Non-League — NPSL

NPSL Round Up: Week 5

Tuesday:

, and Tim Abbott

June 8, 2022 . 3:19 PM

3 min read

National Premier Soccer League (Credit: NPSL)

Tuesday:

Panathinaikos Chicago 0 vs 7 Muskegon Risers

Risers traveled to Schaumburg, IL to face a Panathinaikos squad who let go of their head coach George Katsaros earlier that day.

Adam Knight opened the scoring for MKG in the 11th minute, followed three minutes later by Alec Belcastro. Domenic Baumann made it 3–0 in the 25th minute. Vitalis Takawira Jr completed the first half scoring and effectively put the game to bed in the 43rd minute.

Belcastro got his second in the 58th minute. Late goals from Takawira Jr and Thomas Devries made it 7–0, matching Milwaukee Torrent’s result from last week.

Thursday:

Carpathia FC 0 vs 3 Muskegon Risers

The match’s first chances came within the opening ten minutes when Carpathia had three free kicks in quick succession but they were beaten away. Risers took the lead in the 19th minute when Vitalis Takawira Jr blasted a free kick from dead central, 20 yards out, into the top left corner past the diving keeper. The first half saw other Carpathian chances but none were converted. With half time approaching, Muskegon made it two with a scrappy finish by Alec Belcastro, on the third rebound off the Carpathia keeper after muscling their way in towards goal from the right.

Muskegon had a chance right off the bat in the second but the shot went high. It was 3–0 in the 52nd minute as Samuel Esquivel-Gonzalez rifled a shot past the keeper on the run from the left wing, into the side netting on the far post. A Muskegon breakaway in the 65th minute could have made it 4–0 but the cross from the right was not capitalized upon. The same pattern of play happened in the 73rd. A defensive miscue was the closest that Carpathia got in the second half, and even a red card for the Risers in the 75th minute did not open the door for the home team.

Saturday:

FC Columbus 5 vs 0 Panathinaikos Chicago

Damani Camara opened the scoring in the 56th minute after a scoreless first half, and he ended up netting a hat trick (56, 58 and 85). Mamadou Diallo and Ridwan Abdi also scored.

FC Milwaukee Torrent 1 vs 1 FC Carpathia

Carpathia went ahead in the 26th minute after a breakaway down the right was crossed in for an emphatic finish by Luke Morrell. James Weber’s second half equalizer was almost a carbon copy.

Minneapolis City SC 2 vs 1 Duluth FC

Zach Susee opened the scoring for the Minneapolis City in the 7th minute off a Loïc Mesanvi pass. Luca Contestabile scored in the 52nd minute for the Crows from a free kick and Duluth scored a late consolation through Peter Oyetunji.

Dakota Fusion FC 3 vs 1 Joy Athletic Club

After a goal-less first half, Kevin Zapata-Perez broke the tie in the 55th minute with a solo counter attack, breaking from midfield and then placing a slot into the bottom left corner of the goal. Nicholas Hoener made it 2–0, chipping the on rushing goalkeeper in the 62nd minute after a pass from Zapata-Perez. Joy Athletic had two shots blocked by the Fusion defense but the ball went right up the other end for a Fusion free kick. Headed just over the bar. Joy’s goal came after a Fusion defender played a slow-rolling backpass and it was charged down by Bennett Kouame past Valentin Kliebe. The final goal came as time ran out, with Noah Boyce laid it on for Zapata-Perez.

LC Aris FC 0 vs 5 Minnesota TwinStars

TwinStars’s left wing contributed to two early goals and the third came from a defense splitting pass through the middle.

The second half saw TwinStars continue pressure down the left wing, and another two goals.

Sioux Falls Thunder FC 1 vs 2 Med City FC

Tyler Limmer scored again for Thunder, in the 17th minute and the home team held the lead all the way until the 75th minute. The game then turned on its head as Andres Garcia scored in the 76th and 81st minutes to give the Mayhem an away win.

Upcoming schedule:

(home team in bold)

Tonight:

Dakota Fusion FC vs Sioux Falls Thunder FC

Duluth FC vs Joy Athletic Club

LC Aris FC vs Med City FC

Minneapolis City SC vs Minnesota TwinStars

Saturday:

FC Columbus vs FC Milwaukee Torrent

Med City FC vs Joy Athletic Club

Minneapolis City SC vs La Crosse Aris FC

Minnesota TwinStars vs Dakota Fusion FC