After failing to win at home last Sunday in the clubs previous campaign with the Twin Stars, FC Minneapolis traveled to St Cloud yesterday evening to face Granite City FC in a mid-season exhibition game that kicked off at 7:00pm at the Huskies Stadium. The evening was very bright and the setting sun hovered over the horizon of the City!
FC Minneapolis started with Eliseo Hernandez in goal, Victor Corral and Mark Dweh in the right and left back respectively while Samuel Otieno formed the club’s new defensive partnership with Kwaku Amoah in the center. In the middle field, Edward Flahn played deep giving Solomon Ikechi the liberty to move up and about supplying those magical balls that often disorganized the home teams’ camp. Ian Sendi and Ochan Ochogi played the wide flanks right and left respectively.
Varney Cole introduced CJ Moise Damey as a striker playing up top with Sudan’s Abunyanyi Lual and the young and zealous Guinean dominated the front with his energy and exceeding appetite to play.
Jacob Toteh came in for Ochan Ochogi in the 21st minute of the first half after he suffered a pull on his right foot hamstring.
CJ Moise Damey had the opportunity to open the score sheet for the city Lions when he received a good minus pass from Solomon Ikechi but his left foot narrowly touched ball making it very easy for the Granite City keeper to hold it. Shortly after that, Abunyanyi Lual dribbled through the entire defense but was unable to find the back of the net to give the visiting City Lions a win they so badly wanted to get.
With only about 15 minutes left in the first half, Sendi Ian picked on CJ Moise pass, paced in to the opponent’s box, overpowered their defense and scored a powerful near post to set the visiting fans in a joyful roar, making it 0-1 by half time.
In the second half, Justin Moore came in for Edward Flahn and continued to keep that deep role in the middle field.
Granite City made some changes which gave them an extra attacking edge in the first quarter of the second half but their morale was cut short when Sendi Ian again took Abunyanyi’s through ball from the middle field, overwhelmed the defense and scoring beautifully to give his side a comfortable 0-2 lead in the second half.
In the 75th minute, Mark Dweh was removed for Fabian Aguilar who was making his first appearance for the club.
Granite City was able to find a goal in the 86th minute when their striker found a header past Edmund Nimely who had come in for Eliseo Hernandez.
Ian Sendi had a chance to make a hat trick when he single handedly dribbled from the middle field beating every defender but failing to striker past the keeper who punched the ball out to a corner.
Speaking to our media, Varney Cole, the Head Coach has praised his team for the wonderful performance and great team work they exhibited yesterday in St Cloud. He says that he is confident the team will build from this victory and find momentum for the coming games.
FC Minneapolis will be playing Duluth FC on July 10th before traveling to North Dakota to face FC Fargo.
