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Thunder Eliminated from US Open Cup by Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer in Penalty Kicks

June 30, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Minnesota Thunder News Release


BLAINE, Minn. (Tuesday, June 30, 2009) - The Thunder's hopes of a US Open Cup championship were shattered tonight when the Kansas City Wizards beat them in penalty kicks after a 3-3 overtime battle. It was an intense game with a dramatic ending because it was sent into penalty kicks with a last minute goal by Melvin Tarley in the 114th minute. The game witnessed three penalty kicks and mounting emotions from the players and that was before the overtime penalty kicks even started. Both Minnesota and Kansas City played with a chip on their shoulder and the game was physical, almost brutal at times, because both teams knew what was at stake in this game. In the end the only way to decide this game was with penalty kicks and the Kansas City Wizards were able to stop the Thunder and eliminating them from the tournament.

The Kansas City Wizards were able to get on the board first in the 17th minute. Minnesota's defenders thought that Michael Kraus was offsides so they did not mark him but that was their downfall to the first goal. Roger Espinoza saw the open man and capitalized on the opportunity as Kraus snuck one by Minnesota goalkeeper Nic Platter.

In the 19th minute, the Wizards struck again on a penalty kick. Kansas City was awarded a penalty kick when the Thunder made a tackle within the box but the call was questionable at best. Abe Thompson stepped up to the ball and placed it low and to the left. Platter made a good effort to deflect the ball but his hand just missed it and the Wizards went up by two.

Minnesota had a penalty kick of their own in the 41st minute. Sanchez had a free kick that he sent into the box looking for Dyachenko. During this play the Wizards fouled in the box thus resulting in a penalty kick. Sanchez stared down Pardo as he contemplated where to place his shot. He decided to go low and to the right and this was a shot that Pardo was unable to defend. This put Minnesota on the board and back within one.

The Thunder should have tired the game in the 44th minute of play but a shot from Quavas Kirk was knocked away by Pardo. In a similar fashion to the first goal of the game, Kirk was unmarked because the Wizards assumed that he was offisides. Kirk took control of the ball with nobody but Pardo in his way when he took his shot. In an attempt to fake out Pardo, Kirk shot the ball low but the Wizards keeper was not fazed by this and he stopped the breakaway try by the Thunder.

After the first 45 minutes, the Thunder was not playing their best soccer and the score reflects it. Although Minnesota was down, they were far from out.

Ricardo Sanchez put a shot on target in the 76th minute but Pardo put a stop to play. Cvilikas took the ball down the left side of the field but the Wizards defense caught up to him and did not let him take a shot. Instead, he slipped a pass to Sanchez who wound up and blasted a shot put it was right to Pardo and he made an easy save.

A third penalty kick was awarded in the 84th minute and this one went to the Thunder. Melvin Tarley was tripped in the box when he was trying to take possession of the ball and this gave Minnesota a prime scoring opportunity. Sanchez took the shot and he sent it to the upper left corner and leaving Pardo helplessly diving in the wrong direction. This evened up the game with impending overtime looming just minutes away.

After 90 minutes of play, the game was tied at 2-2. This sent the match into overtime and the energy of the game only intensified.

The Thunder had a good chance to take the lead in the 103rd minute. Geoffrey Myers was taken down by two Wizards players and Minnesota was given a free kick 17 yards outside of the penalty box. Sanchez saw this as a scoring opportunity and went for the goal but Pardo made the save keeping the match on even ground.

Kansas City took the lead in the 105th minute. Minnesota successfully evaded danger from a corner kick but only by giving Kansas City another one. This corner was much deadlier for the Thunder as it resulted in a goal. Claudio Lopez knocked the ball into a crowd of people and Wizards defender Rauwshan Mckenzie got his head on the ball and he headed it into the net for the go ahead goal.

Late, in the 114th minute, Melvin Tarley came up with the biggest goal of the game. He was in pristine position when Sanchez sent a lob pass to him and he was off to the races. Tarley was on a break away with two Wizards closing and in and Pardo coming out to address the play. Tarley saw this as a picture perfect scoring opportunity and he chipped it over Pardo. The ball fell nicely within the goal evening up the game.

The Wizards had one last scoring opportunity in the 119th minute. Kansas City had a free kick 19 yards outside the box and they went for the kill shot. The ball was put on target but Platter saved the game and sending it to penalty kicks.

Penalty kicks in a" win or go home" situation is arguably the most nerve racking experience to play and watch. Kansas City ended up walking away with the win after scoring four of their penalty kicks and Pardo saving two of Minnesota's four attempts.

"We battled hard after being down two goals, "said Minnesota defender/midfielder Kevin Friedland. "We played hard to come back, but penalty kicks are penalty kicks. We got a late goal and battled all the way to the end, but again penalty kicks are anybody's game."

The loss tonight knocks the Thunder out of the 2009 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup but if they were going to lose, a game like tonight's is they way to go. Up next for Minnesota is a home match against the Portland Timbers on Saturday, July 4, at 7:05 p.m. at the National Sports Center. Fans are welcome to stay and watch fireworks.

For individual tickets, please visit www.ticketmaster.com or for group tickets call the Thunder office at 651.294.4664.



USL First Division Stories from June 30, 2009


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