Minnesota Stars Defeat Puerto Rico Islanders with 4 Unanswered Goals
The Islanders’ Richard Martinez marks up on Stars forward Simone Bracalello. Photo by Jeremy Olson – www.digitalgopher.com
The temperature read 97°F on the 4th of July in Blaine, Minnesota on Tuesday. And that was at 7:30 p.m., kick-off time for the Minnesota Stars vs. Puerto Rico Islanders match. However, the high temps and horrible humidity didn’t stop the Minnesota Stars from playing a surprisingly high-paced match that seemed to throw the Islanders off their normally consistent game. At the end of 90 minutes the effort paid off with a 4-0 win over the team from Puerto Rico.
Just 4 minutes into the game Stars forward Simone Bracalello broke free of two defenders on the right side and put a driven cross to the center of the box. With several Stars breaking in on goal it was Kentaro Takada who dove for the header but found the ball cleared by Puerto Rico just a split second before the Minnesota midfielder could get his head to the ball.
Soon after midfielder Miguel Ibarra broke away on the left side and went deep towards the endline. He cut the ball back up field and then put in a wicked right-footed shot that Islanders keeper Richard Martin could only dive and parry away. Minnesota’s Martin Nunez was there to pounce and cleaned up the rebound to put the Stars on the board in the 18th minute. The goal was the forward’s second of the season.
A few minutes later David Foley broke away on the left side and squeezed off a cross around defender Brian Kallman. Nicholas Addlery beat his mark to get a head onto the ball but Stars goalkeeper Matt VanOekel dropped to save the ball and keep the Islanders off the scoreboard.
Right at the 45-minute mark, the Stars right back Brian Kallman made a deep run crossing the ball with precision to a sprinting Simone Bracalello. The forward jumped into the air to meet the ball cleanly and smashed the ball into goal from 6 yards out, putting the Stars up over Puerto Rico 2-0 at the break.
The second half began brightly with Miguel Ibarra and Simone Bracalello teaming up as they did throughout the game. Ibarra stole the ball at midfield just 2 minutes into the second half. He fed Bracalello who looked to pass but then beat his defender Alexis Rivera and hit a shot to the outside post which beat Martin but was cleared off the line by Richard Martinez.
After some very good possession by Minnesota, the Stars’ Neil Hlavaty put a diagonal-dipping cross from 35 yards out that found the head of Nunez in the 55th minute. The Stars forward scored his second of the night from 12 yards out, beating his mark and snapping the header into the right side of goal, beating Martin and putting the Stars up over the Islanders 3-0.
Amani Walker was subbed in at the 69th minute mark for Bracalello. The target forward for Minnesota had not seen playing time since an Achilles problem he developed in the US Open Cup game on May 29th against Real Salt Lake. Walker tried to play again the following week when the Stars faced San Jose, but he re-injured the ankle and has been out for the past 5 weeks.
Just 12 minutes after entering the game the Minnesota forward picked up where he left off. Dribbling square above the box, Justin Davis chipped a through ball past the Islanders defense which found Amani Walker making a run that beat the offside trap. Walker touched the ball on the turn and his second touch calmly rolled the ball into the right side of the net, giving the Stars a 4-0 win.
“It was a very hot day but the guys still wanted to play,” said Stars head coach Manny Lagos. “I thought they put an outstanding effort in and I’m really proud of the guys. There was just a nice feeling tonight about how they wanted to take on a team we hadn’t played yet, one of the best in the table and get a good result.”
“I wouldn’t say the Minnesota goals were anything they created out of the ordinary,” said Islanders coach Adrian Whitbread. “But if you don’t stop crosses going into your box and you don’t defend your goal, you get punished. That’s what happened this evening. When you’re away from home you’ve got to take your chances. We created some chances but you’ve got to put them into the back of the net. We just weren’t good enough tonight.”
Stars forward Martin Nunez was chosen as the Brit’s Pub/IMSoccer News – Minnesota Stars FC Man of the Match for his 2 goal performance.
Stars forward Martin Nunez received this week’s Brit’s Pub/IMSoccer News Man of the Match award for his excellent play and two goals on the night, his 2nd and 3rd of the season for the Stars.
“I think he did a great job tonight, said Coach Lagos. “The goals were there but I think there was a lot of extra work that he (Nunez) did to really get the team going. He kept the ball and pushed the attack.”
“The Islanders are always a team that are fighting to be first or second. We came out to play them tonight and we didn’t care about the heat, both teams have to play in it,” said Nunez after being named Man of the Match. “I think we played well on both sides of the ball, we kept a lot of possession and we were rewarded for playing hard and scored 4 goals.”
Nunez will receive a $50.00 gift certificate from Brit’s Pub and Eating Establishment for being chosen the Brit’s Pub/IMSoccer News – Minnesota Stars FC Man of the Match.
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Doesn’t every shutout victory consist of a number of unanswered goals?
I think this was the best match the Stars have played as a franchise. I was behind the Islanders net for the first half and got a great view of the first half goals. From what I saw, the Stars played a consistent 90 minutes of soccer, which is something that has been missing the last few weeks.
“I think this was the best match the Stars have played as a franchise.”
SB, I would have to disagree with you. I think if you read the quotes in this story from all parties, that tells the bigger story. The Stars were ready to come out and play in the heat and humidty no matter what and the Islanders just were not as motivated last night. Make no mistakes, the Islanders are one of the very top teams in the league and they did not play like it last night. Not to take anything away from a well played game for the Stars, I think this match was more about PRI playing one of their worst games of the season while Minnesota executed well.
I would say that this was perhaps one of the most entertaining games in franchise history.
BTW, talking to Whitbread before the game, even he was surprised with how hot and humid it was here. I told him he brought Island weather with him and he stated that it doesn’t even get this bad in PR.
The game probably should have been played in Phoenix. Much better weather than MN…
Horrible match for the Islanders, the defense apparently had taken the day off, and yes the summer heat/humidity is a lot worse in the states than in Puerto Rico… in the Island there’s always that Caribbean breeze to cool everything off.
To even things off, I suggest we play day games in Puerto Rico, lets say noon…ish.
We were giving Martin a lot of stick about playing like the English goalkeeper he is, but I don’t remember the lasts time I saw a keeper in this league get so consistently and badly hung out to dry. Minnesota’s third and fourth goals were all scored by guys standing flatfooted and unmarked in the box.
Man, I didn’t get power back until after the match kicked off and I still don’t have internet.
Once upon a time, I was actually thinking of trying to travel to Minnesota to see my beloved Puerto Rico Islanders play the Stars.
Let’s just say that I’m REALLY glad that I didn’t. Coz I would have been BITTER. REAL BITTER. That’s twice in about three weeks that they got their HEADS handed to them on a silver-starred platter.
Ouch!!!
And props to Nuñez for sticking it to the Islanders. Maybe he doesn’t still have a chip on his shoulders for being relagated to the bench after he headed south to Puerto Rico, leaving the Railhawks only to find himself out of favor and collecting splinters on the orange bench.
Nothing like having a player having a good match against the club that he feels disrespected him.
Good for him…
I was behind the Islanders goal for the first half, trying to enjoy the game and some weak beer, but the MN razzers giving it to the Islander’s keeper just go too far. It is very unsporting. I can appreciate a witty dig at an opponent, but just yelling out “YOU SUCK” constantly is rather brutish and boring.
I appreciate the constant razzing of the opposing ‘keeper, but marka has it right. We can be a LOT more creative than “YOU SUCK.” Step up and be smart!
“YOU SUCK”, while simple, is unimaginative and tends to steels his resolve. Anyone can yell that, but it is much less effective than saying something clever that gets the keeper to laugh and be distracted.
Attinella said, after a recent game here, that he was distracted several times and had to try hard not to laugh. That’s the way to go. (It didn’t completely work that game, as the Stars didn’t score any goals, but it didn’t hurt, and the Stars are now past that slump.)
@GumbyGrrl – I will have to get to a game pretty soon to show how it is properly done – Research of the keepers past exploits is key especially knowing some of his worse defeats or professional disappointments. Knowing his hometown, past education, and nationality also are key components.
The other key is to make sure you follow him when the ends change. It has to be a complete game effort and usually takes a 12 pack to make the most of the 90 minutes.
Remember do not drink and drive, but do drink and taunt
For Danny Illyes – John Hock called Egri wants their village idiot back.
Are you the famous Egre Castle? Well you sure move like one.
Yeah Goulash, what’s for dinner, we’re Hungary
Ill YES – maybe the other team wouldn’t score so often if your name was Ill NO
Hey, Danny you a Gypsy? Does that make your sister a tramp and your dad a thief? – I’m not asking but Cher would like to know ( too vague probably )
Your play isn’t worth two fillers
Do you miss the Ottoman Empire?
Is it true the winner of Miss Hungary usually has the best mustache?
Does Hungary require all the women to braid their armpit hair?
“I can appreciate a witty dig at an opponent, but just yelling out “YOU SUCK” constantly is rather brutish and boring.”
Amen to that.