NSC Minnesota Stars Hold Intersquad Scrimmage Outdoors
Brian Cvilikas goes high to win a header. Photo by Alex Carroll - www.photographybyarc.com
The NSC Stars held an intersquad scrimmage on Wednesday morning. It gave head coach Manny Lagos another look at players before Saturday’s Scrimmage with Marquette University.
The lineups had one team that seemed to have more likely starters with the other side a mix of trialists. There were chances for both sides in the first half with the only goal coming when Kentaro Takada was given some time. The central midfielder floated a long nicely weighted ball to Devin Del Do. Vorgen Less went high to head the ball and made marginal contact. The speedy Del Do swept around the defender and pushed the ball forward forcing Louis Crayton out of his box. Del Do finished nicely tucking the ball under Crayton.
In the second half teams were redrawn. Two noteworthy second half highlights both involved new signing Gao Leilei. The outside midfielder saw a runner on the outside and with traffic in front of him, lifted the ball over to the player making a run. The resulting cross ended with a good chance that goalkeeper Mat Van Oekel repelled.
Kentaro Takada (right) and Gao Leilei (left) battle for the ball. Photo by Alex Carroll - www.photographybyarc.com
The second play was a nice build up with most of the play down the center of the field. Takada played a diagonal through ball between 2 defenders to the run of Leilei. The tall Chinese midfielder, who has a strong left foot, cut the ball back to the middle giving him enough time on his defender to send in a 25 yard shot that looped over the top of Van Oekel and into the net. A strong curled and well placed shot from the right foot of the Leilei.
Leilei also took several freekicks, coming close both times. It looks like the Stars may have found a player who can replicate former Thunder Ricardo Sanchez’s dead-ball talent.
Andres Arrango came out with a knock as did Johnny Menyonger. Several players came up limping during the game. Others like Melvin Tarley did not play due to a sore ankle that had gotten stepped on the first morning of practice last Thursday. Tarley was running laps during the game.
Johnny Menyongar out on the field again after a long winter of rehab on his knee. Photo by Alex Carroll - www.photographybyarc.com/
Andrei Gotsmanov is nursing a sore knee and was not suited. He told IMS that he took a hard knock to the knee on the first day of training. X-rays were negative and he was told there’s no ligament damage and most likely it’s a deep bruise. Coach Lagos told Gotsmanov to take a few days to rest it before resuming practice.
Other notes:
The Stars released Luc Harrington and Ian Sarachan from training camp on Tuesday.
Two-Boys Gumede was not at practice and is expected to check in the with team by Friday or Saturday.
Simone Bracalello is expected from Italy sometime next week.
Minnesota next takes on the Division I Marquette University Golden Eagles on Saturday, March 27 at 3:00 pm at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis. Admission is free.
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Good stuff Brian. Thanks.
NSC MINNESOTA CANT EVEN WIN A GAME AGAINST ITSELF!
Pathetic. I am surprised they even knew how to properly inflate the soccer balls!
This team is going to be bankrupt by tomorrow morning.
/irrational soapbox
Brian- Thanks for the great coverage. I wish I could have made the scrimmage and be able to go to the game this weekend, but it sounds like the squad is coming together nicely and we may have found our golden boy in Lillei Gao!
BELIEVE!
I tried doing an interview with him but he was adamant that his English was not good enough, but he was speaking English pretty well actually.
i thought the “tryout team” put together a couple of nice runs at the beginning of the scrimmage. a combo of of quick passing down the right side (couldn’t tell you players names for the life of me) with a pretty decent cross at the end. i thought it was a goal initially. i wasn’t able to watch the second half. wish i could’ve seen Gao play. It was an amazing day to be outside watching soccer. now, onto MLS tonight!
Superrookie -
You inadvertenly joked about something that really happened.
One unknown player loudly and unhappily was complaining about a couple of balls being “flat” when they needed to retrieve a new one during a throwin. He went through about three balls before getting one he liked.
I think he was really trying to catch his breath.
Chris A.- THIS FRANCHISE WILL NOT LAST! FLAT BALLS?!?!?!
On the lighter side of things I am so damn excited for the MLS season to start and for NSC Minnesota to take the field soon!
And there were leaves on the field and there was NO SCOREBOARD!!!! How can you have a team without big replay-capable scoreboards on all of their practice fields. It is a shame and mockery wrapped in a travesty. By tomorrow a crater is all that will be left of the entire NSC complex as the NSC has not devoted enough resources to asteroid detection and prevention.
I’m not saying – I’m just saying . . .
from what i heard, their scoreboard is going to be dope.