Sports stats



USSF D-2 Minnesota United FC

Stars Rue Missed Chances in 1-0 Loss to Baltimore

July 4, 2010 - U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Minnesota United FC News Release


BLAINE, Minn. (July 4, 2010) - "High and wide" was the theme of the night for the NSC Minnesota Stars, and it proved costly.

After dominating possession and creating the match's best chances, the Stars went home empty-handed Sunday night after Tsuyoshi Yoshitake's 86th minute goal gave Crystal Palace Baltimore a 1-0 victory at the NSC Stadium. Yoshitake's goal, which came on a quick counterattack, was one of only four shots Baltimore created all night.

"It's gut wrenching," midfielder Ely Allen said after the match. "It feels like they stole one from us. It was just one of those days where couldn't finish, and they made us pay for it."

Much like they did eight days ago when the two teams met in Baltimore, the Stars enjoyed the better goal scoring chances. Unlike that match, which the Stars won 3-1, they couldn't find the net. The Stars created 10 shots Sunday, but only forced Baltimore goalkeeper Evan Bush into one save. Several of the team's best chances had the keeper beaten but couldn't sneak inside the post.

Melvin Tarley missed the game's first clear cut chance. Defender Scott Lorenz broke down the left side and played a low cross to Tarley near the penalty spot, but the Liberian striker couldn't connect with the ball, and Baltimore scrambled to clear the ball. Within the next minute, Daniel Wasson created a chance for Geison Moura, but the Brazilian midfielder's 10-yard shot was blocked, and the Stars' early pressure ended moments later when Allen committed a foul in Baltimore's penalty area.

The rest of the first half was a series of half-chances for the Stars. The most notable moment of the half came in the 30th minute, when defender Chris Clements went down injured in front of his own goal. Clements left the field under his own power but headed straight to the locker room, replaced on the field by Brian Kallman. Clements will be evaluated next week.

The Stars began the second half with a bit more energy and should have taken the lead in the 50th minute. Lorenz got loose down the left side again and played a low cross to Tarley, who dropped the ball to Wasson, but the midfielder's right-footed shot sailed just past the upper corner of the goal.

Three minutes later, Kallman squandered a golden opportunity after Allen and Lorenz combined down the left side. Allen's low cross somehow got through a crowd to Kallman at the top of the six-yard box, but the defender's side-footed shot went over the crossbar.

In the 62nd minute, Wasson had another chance after Moura sent him through on goal, but his shot from near the corner of the penalty area couldn't find its way inside the near post. Warren Ukah had the next good opportunity, recovering well from a poor first touch to shoot agonizingly wide in the 74 th minute.

With all the missed chances, the stage seemed set for late-game heroics, and Yoshitake seized it, leaving the Stars to regret their squandered chances and three important points gone begging. Dan Lader won a 50-50 challenge with Kallman before launching a pass over the top of the Stars' central defense. Yoshitake, who had been on the field for only six minutes, raced onto the pass and hit a right-footed shot off Stars goalkeeper Joe Warren's hand and into the bottom corner.

"The reality of soccer sometimes is you play well and don't finish you chances, and you get stretched by a quick counter like that," head coach Manny Lagos said after the game.

Lagos' players shared his pragmatic attitude, but admitted that letting games slip away late was going to mount pressure on them in the second half of the season.

"We've got to start winning the majority of our games, especially at home," defender Andres Arango said. "This was a punch in the stomach, but we've got to take it and improve our performances."

With a few kids lingering around him for autographs, Allen perhaps summed it up best: "It's one we wish we could have back."

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics



U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from July 4, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central