Thunder Lose Again in Exhibition Game Against Chicago Sockers

Chicago Sockers beat the Minnesota Thunder 2-1 in a well attended exhibition match sponsored by Edina Soccer Association.

Using bench players, the Minnesota Thunder matched up against the amateur Chicago Sockers to a less than impressive loss, continuing to show disorganization in the back line and lack of control in the midfield.

The Thunder lined up with a bit more traditional  4-4-2  from the 3-5-2 the team has been playing this season. Matt VanOekel played the whole game in goal and looked good, often times coming out on crosses and using his size to cut off crosses. The defenders were left to right, Peterson, Arango, Kallman, Watson. The midfielders in the same order were Cvilikas, Kante, O’Brien and Kirk. The forwards were Meyers and the surprise of the evening was a returning Nathan Knox. This was Knox’s first game of any sort since tearing his ACL last September and undergoing surgery and rehab this past fall and winter.  Knox looked lively all night and scored the lone goal for the Thunder in the 29th minute.

Chicago opened the scoring in the 13th minute when the Sockers broke down a disorganized Minnesota defense who failed to mark tightly and lost their shape.

Nate Knox tests his knee-Photo by Jeremy Olson

Minnesota’s only goal came in the 29th minute on a nice ball played in from the left side of the field to the far post. The ball was glanced on by a Thunder player and a rising Nate Knox nodded in the equalizer making no doubt with a powerful header.

In first half injury time the Sockers counter attacked from slightly right of goal. Two Thunder defenders closed the player but no one picked up the trailing player coming through the center who he passed to. The Soccers shot and scored, driving the ball past a helpless VanOekel. The goal was a mental mistake and a costly one right before the first half break.

The second half proved no better for the Thunder as they showed no sort of dominance over the amateur Chicago side. Knox continued to look good until being subbed off in the 75th minute.

Brian Cvilikas slams the ball off the crossbar - Photo by Jeremy Olson

Thunder defense and VanOekel are beaten but ball slips past far post

The Thunder did create a couple of chances late in the game, one coming on a corner taken by Andrew Peterson who hit a driven ball to the far top corner of the box. Brian Cvilikas rose above the crowd and connected with his head, driving the ball past the keeper but hitting the crossbar.

With 10 minutes left in the game the left outside midfielder for the Sockers, who had been dominant all game, split the Thunder defense and went one-on-one with an on rushing VanOekel. The ball slipped under the Thunder keeper but then trickled just inches to the right of goal.

Each team came up with one last-ditch effort. The Thunder’s Dan O’Brien sent in a cross that almost snuck into the upper left top of goal if not for a leaping save by the Sockers keeper. The ball deflected out to the left of goal where Rich Costanzo was waiting. The ball hung up for him and when it finally dropped for the half volley the Sockers defense shut him down, deflecting the ball out of bounds for a corner.

Kallman is beat but VanOekel comes up big -- Photo by Jeremy Olson

With 1:40 left in the game, Brian Kallman over committed and was beaten sending the Sockers player in on VanOekel who came out and smothered the ball before the player could get the shot off.

To see the full gallery of photos by Jeremy Olson go to Digital Gopher.