NPSL Round Up : Week 7

Muskegon Risers and Med City lead the way in the Great Lakes and the North.

Tuesday:

Panathinaikos Chicago 2 vs 2 FC Milwaukee Torrent

PAO took the lead in the 26th minute, after their high pressing in the penalty area forced a rash challenge by a Torrent defender and a PK was awarded — scored by Rafael de la Linde, slotted calmly to the keeper’s left. Torrent played it calmly around for 20 or so seconds and then launched a long ball down the middle, catching the PAO defense cold and equalizing after less than 30 seconds through Alex Filian. Torrent went ahead in the 35th minute after Chava Nunez headed in a right wing free kick, unmarked at the far post. Torrent had a chance to repeat, this time from the left wing but the free kick was saved. Panathinaikos equalized on the stroke of half time, when a free kick from the left side of midfield was lofted to the right hand side of the goal and the ball was reversed for a flicked header by Alioune Mbaye to score.

The second half saw both sides have some strong chances but the goalkeepers and defenses held strong. As PAO were reduced to 10 men in the 68th minute, it is Torrent who will probably be less satisfied with the point.

Thursday:

Muskegon Risers 0 vs 0 Carpathia FC

A solid point for the team from Sterling Heights, MI, on the road, against the previously perfect — and best in the NPSL — Risers. However, they could have been even more successful, if their PK in second half stoppage time had not been saved.

Saturday:

Carpathia FC 0 vs 2 Panathinaikos Chicago

A PK deep in stoppage time at the end of the first half gave Panathinaikos Chicago the lead after a lightning counter from midfield was ended by the Carpathian goalkeeper upending the attacker.

The second half settled into a pattern of Carpathia possession and PAO counters, however it was a more composed period of play which led up to the second goal for PAO, a right wing cross from 25 yards out, bundled past the Carpathia defense in the 53rd minute. In the end, even 7 minutes of second half stoppage time could not grant Carpathia a way back into the game.

FC Milwaukee Torrent 2 vs 4 FC Columbus

Damani Camara chased down a long ball down field in the 18th minute and blasted the ball past the Torrent keeper for an FC Columbus lead. He repeated the trick almost exactly for 2–0 in the 21st minute.

Alex Filian made it 2–1 in the 55th minute, but Camara secured his hat trick in the 73rd minute. Torrent registered their second goal of the game in the 81st minute. Michael Chilton scored the capper for Columbus in the 90th minute.

Duluth FC 3 vs 1 Dakota Fusion FC

As the rest of the upper Midwest boiled, Duluth hosted a game in the rain.

Duluth FC took a lead after only 5 minutes, as Fusion failed to clear their lines and Kostya Domaratskyy volleyed the ball in from 10 yards out on the left. Domaratskyy got his and Duluth’s second in the 40th minute, set up by Blake Perry after Fusion GK Jamie Colvill had stopped a shot — to cap a half dominated by the home side.

Duluth FC made it 3 in the 59th minute after Fusion failed to clear a right wing corner and it was crossed back in from the left for Wynand Wessels to blast one home from 10 yards out. Fusion spoiled Michael Garrihy’s clean sheet after an offside trap was busted by Wasi Ewnetu with the last kick of the game.

Joy Athletic Club 2 vs 1 Minnesota TwinStars

After a goalless first half, Philip Caputo put Joy ahead in the 50th minute, driving the ball into the side netting from the left side of the penalty area. Tayeb Benjaafar equalized in the 71st minute off a rebound, having dribbled into the left back spot. However, Joy claimed all three points when Bennett Kouame scored just ten minutes later, finishing off a move from the back and a through ball.

Minneapolis City SC 1 vs 5 Med City FC

The division leading Mayhem took the lead in the 25th minute after a foul on the left edge of the penalty area led to a PK from Narcis Bou. An attack down the opposite wing only 2 minutes later was reversed to the right wing and put home by Scott Neil to make it 2–0. In the 31st minute, another quick counter down the left led to a side footed ball across to Andres Garcia on the right for the third.

Med City had a shot stopped at point blank range by the Minneapolis keeper in the 51st minute. The Crows spoiled the shutout in the 69th minute, as Matthew Murakami headed in a free kick from the left. Med City made it 4–1 with a second PK of the day, this time on a handball. Lucas Hart hammered it home in the 75th minute. A fifth goal came to the Mayhem in the 86th minute as Scott Neil countered alone on the left and collected his second goal of the game.

Sioux Falls Thunder FC 3 vs 2 La Crosse Aris FC

Sioux Falls Thunder took a 5th minute lead after the Aris goalkeeper surrendered possession deep in the penalty area and Max McLaughlin curled a shot past him from 20 yards out. Michael Virgen made it 2–0 in the 34th minute.

Jorden Verdonk scored for Aris in the 50th minute, to make it 2–1. Tyler Limmer grabbed Thunder’s last goal of the game in the 75th minute and Aris staged a late rally, scoring through Diego Arenal in the 86th minute.

Upcoming schedule:

(home team in bold)

Wednesday:

FC Columbus vs Panathinaikos Chicago

La Crosse Aris FC vs Joy Athletic Club

Med City FC vs Dakota Fusion FC

Minneapolis City SC vs Sioux Falls Thunder FC

Minnesota TwinStars FC vs Duluth FC

Saturday:

Carpathia FC vs FC Columbus

FC Milwaukee Torrent vs Muskegon Risers

Dakota Fusion FC vs LC Aris FC