What a way to open a new season for Minneapolis City: the Crows host Minnesota United MLS Next in the inaugural match of the Minnesota Super Cup. Back in 2016, City played a home-and-home against Minnesota United Reserves, winning one and drawing one, but has never before faced the new-look Loons MLS Next side.
MATCHDAY ONE
Friday May 5
Minneapolis City vs Minnesota United MLS Next
7:00pm kickoff (6:30pm gates open)
Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
Minnesota United are in mid-season, having already playing 11 games. The Loons are in 8th place (of 13) in the very competitive Mid-America Division of MLS Next, and they will be able to bring a full squad of match fit players who are used to playing against each other–and will want to quiet their noisy neighbors in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis City, on the other hand, are just starting their season. In fact, only eight officially signed members of the senior team are available for selection and the Crows have only been training for a week and a half. It is going to be a difficult match for the home side. It is also going to be a huge opportunity for players who are making a final push for a spot in the squad, especially the Futures players. In a closed door friendly against Luther College and against in the UPSL opener against Vlora, Futures players like Camel Htoo showed that, as usual, the young talent will be knocking on the door of the senior side.
“This is the first year we have not had an NPSL team” said General Manager Matt VanBenschoten, “so it’s impacted how many players we select and where we select players from. In years past we’ve had a core group of players who were in town and could train throughout the winter. Now with moving into USL we’ve lost that advantage a little because the demographic of who our players are has to change for a developmentally focused league. What that means is we have to scout younger players due to age restrictions in the league and many of them in college which means we won’t have them back until mid May. But in terms of how we are building our roster the litmus test has always been about being competitive, so regardless of any other factors the main criteria remains ‘Can you do the job better than anyone else?'”
