Rochester Thunder Defeat Springfield Demize
Game report and video courtesy of Steve Ole Olson of Southwest Missouri’s Soccer Resource
The MN Thunder defeated the Springfield Demize this evening 1-0 on an 83rd minute penalty kick scored by Mark Heath Preston. The spot kick was the result of a foul on Ben Sippola as he nutmegged his defender on the right side before running into the box and being tripped.
The Thunder were denied on a corner kick in the 45th minute when Demize keeper Stephen Conner made a diving save on a ball headed for the lower right corner, with the half time whistle blowing immediately afterward. The visitors came out and controlled the midfield for the majority of the second half, leading up to the game-winner. While the Demize pressed forward in the final minutes, including 4 minutes of stoppage time, the Thunder were able to keep the clean sheet.
The win brings the Thunder to 7-2-3 on the season with 24 pts. which keep them in 3rd place behind Real Colorado Foxes with 26 pts. (7-2-5) and the Thunder Bay Chill with 31 pts. (10-1-1).
The Thunder will now make a 200 mile trip to St. Louis to play the Lions on Sunday, July 11. St.Louis beat the Thunder 2-1 in late-May in Rochester, in a game that all but ended the Thunder’s chances of qualifying for the US Open Cup. The Lions are currently in 5th place with 18 pts (5-6-3). With only 4-games remaining in the season for the Thunder and two of those against the 1st place Thunder Bay Chill, Sundays contest will be an important one in the race for a post-season berth.
The foul against Ben Sippola that draws the penalty kick.
Mark Heath Preston coverts the penalty kick
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