Dakota Fusion FC 4-2 Duluth FC
Dakota Fusion emerged from a whole-hearted match with a win despite a late red card for....dissent, maybe. What is certain is that Joshua Hatton received two yellow cards within the same exchange with the referee. Every time I tried to predict who was on top, the other side would confound me. Duluth's João Maghãlaes (Catawba College via Rio de Janeiro) continued his hot scoring streak, including a goal in the first minute when he capitalized on a misdirected pass in the Fusion defense. Keiden Green (College of Idaho via Chiba, Japan) equalized, and the two had a nice little duel going on. In the 19th minute, a counterattack pinged the other way, and Maghãlaes lashed the ball into the top corner. The lead would last until the 34th minute when a ball sprang Duluth's offside trap, and Green notched his second.
Shortly after half-time, Takuto Yamaguchi (Arizona Western Community College via Saitama, Japan) hammered the ball low into the corner to put the hosts ahead. Green's hat trick was completed when he took a penalty in the 77th minute. Things looked like they had been decided until Hatton's red card in the 79th, and even with a man advantage, Duluth were unable to make a dent in the deficit.
Duluth FC 2-1 Dakota Fusion FC
For much of this game, not much happened, as the probable first round playoff opponents met for the second time in a week and canceled each other out in midfield.
We were in the Zenith City for this second tie too, of note the weather report:
Northland Non-League
Also, I hate to blow my own trumpet but I predicted the winner.
Northland Non-League
To be fair to Duluth FC's defense, and goalkeeper Augustin Warnod in particular, it remained goal-less through 81 minutes through their efforts and some profligate finishing by both sides. The go-ahead goal came in ignoble fashion, when a BlueGreens corner was fumbled into his own net by Fusion keeper Callum Smith. That was the beginning of a chaotic last few minutes, Keiden Green for Fusion in the 89th minute before Maghalães curled a beautiful winner from the top of the box in stoppage time.
Since only a Fusion win would boost the visitors above their hosts, the result cemented next Wednesday's Conference semifinal as Duluth FC v Dakota Fusion at Walt Hunting Stadium in Duluth.
Enjoy some of the photos I took:
Elsewhere in the Northland
Siouxland United 3-0 Joy AC (Joy forfeited)
Minnesota Blizzard 0-4 Duluth FC
Sioux Falls Thunder 1-2 Dakota Fusion FC
Joy AC 3-2 Minnesota Blizzard
Blizzard 0-2 Siouxland
Thunder 2-1 Joy
Coming Up
Playoff Semifinals - Wednesday July 8th
Siouxland United v Minnesota Blizzard
Duluth FC v Dakota Fusion
