The Minnesota Thunder, at 0-4-1 with a single point and in the bottom of the Western Conference standings seemed to have schedule their matchup against the Milwaukee Rampage at a good time, at a midweek game at Macalaster College in St. Paul.
Macalaster College is the traditional home for the last several years for midweek games; it's a smaller stadium (about 4000) that's closer to the field than the National Sports Center, so a smaller crowd can seem louder than they would in Blaine. Also, being in the heart of St. Paul, it typically draws a better crowd than the NSC would on the same day, as families can avoid the 20 minute drive to the northern suburb. But most importantly, The Thunder were unbeaten at Macalaster; a lone tie against the Colorado Foxes (A-League) when the Thunder were in the USISL Select League was the only smear on their record.
Milwaukee, on the other hand, were 2-2-1, in the middle of the conference, and on top of Group 7 in the US Open Cup. Holding Minnesota to under three goals or a win would clinch the Group and advance the Rampage to the next round. In the previous meeting Milwaukee edged Minnesota 1-0 by and Igos Soso goal in the 50th minute; the game was typical of recent years in that over 50 fouls were called during the game.
--- First Half ---
Minnesota came out like the Thunder of the last three years: confident and controlled. They kept possession of the ball for the majority of the first twenty minutes, keeping the ball within and around the Milwaukee penalty area. The Rampage's defense seemed content to let the Thunder carry play, and prevent them from obtaining any quality goal-scoring chances, and play the counter-attack.
And then, almost like clockwork, at the 20th minute, everything changed. Now the Rampage controlled play, and unlike Minnesota, who searched for scoring chances, Milwaukee had them in abundance. The payoff came quickly in the 24th minute when David Hayes made a curving run around the left side into the edge of the penalty area and slid the ball past a diving John Swallen to the opposing side of the goal.
Minnesota never regained the form of the first twenty minutes, and seemed to fall the previous funk that endangered the first half against Cincinnati: passes were consistently short of their target, and if they had the correct length, were frequently off by their width. Milwaukee, who had played excellent defensively in the first 20, had a much easier time picking off balls that were unreachable by their intended recipients.
Red Cards were issued in the 41st minute Phillipe Gody and Mike Gentile for a shoving match, which left both teams with ten men apiece. Minnesota may have had a man advantage, but Gentile, who did not receive the initial shove that caused Gody's send-off, ran into the fray, earning his.
--- Second Half ---
The best way to describe the second half is to take the final 25 minutes of the first half and declare, "ibid". Milwaukee continued to pelt goalkeeper John Swallen with quality shots (four saves, including repelling two rapid-fire zingers from within the penalty area on a 2-on-1 Milwaukee rush), and any that Minnestoa took seemed ineffectual, either from 30 yards out, or if inside the penalty area, wide.
Milwaukee was able to mount more counter-attacks and odd-man rushes as Minnesota tried to bring people forward, but there was no further scoring, as Minnesota lost, for the fifth time this season, 0-1. Milwaukee secured a birth into the next round of the US Open Cup, and along with being the first team to beat Minnesota at home, became the first to defeat Minnesota at Macalaster College.
--- Observations ---
While Minnesota seemed off-balance for nearly the entire game, certain players did stand out, and if/when the rest of the team comes to form, should really shine. Kalin Bankov, making only his second appearance this season with the Thunder, was calm, collected, and did a nice job anchoring the defense. Mike Gentile also distributed the ball well, until his temper got the best of him.
This was by far the most polite game in recent memory between the Ramapge and the Thunder, and while it's the Rampage that have had more players sent-off for misconduct, it may be necessary for the Thunder to instigate some of their own fire (within certain boundaries, of course).
Participants: Minnesota vs. Milwaukee
Competition: A-League & Lamar U.S. Open Cup Qualifier
Venue: Macalester Stadium, St. Paul, MN
Date: Wednesday, May 30 - kickoff 7:05 pm (CT)
Attendance: 3,167
Weather: 75, sunny
Scoring Summary: 0 1 F
Minnesota 0 0
Milwaukee 1 0
Milwaukee - David Hayes (I. Soso) 23rd minute
Lineups:
Minnesota - 1-John Swallen; 4-Eric Otto (13-Mark Schulte, 66); 8-John Coughlin (9-Shawn Kroener, 77); 21-Don Gramenz; 15-Kalin Bankov (17-Aaron Leventhal, 66); 5-Mike Gentile; 6-Morgan Zeba; 14-Kirk Miller (3-Nate Winkel, 45); 10-Stoian Mladenov; 7-Amos Magee; 25-Gerard Lagos
Milwaukee - 1-Dan Popik; 18-Josh Provan; 17-Alen Soso; 20-Chad Prince; 2-Steve Bernal 8-Khary Stockton, 51); 16-Jason Russell; 10-Yuri Lavrinenko (3-Dennis Fedeski, 69); 11-Igor Soso (21-Scott Dombrowksi, 83); 26-Philipe Godoy; 13-David Hayes; 12-Digital Takawira (24-Ollie Ellsworth, 72)
Statistical Summary: Minnesota Milwaukee
Shots 12 9
Saves 5 4
Corner Kicks 4 6
Fouls 8 13
Offside 2 4
Misconduct Summary:
Minnesota - Kirk Miller (caution) 35th minute
Milwaukee - Phillpe Gody (ejection) 41st minute
Minnesota - Mike Gentile (ejection) 41st minute
Milwaukee - Yuri Lavrinenko (caution) 45th minute
Milwaukee - Khary Stockton (caution) 52 minute
Minnesota - Stoian Mladenov (caution) 56 minute
Minnesota - Mark Schulte (caution) 76th minute
Milwaukee - David Hayes (caution) 90th minute
Referee: Marcel Yonan
Assistant Referee #1: Sia Rahimi
Assistant Referee #2: Fotis Bazakos
Fourth Official: Jeff Filipek
