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NASL Minnesota United FC

NSC Minnesota Stars open season Sunday at Vancouver Whitecaps FC

April 8, 2010 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Minnesota United FC News Release


BLAINE, Minn. (April 8, 2010) - Talk about a baptism by fire. The NSC Minnesota Stars begin their inaugural season in the USSF Division 2 Pro League Sunday night with a road match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. With two league titles and three title game appearances since 2006, Vancouver will welcome the Stars to Swangard Stadium for a 6 p.m. CST kickoff.

"We fully expect them to come at us and push the game," Stars head coach Manny Lagos said. "More than likely, they're going to come out with home energy and enthusiasm, and we'll have to match them."

The Whitecaps finished last season as USL First Division runner up after winning the league in 2008. With an eye toward its future in Major League Soccer, where it will begin playing in 2011, Vancouver spent the past offseason making some significant upgrades to its roster, bolstering an already strong midfield with former Minnesota Thunder playmaker Ricardo Sanchez. Sanchez was a fan favorite during his time with the Thunder, and in 2009 he was second on the team with seven goals and led the league with eight assists.

"Ricardo is a very talented player," Lagos said. "He's got a great left foot, and he's somebody we're going to have to keep an eye out for throughout the game."

Fans can watch Sunday's game - and all USSF D-2 Pro League games this season - online for free. Stars games will air on NSCMinnesota.org. The United States Soccer Federation has announced a partnership with Ooyala to provide live streaming video of all games in 2010.

In other Stars news, the team has signed forward Devin Del Do, pending league approval.

Del Do grew up in Valencia, Calif., and was a four-year letter winner at California State University of Northridge. He appeared in 70 games in his career for the Matadors, finishing with nine goals and nine assists.

Del Do admires Argentine forward Carlos Tevez, who is known for working tirelessly to involve himself in every game. It's a quality that Del Do said he's always tried to emulate.

"I'm a strong believer that hard work pays off," Del Do said. It certainly has for Del Do, who attended the Stars' open tryout, earning a call back to participate in training camp.

"We're really excited to sign Devin Del Do," Lagos said. "He came to our combine and showed really well. He's a good young talent and we're looking forward to watching him develop as a player in this league."

NSC Minnesota will play in the twelve-team United States Soccer Federation (USSF)-sanctioned division-2 professional league. The league will consist of two six-team conferences - the USL Conference and the NASL Conference. The USL Conference will include teams from Austin (Tex.), Minnesota, Portland (Ore.), Puerto Rico, Rochester (N.Y.) and Tampa Bay. The NASL Conference will consist of teams from Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver.

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