A new North is unveiled by NPSL
There are no brand-new clubs to the North Conference of the NPSL, but it is getting longer and shorter at the same time with Dakota Fusion's hiatus and the entry of former Gateway Conference members Iowa Demon Hawks.
Of the four playoff qualifiers from the North in 2024, two (Dakota Fusion and Minnesota TwinStars) are not part of 2025's festivities. The TwinStars leave after 20 years at this level and a 30-year history overall that made them by far the oldest club in this division.
Duluth FC will be defending their region with a new head coach for the first time since 2020, with the departure of Sean Morgan. Their fellow playoff team, Joy Athletic Club, is joined by Lakeville's Minnesota Blizzard (who also play in MASL2 alongside the Demon Hawks) as the only presence in the Twin Cities metro.
The Demon Hawks arrive in the North, having lost in the Regional Semifinals to Duluth FC (as Des Moines United). The Demon Hawks are also an established MASL2 indoor team. There is a possible fresh rivalry between the Des Moines-based Demon Hawks and the Sioux City-based Siouxland United. On the subject of the latter, the Outlaws bring in Alex Trent as head coach off the back of his undefeated regular season with Fusion. Lastly, Sioux Falls Thunder remain in the conference and at Bob Young Field as another potential rival to the Iowans.
Also, a little note about the US Open Cup. The tournament saw Duluth FC seize a priority bid as regional winners and it turns out that Fusion were offered a spot (turned down because of hiatus) as spectacular regular season participants. The BlueGreens are on the road against Forward Madison of USL League One for the second consecutive year, largely as a consequence of two things: Relatively close proximity and a desire to match all amateurs against a pro side in the 1st round. We will be covering that for you.
NISA Independent Cup Review
Five amateur sides (Vlora FC, Dakota Fusion, Milwaukee Torrent, United Stars Soccer and Inter Detroit) joined metro Detroit's Michigan Stars in the Great Lakes region of this year's NISA Independent Cup. The regional champions get a trophy but do not meet in any kind of play-off.
Vlora FC traveled out to Fusion in the opening game of the tournament, but lost 2-1 despite having taken the lead. They also competed in the National Amateur Cup.
Torrent lost 6-0 in the National Amateur Cup Final, having won the Region 2 (Midwest) Trophy. They were eliminated from the NPSL playoffs by Des Moines United/Iowa Demon Hawks in the Gateway Conference Final.
Fusion had an unbeaten regular season, despite massive roster turnover and a new head coach, but were also beaten in their Conference Final. The Independent Cup was then left as their only chance of silverware.
Unfortunately for the Fargoans, they also lost to Torrent. Full details of that match can be found at Beyond the 90's NISA Today
Michigan Stars are 8-1-4 (W-D-L) with their NISA season ending on Sept 21st. They lost their first round match in this tournament, to Inter Detroit.
United Stars Soccer lost their only match of the tournament, also to Inter Detroit.
Inter Detroit withdrew from the tournament on the precipice of the Final. Here is their statement:
https://twitter.com/InterDetroit/status/1817724627210150122
This piece will be updated when we receive a reply from Milwaukee Torrent, who have won by default.
NPSL North Playoffs Final
Dakota Fusion hosted the BlueGreens of Duluth FC last Saturday night in Moorhead, MN for the inaugural NPSL North Conference playoff title, with a spot in the Central Regional playoffs on the line. Fusion who won the regular season title at 9-3-0 (W-D-L) defeated Joy AC 2-1 to advance to the Conference title match. The BlueGreens meanwhile finished the season 7-1-4 in second place in the North. Duluth FC took down the Minnesota TwinStars 2-0 in their conference semi-final to advance to the North final.
Late in the first half it was Duluth's Edouard Nys putting a ball into the corner of goal for what would turn out to be the only goal the evening. A weather delay extended the halftime break in Moorhead, but when both sides came back out for the second 45' neither club could muster another goal.
Duluth FC's win sent them into the revamped NPSL Midwest Region playoff where they'll face plays Moines United (aka Iowa Demon Hawks) in the Midwest Region semi-final in Indianola, IA. Des Moines United, who went 6-2-2 in the regular season advanced out of the Gateway Conference playoffs with a 2-0 win over Milwaukee Torrent in their conference championship match.
The winner of tonight's match will face a lengthy trip to the Pittsburgh area this weekend for the Midwest Region final. Great Lakes Conference champion Steel City FC secured themselves the top seed in the region and a bye to and hosting rights for the final. Duluth FC and Des Moines United will kickoff tonight at 7pm from Indianola High School about 30 minutes south of Des Moines. The match will be viewable on the Iowa Demon Hawks YouTube channel.
NPSL North Playoff Semi Finals
Wednesday
(#= Conference seeding/National ranking)
#1/6 Dakota Fusion 2-1 #4/38 Joy Athletic Club
Fusion v Joy is the league's stingiest defense against the joint Golden Boot winner Philip Caputo.
It took Joy Athletic 20 mins to register a chance, in a first 40 minutes dominated by the home side. Nonetheless, it was Joy’s Zinedine Kroeten who put the visitors ahead with the first of two penalty kicks this evening. The lead lasted barely a minute, as Takumi Sato headed in a left wing corner in the 41st minute.
The second half was much more even, but Ryosuke Miyata made the decisive blow, a smooth, sliding finish from a right wing cross in the 83rd minute. In the seventh minute of stoppage time, Fusion goalie Vincent Sanchis nearly conceded again after a header back to him went over his head and he palmed it away.
Fusion Men's Head Coach Alex Trent talked to us after the game:
Playoffs always bring a new challenge. Our guys showed great resilience, which I'm really proud of. We know Duluth will give us their best and we are looking forward to another good matchup with a trophy on the line.
#2/31 Duluth FC 2-0 #3/39 Minnesota TwinStars (Game halted because of red cards)
Duluth FC v TwinStars went into extra time tied at 0-0, with TwinStars down to ten men following a melee in the 90th minute. Dylan Sumner broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 98th minute. Felipe Santos made it 2-0 in the 105th minute before a fifth red card for the visitors triggered a forfeit in the 115th minute.
Coming Up:
Dakota Fusion FC v Duluth FC Saturday at 7pm.
NISA Independent Cup : 1st Round
Less than 24 hours after an away game with MN Blizzard ended 8-0 to Dakota Fusion, the #1 seed in the NPSL Midwest Region faced an altogether more challenging opponent in UPSL/MASL side Vlora FC on Sunday afternoon. Despite missing the UPSL Premier Division playoffs, Vlora have made a season of eye-catching cup contests - often on the road.
This was the first round of the Great Lakes Region of NISA Independent Cup, a cluster of regional mini tournaments which each have a winner and a participating NISA professional side. In the case of the Great Lakes, that is Michigan Stars FC - although they are on the 'other side of the bracket' from tonight's combatants.
After an opening 18 minutes dominated by Fusion, the hosts went ahead through Nicolo Lai, finishing a passage of pinball in the box. Five minutes later, the visitors took advantage of an errant header by a Fusion defender across the box to head themselves level through Tensing Walker.
Vlora goalkeeper Mitchell Wolff then kept his team in the game before the visitors ended the first half in the ascendency but tied on goals, including hammering the ball off the crossbar from 20 yards away.
Oliver Benson dribbled through multiple defenders but Wolff blocked his shot, point blank.
Fusion began the second half on the front foot, and a shot across the goal very nearly resulted in an own goal, ricocheting off the post. In the 50th minute, the referee missed a Fusion penalty kick - instead ruling that the foul took place outside the area. He placed the ball literally on the penalty area line.
There was a 20 minute period of back and forth pressure before a defense splitting pass was squared to James Narke for the cushioned tap in to put Fusion back on top in the 76th minute. Both sides had free kicks but no clear chances and it was Fusion who moved on.
Speaking to us after the match, Dakota Fusion head men's coach Alex Trent said
While I would have liked for us to play better and finish our chances in the first half, finding a way to get a result and overcome more adversity is a good sign that the guys are growing and maturing. A lot of guys stepped up today with us putting out a completely different lineup than in our game last night. Really proud of James Narke getting the winner after the long journey he has been on this summer with us to get back into playing after several years out of the game - he has been a huge part of our success day to day during the season and now on the field recently which is a testament to his hard work and commitment to this summer experience.
Coming Up in the Independent Cup
Dakota Fusion face a road trip to Wauwatosa, WI to play Milwaukee Torrent (who play in the Gateway Conference of the NPSL) on Friday 19th.
NPSL Round-Up: July 1-6
Tuesday:
Siouxland United 3-1 Sioux Falls Thunder
A 43rd minute goal by Lucas Foreman and two from Ben Shields were countered by a goal by Simon Woods for Thunder.
Dakota Fusion 6-1 Minnesota TwinStars
A strong wind blew left to right, in the faces of Fusion, at the backs of TwinStars for the first half. It was a broken opening 10 with multiple TwinStars down and Chigoze Eneje out injured a couple times.
Fusion had three different players shoot on target before Rich Busmeister scored for Fusion in the 18th minute. TwinStars scored direct from the kick-off, wind assisted by Carlos Boquin, over the head of Devine, who was upfield congratulating the goalscorer. Both sides had chances but it was Busmeister who made it 2-1 in the 30th minute, finishing off a passage of close passing down the middle, slotting it calmly past the keeper into the corner.
In the 40th minute, a Fusion corner was recycled and Sho Toda ran in on goal but was tackled by Balakiyem Katanga in the TwinStars goal, leaving both down and the goal empty. Ryosuke Miyata chipped the ball in.
Jino Agbassa made it 4-1 off a neat passage of play just to the right of center, again calmly dispatched. James Narke curled one off the post before Telvin Vah cushioned the ball and slotted it home in the 61st minute from the top of the box to make it 5-1. Will Devine stopped TwinStars at point blank range a few times before the last goal came close to the end, Vah with his second, off a neat interchange.
The result seals the #1 seed for Fusion, and a home playoff game against the #4 team in the North, which was yet to be settled.
Speaking to us after the match about the season to this point, Fusion head coach Alex Trent said:
Minnesota Blizzard 2-5 Joy Athletic
Bennett Kouame opened the scoring but Carter Hermanson equalized for Blizzard. Philip Caputo scored twice to put Joy back on top for good, despite an Ashton Frost goal. Zinedine Kroeten scored a penalty and Caputo finished his first half hat trick. The result, and the TwinStars loss, put Joy in 3rd and moved TwinStars down to 4th, with the two teams meeting on Saturday.
Saturday:
Minnesota Blizzard 0-8 Dakota Fusion
The Blizzard bid farewell to their inaugural season with a hammering by the #1 seed in the Midwest region, Dakota Fusion. They are ranked #7 in the national poll, with that seeding determining who hosts. So stay tuned. In tonight's match, Richard Busmeisters scored two, Brandon Garcia also got two (one from the penalty spot), Inshun Han, Sho Toda, Alex Benitez and Rysuke Miyata all scored.
Siouxland United 3-2 Duluth FC
Duluth finish the season down to 10 men after the dismissal of their goalkeeper, Zeke Foltz, although the loss essentially does nothing to the standings.
The BlueGreens took the lead through Dylan Sumner but Ben Shields equalized. Liam Pritchard put the away side back ahead before Kenny Hewitt equalized. Following the red card for Foltz, Marcus Horwood scored to make it 3-2.
Minnesota TwinStars 4-2 Joy Athletic Club
A Joy AC win, which was on the cards in this exciting end-to-end game at one point, would have moved Joy into second place and the Outlaws into the #4 seed.
TwinStars goals came from Sadra Golzarian, Abdousalam Akinola and David Diawara twice. Joy's goalscorer information is pending.
Coming Up:
Wednesday
#1 Dakota Fusion FC v #4 Joy Athletic Club
Fusion beat Joy 4-0 in the regular season version of this match, and remain unbeaten.
#2 Duluth FC v #3 Minnesota TwinStars
The BlueGreens hammered TwinStars in the regular season edition of this match-up, so they will be hoping for a better trip up to the banks of Lake Superior this time around.
Saturday
Top remaining seed hosts the other winner for the Conference Championship.
WPSL Wrap-Up: Week 8
The battle for the North was all set up for a showdown on Friday, albeit with an unexpectedly tight result in Maple Grove.
Wednesday
St Croix Legacy 1-0 Mankato United
This was a Spotlight Match of the week, full gallery here.
Minnesota Thunder 11-2 Rochester United
Caroline Bailey scored a hat trick, Kiya Gilliand scored two and Vesna Dennison, Taylor Heimerl, Paige Peltier, Paige Kalal, Izzy Engle and Allison Flies all scored once for Thunder. Kylie Miranto and Sydney Tucker scored for the Lions.
MapleBrook Fury 0-1 Salvo SC
A penalty kick from the prolific Khyah Harper kept Salvo's season perfect.
Friday
Dakota Fusion 0-4 Joy Athletic Club
A strong second half by the Goats, yet another defeat for Fusion. Brooke Quam scored twice, Ashley Bennett and
Sioux Falls City 1-0 Salvo SC
Mia Bosch sealed the Conference title, and hosting rights for the playoffs, with a winner in the 60th minute, from a Mia Mullenmeister pass and off a despairing Ayden Gagner in the Salvo net.
Saturday
Mankato United 5-0 Manitou FC
Jadyn Chee, Kelsey Heller, Lucy Weninger, Ava Stanchina and Marit Klagge all scored for United.
Sunday
Dakota Fusion 0-2 Rochester United
Rochester United travelled to Fargo with only 11 players but matched up with a team who rostered only 12.
A back and forth opening few minutes marked by few chances, often only just missed by both sides.
Right on half time, a free kick for Rochester, bounced high over the Fusion keeper Quinn Carter but was somehow scrambled clear.
Fusion’s Sarah Burgum, missed a chance, over the crossbar, from inside the 6 yard box and only ten minutes later, Rochester United had a two run lead. Sydney Tucker benefited from a long ball down the middle which bounced free of the Fusion offside trap, slotting past a disgruntled Carter. Two minutes later, Kylie Mirango made it 2-0 to the visitors, slapping home a ball which found her in the six yard box from a midfield free kick.
Fusion finished the game on the front foot but failed to spoil the clean sheet. With that result, the team from Fargo-Moorhead head to MapleBrook next week hoping for a two win season but with the chance for a transformatory three-win season gone by the way.
Joy Athletic Club 1-0 MapleBrook Fury
Ashley Bennett scored the winner in the Goats last game of the season. Ben VanWyk has a full Spotlight gallery here
St Croix Legacy 0-1 Sioux Falls City
Taylor Thomas's early strike is enough to give the Northern Conference Champions a perfect regular season. Jason Morales Ortiz has the Spotlight coverage here.
Coming Up:
Sunday July 7th:
MapleBrook Fury v Dakota Fusion
NPSL Round-Up: 23-29 June 2024
Wednesday
Duluth FC 10-0 Minnesota Blizzard
Tyler Limmer scored a hat trick, Dylan Sumner scored twice, Myles Edmondson, Felipe Santos, Felipe Carli, Manny Morales and Golden Boot leader Eduoard Nys all scored one.
Sioux Falls Thunder 0-0 Minnesota TwinStars
Siouxland United 3-0 Joy Athletic Club
Ahmed Dosso, Magloire Makila and Marcus Harwood scored for the Outlaws.
Saturday
Joy Athletic Club 4-0 Sioux Falls Thunder
Bennett Kouame, Mika Folstad, Philip Caputo and Zinedine Kroeten scored for the Goats as they lock the TwinStars in every category other than head to head (which the Goats lead)
Minnesota Blizzard 0-2 Minnesota TwinStars
Abdoulsalam Akinola and Sadra Golzarian led the TwinStars past the Blizzard.
Dakota Fusion 3-2 Siouxland United
An end to end opening 10 minutes led into a straight red card for Queenslander Flynn Faulkner from Siouxland United for verbal abuse of an opponent in the 15th minute.
Even as the team with the numerical advantage, it took another 15 minutes before Fusion scored, through Gael Gonzalez. Only 5 mins after that, Sho Toda finished a passage of intricate passing to make it 2-0 and it looked like the home side were going to play out a copy of their smash and grab 2-0 on the road in Sioux City.
Outlaws came out with renewed vigor in the second half, and Kenny Hewitt broke through for Siouxland, poking home from a corner in the 62nd minute. Felix Buabeng made it 3-1, capitalizing on a square pass by a Siouxland defender to break away and score in the 81st minute. Marcus Harwood scrambled home a second goal from a ball over the defense, in the third minute of stoppage time but they were unable to tie it up.
The win takes Fusion clear of Duluth FC at the top of the Conference.
Speaking to us after the win, Dakota Fusion head coach Alex Trent had this to say:
We were great in possession in the first half and then we got away from what was working halfway through the second half. Proud of the effort of the team to get into good areas offensively and put the ball in the back of the net, but we had a few lapses on things defensively that normally we're great at. We're looking forward to another challenge on Tuesday against TwinStars.
I have reached out to Siouxland United and will update the story when I hear back.
Coming Up:
Tuesday:
Siouxland United v Sioux Falls Thunder
Dakota Fusion v Minnesota TwinStars
Minnesota Blizzard v Joy Athletic
Saturday:
Minnesota Blizzard v Dakota Fusion
Siouxland United v Duluth FC
Minnesota TwinStars v Joy Athletic Club
WPSL Wrap-Up: Week 7
With so much action in the league this week, we spotlighted Salvo's comprehensive victory over Manitou. The other results are as follows:
Tuesday
St Croix Legacy 3-2 Rochester United
Lexi Huber (from Kallianne Mogler) and then Lainey Murdzek (from Avery Murdzek) put Legacy ahead 2-0 within the opening half-hour. Sydney Tucker got a double (both unassisted, in the 62nd and 69th minutes) to tie the match but Lainey Murdzek popped up in the 85th minute (this time from Claire Cater) to steal the three points for the hosts.
Wednesday
Mankato United 2-1 Joy Athletic Club
Goals from Ella Huettl and Jadyn Chee for the hosts carried United past their visitors' late goal from Ashley Bennett.
MapleBrook Fury 1-6 Minnesota Thunder
Kendall Stadden's tally for the hosts was met with thunderous intent with goals by Grace Estby, Caroline Bailey, Paige Kalal, Izzy Engle and Paige Peltier.
Friday
Dakota Fusion 0-5 Sioux Falls City
Sioux Falls City kept pace with Salvo, with an explosion of scoring from Katharina Oelschlager - three goals in seven minutes (although one was probably an own goal) providing the dagger. Oelschlager is credited with four goals overall from the game and Yui Fujii opened the scoring, after an opening 30 minutes where they had repeatedly failed to connect on final passes but had otherwise knocked on the door.
Saturday
Manitou FC 1-3 Joy AC
The basement battle went the way of the team from St Louis Park. Brooke Quam put Joy ahead, before Tatum Trettel equalized. Brooke Nast and Ashley Bennett made sure of the points.
MapleBrook Fury 2-1 St Croix Legacy
Sunday
Minnesota Thunder 7-0 Dakota Fusion
Izzy Engle scored a hat trick, Grace Estby picked up two and Paige Peltier and Caroline Bailey scored single goals.
Sioux Falls City 5-0 Mankato United
Hailee Christensen with two, Katharina Oelschlager, Yui Fujii and Mia Bosch kept Sioux Falls in the hunt for the playoff spot.
Rochester United 0-6 Salvo
Khyah Harper scored a hat trick, Sophia Baresteh got two and Katelyn Buelke scored as the team from the Twin Cities lined up a potential playoff decider on Friday in Sioux Falls.
Coming Up:
Wednesday
St Croix Legacy v Mankato United
Minnesota Thunder v Rochester United
Friday
Dakota Fusion v Joy Athletic Club
Sioux Falls City v Salvo SC
Saturday
Mankato United v Manitou FC
Sunday
Dakota Fusion v Rochester United
Joy Athletic Club v MapleBrook Fury
St Croix Legacy v Sioux Falls City
Sunday July 7th:
MapleBrook Fury v Dakota Fusion
NPSL Spotlight: Minnesota TwinStars v Dakota Fusion
NPSL Spotlight: Minnesota TwinStars 0-0 Dakota Fusion
The TwinStars had already notched a memorable win over Duluth FC and although they would give up a lop-sided defeat to the same opposition on the road, they remained undefeated at their home at Park Center High and in third place going into their match with top of the table Dakota Fusion. Fusion have lost some momentum recently, with two draws bringing their lead over Duluth to only 1 point, going into the weekend – albeit with an uneven number of games played. The week’s results in full are recapped here.
In a tightly contested match, the closest that either side came, was in the fourth minute of stoppage time when a Fusion header from a corner was headed off the line by TwinStars. Speaking to us after the game, Dakota Fusion head coach Alex Trent was optimistic
We believe we can win any game and create chances. We know we have the players to do it and that goals will come if we continue to stay disciplined and execute better.
So the TwinStars home unbeaten record remains intact and Fusion’s remarkable streaks of clean sheets and of blunt finishing continue. Duluth lose some ground, falling 4-2 to Joy Athletic Club.
Alex Trent had an eye on the team’s key weakness
The past two games, we’ve played more than well enough to win and created countless chances, but need to be more clinical in the final third.
TwinStars Assistant Manager Karim Darbaki was very complimentary of both sides
It was a very good match. Very tactical. Both teams had some good moments. Fusion played possession football similar to the way we play, which made for an entertaining match.
We look forward to playing away to them.
Ousman Ceesay, our captain, had a very good game and was able to keep a clean sheet, one of our main objectives.
Fusion men next play next Saturday, back at home at Jim Gotta Stadium in Moorhead, against Siouxland United before welcoming (if that is the right word) the TwinStars to the Red River Valley on July 2nd and closing the NPSL season away at Minnesota Blizzard on July 6th. The club has also been announced as a participant in NISA Independent Cup’s Great Lakes region, and their opening match in that knockout bracket is scheduled for the following day back in Moorhead against UPSL and MASL club Vlora FC. The NPSL playoffs are then scheduled to begin on Wednesday the 10th at the highest two seeds’ home stadia, almost certain to be Fusion and the BlueGreens.
TwinStars men next play Sioux Falls Thunder on Wednesday, and then Minnesota Blizzard next Saturday. They close league play on July 6th at home to Joy Athletic before probably being on the road at the #2 seed in the playoffs on the 10th.
WPSL Spotlight: Joy Athletic v St Croix Legacy
Wednesday
Minnesota Thunder 8-0 Manitou FC
Doubles by Grace Estby and Caroline Bailey and single goals from Isabela Engle, Maddie Poor, Paige Peltier and Paige Kalal rocketed Thunder past Manitou.
St Croix Legacy 0-3 Salvo SC
St Croix made Salvo work in the opening hour, but a penalty kick from Khyah Harper broke the deadlock. The visitors added goals from Katelyn Beulke and Maddie Ishaug to close out a league leading fifth win, in the back and forth fight for the Northland’s playoff spot with Sioux Falls City.
Friday
Dakota Fusion FC 2-0 Manitou FC
This is Fusion’s first WPSL win since July of 2019 – a season when they accumulated the only two wins in team history. According to my research and the records of our predecessor E Pluribus Loonum, this is also their first ever clean sheet in 6 years of WPSL play. So the magnitude of this win may reverberate much further than just the 2024 standings for a club slated to launch a pro side in 2026.
As for the match on this humid Moorhead evening, Manitou travelled with just twelve players and Mandan, ND’s Sarah Burgum provided both the goals in a match otherwise dominated by shots nestling in the gloves of both goalkeepers.
Rochester United SC 0-1 Mankato United SC
Avery Korsching was the difference in the 88th minute, with a breakaway for the visitors.
Saturday Spotlight Match
Joy Athletic Club 1-1 St Croix Legacy
Dare Kroeten equalized two minutes after a St Croix lead given by Lexi Huber in the 53rd minute.
Sioux Falls City 5-0 MapleBrook Fury
City continue to apply pressure at the top of the Northern conference, with goals from five different scorers: Hailee Christensen, Jordan Tenpas, Katharina Oelschlaeger, McKenna Lehman and Mia Mullenmeister.
Sunday
Mankato United 6-0 Dakota Fusion
On a hot and humid day in Mankato, the home side rolled over Fusion. Goals were scored by Anna van Wyngarden, Avery Korsching, Jadyn Chee, Mia Deprenger, Marit Klagge and former Fusion player Maria Zanotti. Clare Longueville shut down the few chances the visitors had.
Coming Up
Tuesday
St Croix Legacy v Rochester United
Wednesday
Mankato United v Joy Athletic Club
MapleBrook Fury v Minnesota Thunder
Friday
Dakota Fusion v Sioux Falls City
Saturday
Manitou FC v Joy AC
MapleBrook Fury v St Croix Legacy
Sunday
Minnesota Thunder v Dakota Fusion
Sioux Falls City v Mankato United
Rochester United v Salvo
NPSL Spotlight: Joy AC v Dakota Fusion FC
Wednesday
Sioux Falls Thunder 0-2 Dakota Fusion
Fusion continue to set the pace, with goals from substitutes Felix Buabeng and Takumi Sato and riding out five mins down to ten men due to a second yellow card for captain Gael Gonzalez.
Minnesota Blizzard 0-3 Duluth FC
Edouard Nys scored twice and Jireh Oyebamiji got one as Duluth kept up the pressure on the top spot.
Joy Athletic Club 4-1 Siouxland United
Philip Caputo netted a first half hat trick and Zinedine Kroeten scored in the 79th minute to lift the Goats over the Outlaws, who spoiled the clean sheet through Magloire Makila.
Friday:
Sioux Falls Thunder 3-0 Siouxland United
Saturday Spotlight Match
Joy Athletic Club 0-0 Dakota Fusion
Joy held serve at home, rattling the crossbar and missing a penalty kick but failing to take three points which at times seemed to be coming their way. Fusion, on the other hand, lacked a finisher in a season when seven men have scored two goals, but no one man has more than two.
Minnesota TwinStars 3-1 Sioux Falls Thunder
Goalscorer information is not available at time of publication.
Since this is the last time the top two clubs will be on even games played until July, here is the table:
Coming Up:
Tuesday:
Joy Athletic Club v Minnesota TwinStars
Wednesday:
Duluth FC v Sioux Falls Thunder
Minnesota Blizzard v Siouxland United
Saturday:
Minnesota TwinStars v Dakota Fusion
Joy Athletic Club v Duluth FC
Sioux Falls Thunder v Minnesota Blizzard
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
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
WPSL North preview
Yes, it is too big but it features some of the best amateur players in the country, and some who have very recently been professionals. Let's look at the Northern Conference of the Women's Premier Soccer League.
Salvo SC
Having finished in second place in the North and taken a wildcard spot in the playoffs, Twin Cities-based Salvo made it all the way to the National Final before falling to a winner in the first minute of stoppage time and the end of the game by Charlotte Eagles. They were undefeated in the regular season, with two draws and six wins.
Minnesota Thunder
The regular season champions, but perennial refusers of a playoff berth, also finished undefeated, with seven wins and a draw. Kaitlyn MacBean went on a tear and finished the season with the most goals in the entire national league. The games between the two Twin Cities neighbors are usually fiercely contested.
Sioux Falls City FC
It's an exciting time in South Dakota, as the club prepare to launch a professional team in 2025 alongside the amateur side. They came third last season, behind Salvo on goal difference and with only one loss to their record (to Thunder).
Dakota Fusion FC
Just up the I-29 is another prospective WPSL PRO club (In their case 2026). Given the presence of North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota in the Red River Valley and the fact that their closest amateur rival is nearly 250 miles away, Fusion should have a more consistent pool of players than has been the case. Nonetheless, there is no getting away from the fact that the women's side often features a strong Fargoan component. Last season continued a trend of the club being unable to keep the ball out of the net. They finished with zero wins and a -43 goal difference.
Joy Athletic Club
Based out of St Louis Park, just to the west of Minneapolis and affiliated with St Paul non-profit Joy of the People, the Goats accumulated three wins, four losses and two draws.
MapleBrook Fury
Based in Maple Grove, a northwestern suburb of the Twin Cities, Fury tied Joy on 11 points but played two fewer games, accumulating a record of three wins, two draws and two losses.
Manitou FC
White Bear Lake, MN in the northeast of the Twin Cities metro is home to Manitou FC. The club finished the season with three wins, five losses and a draw.
St Croix Legacy
Based on the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro, Legacy had a see-saw season, with five wins, four losses and no draws.
Mankato United
MUSC only managed two wins from nine matches, losing the other seven and finishing with a -10 goal difference.
Rochester United
United finished the season with only three wins and six losses, coupled to a -21 goal difference.
Sioux City Sol
Emerging from nowhere to Siouxland between Sioux Falls and Omaha, they are playing "6 to 8 sanctioned matches" this year and joining the North fully next year.