Richfield, MN - Eleven Sports

*Note – All Times CDT


Where to Watch: WPSL Week 2

WPSL Week 2:

Friday:

FC Pride vs Dayton Dutch Lions: 6 PM - Pride Performance Center, Indianapolis, IN - No Stream Announced

Saturday:

Dayton Dutch Lions vs Cincinnati Sirens FC: 3:30 PM - Dayton Outpatient Center Stadium, Dayton, OH - No Stream Announced

Rochester United FC vs Dakota Fusion FC: 5 PM - Spartan Field at Mayo High School, Rochester, MN - No Stream Announced

Sunday:

Columbus Eagles FC vs Cincinnati Sirens FC: 1 PM - Bernlohr Stadium at Capital University, Bexley, OH - MyCujoo