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NASL Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Extends Unbeaten Run to Seven with 2-1 Victory

September 15, 2015 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Minnesota United FC News Release


Juliano Vicentini of Minnesota United vs. the Atlanta Silverbacks
Juliano Vicentini of Minnesota United vs. the Atlanta Silverbacks
(Minnesota United FC)

ATLANTA, Ga. (Tuesday, September 15th, 2015) -- Minnesota United continued its excellent form in a Tuesday night matchup with the Atlanta Silverbacks. After falling behind on an early goal, the Loons capitalized on its man-advantage to come back and win 2-1 on the road.

"We had a lot of desire to get the result," said United Assistant Coach Carl Craig. "It's tough playing against a team that bunkers down, even with only ten men. We created a lot of chances and had a good attitude. We hit the post a few times and missed some chances, but we persevered and got some quality goals."

The opening minutes were a roller coaster of emotions for both clubs. Four minutes in, United forward Pablo Campos looked to have a free chance on goal after beating Atlanta defender Rauwshan McKenzie, but McKenzie pulled down Campos outside of the penalty area. The referee didn't hesitate to show McKenzie a red card, leaving the Silverbacks with ten men.

However, it took only five minutes for the tables to turn. The Silverbacks took advantage of Minnesota pushing men forward by pressing on the counterattack. Former Loon Pedro Mendes beat the last defender and flicked the ball past United goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock to take the early lead.

The goal woke Minnesota up, who then put heavy pressure on the Silverbacks to control the ball and the pace of the game. The hard work paid off as United stacked the Atlanta box as defender Kevin Venegas put in a driven cross. The ball found forward Christian Ramirez who headed the ball home to tie the match. With that goal, his 30th in 54 games, Ramirez became the all-time leading goal scorer for United in all competitions.

Minnesota continued to control the match in the second half, making lots of dangerous moves toward the Atlanta goal. Silverbacks defenders, however, were able to hold off United for much of the match. United finally was able to beat the Silverbacks, thanks to second half sub J.C. Banks who put a shot through traffic into the bottom corner of the net.

United then turned its attention to preserving its lead for the final minutes of the match. Excellent defending and key saves from Ndjock prevented the Silverbacks from getting a clear chance on goal.

Juliano Vicentini had an early exit from the match after receiving his second yellow card. He will miss United's next match on Saturday against New York.

Minnesota held on in stoppage time to extend its unbeaten streak to seven games and move into first place in the NASL Fall Standings, tied with Ottawa.

Minnesota will look to continue its run this Saturday as it hosts the New York Cosmos at NSC Stadium, presented by the U.S. Army. The red-hot Loons and dominant Cosmos clash at 7 p.m. with the top spot in the NASL on the line. Get your tickets for this important match by visiting MNUnitedFC.com/tickets or by calling 763.4SOCCER.

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Juliano Vicentini of Minnesota United vs. the Atlanta Silverbacks
Juliano Vicentini of Minnesota United vs. the Atlanta Silverbacks
   



North American Soccer League Stories from September 15, 2015


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