NSC Stars Defeat Rowdies in Final Regular Season Game

NSC Minnesota Stars defeat FC Tampa Bay 3-1.

The Minnesota Stars traveled to Tampa on Friday evening to play their last regular season game of the year. The Stars had already qualified for one of the last remaining playoff spots on Wednesday night when Miami defeated St. Louis. The AC St. Louis loss meant Montreal, Minnesota and Puerto Rico would grab the 3 remaining playoff slots.

The Stars continued on their late season run taking advantage of a Rowdies team who were no longer in the playoff race and had just dismissed head coach Paul Dalglish the previous day. Minnesota fired off 3 well executed and unanswered goals in the first half of play to eventually defeat Tampa Bay 3-1.

In the 14th minute of play Devin Del Do took a shot that was saved by Rowdies goalkeeper Daryl Sattler. But the rebound came out to Lucas Rodriguez who was outside the left corner of the Tampa Bay penalty box. The Argentinean fired off a half-volley shot that arched over the head of Sattler and dropped under the crossbar. It was Rodriguez’ first of the season.

Devin Del Do

In the 39th minute Del Do was again in heat of that action laying off a pass to his forward partner Simone Bracelello. The Italian dribbled in from the left corner of the box, pushed the ball past a defender with a stepover move and curled a shot on goal that was beyond the reach of a diving Sattler but just inside the far post upright. The beautifully executed shot was Bracalello’s 5th of the season and his 3rd in 4 games.

Then just before the half Del Do became the playmaker for the 3rd time of the evening. Kentaro Takada laid a pass off to Del Do who dribbled toward the Rowdies goal and sliced the ball back to Takada. The defensive midfielder, making a hard run into the Tampa Bay box, one-touched the ball into the Rowdies’ net and sealed the win for the Stars. The goal was the first of the season for the Japanese defensive midfielder.

Tampa countered in the 73rd minute when Maykel Galindo’s shot deflected off Andres Arango and past Mat Van Oekel who got the start for the Stars. Minnesota was able to get a few more decent chances but the Rowdies’ goal concluded the scoring for the evening.

Devin Del Do is on a tear since coming back from an injury that sidelined him most of the season. Since his return he has 2 goals, 2 assists and has been in the thick of Minnesota’s recent win streak.

The game was the final of the regular season for Minnesota, who will have to wait for the remaining results in the league to know their final playoff seeding. Minnesota has now won their last four games and have outscored their opponents 8-3 in that stretch. The Stars finished the season up with a record of 11-12-7.