USSF D-2 Minnesota United FC

NSC Minnesota Stars top Tampa Bay 3-1, extend winning streak to 4

Published on September 24, 2010 under U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Minnesota United FC News Release


The NSC Minnesota Stars have looked anything but uncomfortable on their past two road matches. For the second straight road game, the Stars scored three times in the first half and cruised to a comprehensive victory away from NSC Stadium.

The Stars extended their winning streak to four games with a 3-1 win over FC Tampa Bay Friday night. Lucas Rodriguez, Simone Bracalello and Kentaro Takada scored in first half for the Stars, and the defense held Tampa Bay's attack in the second half. Rodriguez and Takada each tallied their first goals of the season, while Bracalello's goal gave him the team lead with five as the Stars finished their 30-game regular season.

Despite the Stars' dominance, the first half featured chances at both ends. The difference was finishing. Stars goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel made four saves, while his counterpart, Daryl Sattler, was left to pick the ball out of his net after the Stars' attack scored its sixth, seventh and eighth goals in the past four matches.

Rodriguez opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Sattler saved Devin Del Do's shot, but Rodriguez gathered the rebound on the left edge of the penalty box and lofted a shot into the far post. It was the second goal Rodriguez has had a hand in in the Stars' past three games after assisting on Del Do's winner against the Carolina RailHawks on September 15.

Tampa answered with some pressure of its own, shooting right at Van Oekel in the 21st minute and forcing a rebound with a shot on the half-hour mark. As Tampa attempted to tilt the field toward the Stars' goal and reclaim some momentum, the Stars struck again on a counterattack in the 36th minute.

Bracalello gathered a pass from Del Do near the same spot Rodriguez scored from, and a quick stepover gave him all the space he needed to curl a right-footed shot over Sattler's shoulder and inside the far post.

The goal appeared to deflate Tampa Bay, who was lucky not to fall behind 3-0 in the 40th minute when Stars defender Andres Arango turned and shot just over the bar after Tampa failed to clear a Daniel Wasson corner kick. Moments before halftime, the hosts wouldn't be so lucky.

Takada started and finished a move to put the Stars ahead by three goals. The Japanese midfielder's through ball from inside the center circle found Del Do in stride, and as Del Do carried the ball toward the goal line, Takada moved unmarked into the penalty box and smashed home Del Do's return ball from the goal line.

The Stars made changes in the second half, bringing in Brian Cvilikas for Bracalello, Neil Hlavaty for Ely Allen and Andrei Gotsmanov for Takada. Norwegian Thomas Granum came in for his second appearance of the season with half an hour left, replacing Rodriguez.

The Stars maintained their pressure early in the second half, as Cvilikas saw a shot deflected wide after slipping behind Tampa's defense. Hlavaty also tried to get his name on the scoresheet, slamming a left-footed shot right at Sattler. As the Stars' continued pushing forward, Tampa sought out counterattacking opportunities, nearly scoring after about 65 minutes as Van Oekel had to stretch to tip a chipped shot over the bar.

Tampa Bay's pressure finally told in the 73rd minute when on-loan forward Maykel Galindo's shot deflected off Arango and past Van Oekel. Galindo was credited with the goal, ending the Stars' shutout streak at 353 minutes, dating back to Jamie Watson's 80th minute goal for Austin on September 4.

The Stars now have nearly two weeks off before kicking off their postseason. The Stars will not know their seed, opponent, or dates of their two playoff matches until October 3, when the USSF Division 2 Pro League season concludes. One thing that's certain: When the playoffs begin, the Stars will enter as the league's hottest team.

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U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from September 24, 2010


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