MINNEAPOLIS — Wrinkles abound in the sporting world. Minneapolis City SC entered Wednesday boasting a 6-1-2 record. So, surely, 1-6-1 St. Croix SC would not pose much of an obstacle. And yet, in derby matches, table standings are of little predictive value. So, too, when three sets of brothers are facing one another, along with too many players to list who have grown up playing with-and-against one another.
The City curse, in cultivating an at-times abrasive social media presence — but also in building the only amateur men’s side in the Twin Cities capable of drawing over 1,000 fans — is that when facing a local opponent, the Crows seldom receive less than a determined effort. In Wednesday night’s particular instance, doubly so for a Tyler Oliver coached team that seldom has a shortage of fight in it.
For the fourth time this season, the Crows’ opponents were reduced to 10 men. And for the fifth time, City would need a late goal to achieve a result. But in the end, amidst a neck-and-neck race for the Heartland Division title with Sueno FC, the Crows escaped with a vital 3 points via a narrow 2-1 scoreline.
The game began in sluggish fashion, with the Crows failing to assert themselves in the opening minutes. However, the remainder of the first half saw City on the front foot. The agonizing question was, would possession and chances result in a goal? Or, could the Legends strike against the balance of play. With a difficult away trip to RKC Third Coast looming, Minneapolis could not afford to drop any points, ratcheting up the pressure.
It took almost the full half. With just a few minutes before the break, a sneaky-quick throw-in produced a shot on target, and a save from Legends keeper Quinn Millerd. Having dallied high-afield, center back Jared Hecht was waiting to pounce.
The centerback, who has been a key addition for Minneapolis, had prior been a longtime Legend.
“You know, it’s definitely interesting. I played for them for three years, and I don’t know. It’s like you got Tyler Oliver on their team. Justin Oliver is our coach. It’s kind of the same thing,” said Hecht. “We all know each other. It’s kind of just like playing your old friends from back home. So, it’s… bittersweet. But it’s good being with the Crows now.”
On the latter point, certainly so for the Crows. When the ball was recirculated into the box following the save, Hecht headed home to give Minneapolis its first lead of the evening, coming in the 43rd minute.
Scoring his first goal for City, Hecht jogged to the near sideline, crossing his hands while linking his thumbs.
“I think it’s just a little scrappy header, so nothing crazy,” said Hecht. “But ripped out the ‘crow celebration’. And, you know, it is what it is.”
Hopes that the Crows would press on to double their lead, and take out a bit of insurance on claiming the victory, were lifted when the Legends’ Mathis Guffroy picked up his second yellow card and was sent off in the 52nd minute. Surely, now Minneapolis could put the game to bed.
“Thought the start to the second half was, again, good and promising,” said Crows head coach Justin Oliver. “Then, they get a second yellow card. And then from there, I was super, super disappointed for that next 10-15 minutes, and we switch off when the ball’s out of bounds.
“Long throw-in, it beats us, and a phenomenal finish by Asher [Ozuzu] to stick it in the top right corner. Props to that. But again, that’s just us not being locked-in and not switched-on in a critical moment. And it’s a great finish, but it was definitely, definitely preventable, if we are being more proactive instead of reactive.”
With a half-hour left to retake and hold the lead, the Crows were jolted back into action.
“You feel the pressure,” said Hecht. “You go, ‘Oh, crap.’ And I think that we have the player quality in those moments to just really push on the gas pedal and make things happen. Evidently, that was the case. Had a lot of chances, and ended up putting one of them away.”
After various close calls, including rolling a shot just wide of the far post himself, Joe Highfield came to the rescue. Receiving a key pass from midfielder Ian Shaul in the 75th minute, Highfield made use of technique and poise to slot the ball past Millerd.
“It’s a mind-state to practice — training your mind to forget about things,” Highfield said, of his prior shot sent wide. “Like, my [earlier] chance, I missed it. But I can’t get it back. Nothing I can do about it. Fifteen minutes left is crunch time, you know. Just do what you can to grind it out, not for yourself, for the team.”
Goalkeeper Daniel Sessler was called upon, late, to help make sure City’s second lead held. The St. Mary’s graduate came off his line to smother and gather a trio of through-balls in added time.
The final whistle brought with it massive relief, and a result that kept Minneapolis in the division title hunt.
“Once that [St. Croix] goal happened, you got to see us wake back up again,” Justin Oliver said. “The chances were a plenty. Joe had a look. Julian had a look. There were some other ones… but I feel like today. we could have, again, scored four or five goals if we were more clinical. I don’t think Sessler was tested too-much in any big moments. Our back line was super solid, except for, again, that moment we switched off.
“So, just waiting for us to put together another 90-minute performance. I told the guys, I think this year in our 12 games, we’ve put together one full 90, and that was against River Light. And we’re seven wins, four draws, one loss.”
With only two games left to stake a claim on Minneapolis’ first division title since 2021, and its first-ever in League Two, the author pressed City’s head coach on if he and the Crows were running out of time to turn in another complete performance.
“I think it’s a perfect time for us to look to put together 90 minutes,” Oliver said, embracing the challenge. “It’s two of the other top three teams in the [division]… I think those are what I would describe as the perfect opportunities to go and put together a full 90. So, we’re gonna go make that road trip to RKC, which will be big. And then we close it out at home. And now, no matter what happens in our next game, we will have a chance to beat Sueno, to potentially win the [division] on the last day, no matter what.”
Departures
College programs have begun beckoning-back their players. It is a reality that confronts nearly every League Two side once the calendar rolls into July. Sending their teammates off with a win on Wednesday were Portland University’s Joe Highfield and St. Louis University’s Andrew Heckenlaible.
Highfield, a Wayzata native, departed the Twin Cities at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday morning to drive out to the West Coast. That he didn’t mind working up a sweat for the Crows less than 12 hours before embarking upon a long road trip speaks to the fact that the forward is City, through-and-through.
Across all competitions, Highfield contributed an impressive five goals and three assists in his third season with the Crows. And, crucially, stepped up his production when fellow-striker Preston Kipnusu was given a rest due to squad rotation.
In praise of Heckenlaible, two assists and a goal in his debut campaign with Minneapolis is not a stat line that paints a full picture. The indefatigable winger’s industry and tenacity supplied not only key goals, but was integral to keeping the Crows on pace for their best-ever defensive showing in League Two. The demands placed on wide players in Oliver’s preferred 3-5-2 aren’t slight, and neither has been Heckenlaible’s contribution to bringing winning soccer back to the City of Lakes.
Next Man Up
Head coaches can bemoan the challenge of trying to integrate a roster, and get a team to gel, with only a few practices ahead of every summer’s season opener. But, as every League Two team is in the same boat, it cannot be used as a perennial excuse. Similarly, nor can the need for a deep roster to account for declining player availability at the end of the season be taken for granted.
“We’re having such a good season. Obviously, I want to stay and help finish out the season, hopefully win the conference,” said Highfield. “But going into playoffs — assuming we make it, which I hope we do — I mean, we’re in a really good spot. We got full belief in the boys. So, I think we have plenty of guys that are going to step up and do good things for us in the last couple of games. I have full confidence in the team.”
Highfield and Heckenlaible’s departures present opportunities. Wingers Mizael Harris, Ondieki Maina, Bernard Assibey-Rhule, and Elijah Fearing will now be in consideration for increased minutes. As will forwards Tomas Menna, Sullivan Twill, and Julian Banks.
On the last in that aforementioned septet, Banks made his second-straight appearance off the bench for the Crows. This time, against, St. Croix, it came in the 62nd minute of a tie game, while nearly-notching a goal.
“Julian’s a very, very good player. Was big-time at the Minnesota United Academy. That’s why he goes to the University of Washington, as a player there,” said Oliver. “[T]here’s big opportunity right now for somebody like Julian Banks to step in and, you know, compete to earn that 90-minute role for us. And again, I rate him massively. He’s got all the traits, tools and qualities to be big-time. So, I’m very excited to see him step into a bigger role this last home stretch, as well.”
Race for the Heartland
We have received (another) clarification from the league! The Heartland Division’s top-two teams will be playoff bound. There is now no need to be concerned about points-per-game among second-place finishers in the Central Conference’s other divisions.
RKC Third Coast drawing 1-1 against Sueno at home on June 28 — along with Sueno FC’s 6-1 drubbing of Chicago City Dutch Lions on Wednesday — eliminated the Seagulls from postseason contention. The Heartland’s potential playoff pool has been reduced to just three teams.
Sueno, Minneapolis, and Rochester remain. The Dreamers and Crows have the inside track, sitting on 23 points apiece and each with two regular-season games to play. The (other) Loons are on just 15 points, and while they have a game in hand, they face long odds.
Rochester must win all of its last three games to finish on 24 points. With the first tie-breaker in the division table being head-to-head record, if Minneapolis picks up a single point from its last two games, it will finish ahead of Rochester. The (other) Loons did beat the Dreamers 2-1 on May 17 to open their season. Thus, Sueno either needs a draw or better against Rochester this Saturday, or a win against the Crows on July 12 to guarantee they finish above the (other) Loons, regardless of how Rochester fares in its final two games against St. Croix and the Chicago City Dutch Lions.
As for the division title, goal differential bears monitoring, as it is the second tie-breaker following head-to-head record. Sueno has pulled to within a goal of Minneapolis City on overall goal difference as the pair head into their final two regular season matches.
Tell your family, tell your friends, that City needs their support at Edor Nelson Field on July 12.
“Fans please come out and show support,” urged Justin Oliver. “That last game against Sueno, it’ll be big time, and we need you.”
