ST. PAUL, Minn. — Playing away, against the Deep North’s first-place club, was never going to be the easiest of matches for Minneapolis City. But the Crows — thanks to second-half brace from Steevie Lamarre — took their first-ever point off the Chill in last summer’s visit to Thunder Bay. And on June 5, at Edor Nelson field, the Crows grabbed their first win in the series. Recent history suggested a result was possible.
On Saturday evening, things started poorly. The Chill, thanks to goals from Tyler Attardo and Diego Reveco, lead 2-0 by the 21st minute. To say the Crows did not find their footing, early, would be apt, with a pair of slips from center backs Max and Nick Kent aiding Thunder Bay in finding the net for the two aforementioned scores.
Minneapolis would rally, however. Making his first start, forward Henri Tophoven drew a corner from a shot on target. It was taken short, but led to a second, proper, and with the latter, Eli Goldman picked out the head of Nick Kent, who buried his shot for his second goal of the League Two season.
Aside from a couple unfortunate moments, City had been playing well. Now, they were back in the game, trailing by a single goal. At least for the next three minutes.
Attardo scored his second of the evening, this time from a corner of his own, as if replicating Nick Kent’s in order to wipe it away, and restore the hosts’ two-goal margin for error. It would prove, in increasingly-frustrating fashion, the eventual game-winner.
Not that the Chill failed to continue to create chances of their own on into the second half — including an Attardo breakaway that keeper Daniel Sessler managed to pressure ahead of the forward sending it just wide of the far post — but the combination of effort and near misses from the Murder made for a maddening final 45 minutes.
“At halftime, we went into the locker room feeling good about our performance, and unlucky, based on where the scoreline was,” said Oliver. “I said, ‘Guys, we’re going to go out there and win the second half.’ Unfortunately, their keeper made some great stops.”
Josha Moya saved a close-range effort from Tophoven in the 55th, and a Goldman penalty-kick in the 59th. Nick Kent was denied a second headed-goal through the combined efforts of Moya and the crossbar in the 67th. Two minutes later, Sam Jordan would pick up his second caution of the match in spite of not entering until the second half, to give Minneapolis a man-advantage for the stretch run.
Futures products Jordan Ross, Sam Kaeding and Joseph Swallen provided fresh legs off the bench. City continued to push for a result.
“They all did really, really well,” Oliver said. “Even with some [senior team] players heading back to school, early, I still feel like we went down with a really strong lineup. Jordy did well playing a bit of striker and did even better we we isolated him out wide, as a right-mid, for the last 20-or-so minutes, with some good one-v-one moments. Joe came in for Adam Senna when we went up a man — trying to take off a defender to get one more midfielder higher-up — worked hard, competed, and did a good job of connecting and playing simple.
“And Sam, they knew he was one of the younger players getting call up. They tried to isolate their striker against him when they would go long. Sam did a great job of competing against them, winning firsts and collecting seconds.”
The 90th minute arrived, and hope was kept on life support with the announcement of six minutes of added time.
Nick Kent sent a header just wide in the 93rd. A moment later, Thunder Bay were called for handling inside their 18-yard box. Tophoven, leaving Moya no chance, roofed his penalty kick to score his first for the Crows, and bring the game within a single goal.
“Henri getting back to match fitness is a big boost. He was so, so good in the game, and obviously left with a goal” said Oliver. “Did a great job and was just super dangerous. He’s a player where, you don’t quite realize how much you missed him until he’s finally playing, and puts in a performance like he did, tonight.”
Sessler came up for a pair of corners in the dying moments. The second was played out for a City throw-in. Play continued into the 97th minute. The ball was worked into a crowd, inside Thunder Bay’s penalty area. From there, a clearance was skied into the air, and before the ball could bound off the pitch, the final whistle, finally, was blown.
Several Crows collapsed to ground to rest for a count; part of a beat that’s been drumming on for a few games. Chances created… goals unscored… deserved more for our effort… but results earned by finishing.
“It sounds crazy to say, but I would be so much more worried if the chances weren’t coming,” Oliver reflected. “It’s just a little-bit unlucky. You’ve heard, ‘goals change games’. They’ve got Tyler Attardo, who is now on 10 goals in their League Two season. That, right there, will put you over the top.
“We were down 2-0 within 20 minutes and we were probably outshooting them eight-to-three, or nine-to-four, and had more shots on target, and had four-to-five corner kicks to their two. But they were clinical, and ruthless in their moments.”
The summer has landed, for a club previously accustomed to success, as another in search of it; a quest both for small victories amid defeat, as well as for the path back to winning.
City are still in contention for silverware, via the Minnesota Super Cup, and win or a draw at home on Sunday, against the Minnesota United U-19s, sees the Crows through to the final. There is also qualification for next year’s Super Cup still to play for, as Minneapolis looks to keep its 3-point lead over Rochester FC as each head into their final pair of League Two games of 2024.
“Sunday, we’re fielding a very strong lineup against the Little Loons,” noted Oliver. “I’m putting a big emphasis on us being able to compete for a trophy. So, we’re going to come out and play for a win on Sunday, while I still know that if we tie it gets us through to play the Super Cup final at the end of the season.”
