MN Thunder Tie Austin Aztex in Final Minute – Tarley with Brace

The Minnesota Thunder gained another road point on Sunday evening drawing the game with Austin in the 89th minute with a goal by Melvin Tarley. The tie means the Thunder have earned 4 points in two away games, a success by any standard.

The Thunder had to come from behind twice in the game. The Aztex’s Jean Alexandre drew blood first in the 41st minute of play. Sullivan Silva passed across the box to Alexandre who blew the ball into goal and past Thunder keeper Nic Platter.

In the 51st minute of the second half the Thunder answered. Leonel Saint-Preux burst down the right flank in a wide position. He slowed the ball up as he approached the end line waiting for support. He curled the ball around two Aztex defenders and onto the foot of Melvin Tarley who was making a near post run. With a half-step on his defender, Tarley deftly short hopped the ball into the near post at an extreme angle pulling the Thunder even.

In the 74th minute the Aztex went ahead again with a goal by Silva. The Austin forward went one on one with Thunder defender Chris Clements, who had entered the game just a minute earlier. Silva cut the ball left and right until he found an opening in which to shoot. He blasted the ball low and to the right lower corner of the goal. Platter got a hand on the ball but the ball had too much pace and bounced into goal.

However, the Thunder were still not finished. In the 88th minute, the team made a series of passes down the left and center of the field that ended with a ball played back to Jeremiah Bass, who was 35 yards from goal. Bass took the ball on the half-volley and blistered a curling-dipping shot that went over Austin goalkeeper Nick Nobel. The ball pinged off the inside of the left post and caromed away from danger. However, the ensuing play led to a last chance corner kick for Minnesota. Sanchez took the corner and found an unmarked Tarley at the far post who nodded the ball in low past the Aztex defense and drew the score even for the second time in the game.

The brace by Tarley not only gave Minnesota the draw and a point, it also meant that the Thunder forward has now scored 3 goals in 2 games, which moves him into a tie with Ricardo Sanchez for most goals this season with 5.

The Thunder now travel to  Rochester, NY to play the Rhinos in a rare Wednesday evening game. Rochester lost Saturday night to the streaking Portland Timbers, 4-1. The Timber win brings their USL-1 record undefeated streak to 22 games. The Rhinos sit in 5th place in the league with 32 points. That game will be available on USL Live.com for free.