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Thunder Faces Defending Champs In Home Opener Sunday

May 2, 2007 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Minnesota Thunder News Release


ST. PAUL, Minn. (Wednesday, May 2, 2007) - The Minnesota Thunder will host its home opener and go for its first win of the season in taking on the defending champions the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday, May 6 at 5:05 p.m. at James Griffin Stadium. For the second consecutive year, the home opener is complimentary and FREE for the public. This game will be used as a charity event to support children at risk. For more information, call 651.917.TEAM or visit www.mnthunder.com.

The Thunder and Lightning will conduct a FREE youth player clinic from 2:30-3:30 p.m. (registration begins at 2:00 p.m.) and the first 500 youths to register on-site will receive a FREE T-shirt, compliments of Soccer USA. The gates for the game open at 3:30 pm and the first 1,500 fans to attend the game will receive a bobble button, compliments of the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association.

Attendees can also contribute by participating in our Carnival for Charity (3:30-5:00 pm) which has booths that test young athlete's skills and more at such things as a bean bag toss, Thunder golf, kicking on Thor, a silent auction, and a dunk tank.

The Thunder will also host an exhibition game against Inferno '95 at Braemar fields in Edina on Saturday, May 5 at 6 p.m. The match will be a preview for fans to the home season and there is NO charge for admission. This game is sponsored by the Edina Soccer Club.

About the Thunder

Minnesota (0-1-2, 2 points) is still looking for its first win of the season after opening the year with three consecutive road games. Last Friday, the Atlanta Silverbacks handed the Thunder their first loss of the year, winning 3-1 at Silverbacks Stadium. The Thunder is playing five of their first six games on the road, next traveling to Miami and Puerto Rico after hosting the Whitecaps this Sunday. Minnesota's two goals this season were both scored as a result of a penalty kick. Ansu Toure converted a penalty kick, while Brian Farber scored on the rebound of a missed attempt. Six Thunder players -- defenders Terry Alvino, Derek Smith and Kyle Zenoni, midfielders Freddy Juarez and Ansu Toure and goalkeeper Joe Warren - have played every minute of every game so far this year.

About the Whitecaps

Vancouver (1-0-1, 4 points) is the defending USL First Division Champions. The Whitecaps opened up their season with two home games, defeating the Seattle Sounders 1-0 and tying the California Victory 2-2. The team will travel to Rochester to face the Raging Rhinos on Friday, May 4 before playing the Thunder on Sunday. Forward Eduardo Sebrango has scored two of the Whitecaps' three goals so far this season. Fellow attacker Joey Gjertsen is also a perennial offensive threat, tallying 31 points in 28 games in the 2006 season.

2006 Season Series

The Thunder faced Vancouver four times last year, posting a record of 0-2-2. The Whitecaps defeated the Thunder 3-0 in the first meeting on May 14 in Vancouver. The next two games were played in Minnesota, with the teams played to a 1-1 draw on June 3 and the Whitecaps winning 2-1 on July 14. The last meeting of the year finished in a 2-2 tie on August 26 in Vancouver.

Up Next

The Thunder will have almost two weeks off before playing their next game, a road trip to take on Miami FC on Friday, May 18 at 7 p.m. at Tropical Park Stadium. This match will be LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel. After facing Miami, the Thunder will travel to Puerto Rico to take on the Islanders on Sunday, May 20 at 4 p.m. The next Thunder home game is on Saturday, May 26 against the Puerto Rico Islanders at 7:35 p.m. at the National Sports Center in Blaine. The game is the second of a double header, with the Minnesota Lightning set for its season opener against the Chicago Gaels at 5:05 p.m. For more information, call 651.917.TEAM or visit www.mnthunder.com


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