NSC Stars Topple FC Tampa in Inaugural Home Opener

Gordan Kljestan shown red. Photo by Jeremy Olson www.digitalgopher.net

The National Sports Center got their first home opener off on the right foot on Saturday evening with a 1-0 win over FC Tampa Rowdies. The game’s pivotal moment occurred in the 32nd minute of play. In a match that had already seen 2 yellow cards handed out and was very physical, the Rowdies’ Gordon Kljestan elbowed Andres Arango in the face as the two had both gone for a chipped ball in the Rowdies box. Kljestan was immediately red-carded and a penalty kick was awarded to the Stars. The incident should have ended there; unfortunately it didn’t. As a minor scuffle erupted, Brian Kallman of the Stars turned around and raced 20 yards, throwing himself into the middle of the scuffle. In doing so, the referee also showed Kallman a straight red card. A ridiculous move by a player who has had problems with his temper in the past and had promised earlier this season to keep his anger in check.

After both players left the field, Leilei Gao, with an NSC Star razor-cut into the side of his hair, took the spot kick and converted. The midfielder from China raced to the front of the new scoreboard and celebrated with his teammates.

But the red card to Kallman put the team at a disadvantage as both teams were now down to 10 and the Stars had heavy legs from playing only three nights prior in a soggy rain-soaked pitch in Puerto Rico. FC Tampa hadn’t played since the Saturday prior.

While the Stars finished the first half with a slight advantage, things turned in the second half. The Stars struggled with very little possession, bending but not breaking on defense. Late in the game Joe Warren made a huge save by diving to his left and finger tipping a ball away that looked destined for the inside of the right post. A few moments later Andres Arango made a lunging slide tackle that saved a shot at Warren. The block awarded the Rowdies a corner that was wasted.

In the end the Stars prevailed and went 2-2-0 on the season.

Leilei Gao will go down as the first MN Stars player to score at home. His goal was scored from a penalty kick in the 34th minute. Photo by Jeremy Olson www.digitalgopher.net

“My legs are dead,” said defender Andres Arango who said his flight had not gotten back from Puerto Rico until Friday. “Its tough, but you’ve got to expect that in this league.”

“It’s a big team and everybody is taking part right now and everyone is coming up when they need to,” said player-coach Kevin Friedland, who had another good night on the pitch. “It was a battle. I can’t say it was the best looking soccer we’ve played this year but when you win the ugly ones, the pretty ones look a lot better. We battled and limited their chances and they didn’t score so we won the game.”

“If we would have sat around and had a cup of coffee 3 months ago and said after four games we would be two and two, we would have said the chances of that are really small,” said a smiling Paul Erickson, Executive Director of the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. “…I’m just elated to be at two and two with a brand new team with a really short lead up time. We’re thrilled.”

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Interviews with Kevin Friedland, Leilei Gao, Andres Arango, Manny Lagos, and Paul Erickson.

Other Articles and Game Reports:

NSC Minnesota Stars

FC Tampa Bay Rowdies

Paul Pioneer Press

Star Tribune