The Minnesota Thunder survived a tough encounter with the NPSL’s El Paso Indios USA, managing a 3-2 win over the USASA side to advance to the Second Round.
El Paso got on the board almost immediately after the opening whistle, when Marco Vidal was left undefended inside the 18-yard box, and beat Thunder goalkeeper Nic Platter in the 5th minute. Indios kept the pros off the board for most of the first half, until Minnesota scored twice in four minutes. In the 37th minute, Jeremiah Bass scored from a Godfrey Tenoff cross, diving to head the ball past Indios goalkeeper Hernandez. The Thunder struck again in the 40th minute, Tenoff once again with the assist, this time to help Darren Spicer send a low ball past Hernandez.
Minnesota widened it’s lead twenty minutes into the second half. Leo Gibson took Kevin Friedland’s throw-in and chipped it over a surprised Hernandez. Indios would not quit, pulling a goal back in the 77th minute. Urbica Uglijesa chipped a ball towards Joel Rios, but found the feet of Minnesota’s Spicer. Spicer then indirectly hit the ball towards Rios, who beat Platter to move to within one.
The Thunder will host the California Victory in the Second Round on June 26. It will be the second game in three days between the two clubs, the other being a USL-1 contest on June 24.
Scoring Summary:
(EPI) Marco Vidal 5’ (Olivares)
(MIN) Jeremiah Bass 37’ (Godfrey Tenoff)
(MIN) Darren Spicer 40’ (Godfrey Tenoff)
(MIN) Leo Gibson 66’ (Kevin Friedland)
(EPI) Joel Rios 77’ (Uglijesa)
Minnesota Thunder: Platter; Friedland, Tenoff, Greenfield, Taylor; Spicer (Mallace 79), Toure (Farber 86), Bass, Lencho (Alvino 23); Gibson, Paye (Gotsmanov 73)
El Paso Indios USA: Hernandez; Rios, Tena, Olivares, Becerra; Uglijesa, Vidal, Carrazco (Silva 71), Salas (Salas, Sergio 56); Brooks, Leal (Desantiano 62).
Game Statistics:
Minnesota: Shots 15, Fouls 11, Offside 2, Corners 6.
El Paso: Shots 6, Fouls 10, Offside 4, Corners 3.
Goalkeeper Statistics:
Platter (Minnesota): Shots faced 6, Saves 4, Goals allowed 2.
Hernandez (El Paso) Shots faced 15, Saves 12, Goals allowed 3.
Cautions
Minnesota: Bass 43’, Friedland 45’, Spicer 65’
El Paso Indios: Becerra 25’, Juarez 89 ’
Attendance: 1,132