FC Minneapolis continued to look vulnerable defensively for a second time this fall conceding 2:0 in the first half to Turbo Sports MN at Noble Athletic Complex during today’s post season friendly dubbed “The Classic Park Derby.”
Both teams play in the United Premier Soccer League where FC Minneapolis finished 3rd and Turbo Sports 6th in the regular season of the Midwest Conference West Division, and seemingly, today looked like Turbo was going to have its first win over the blue blooded boys also known as the City Lions, when they realized an early 2:0 lead in the first half, but Emmanuel Togar’s assist to Aaron Takan sparked off a glimmer of hope for the Minneapolis side when they scored their first before half time break.
Turbo Sports was able to catch the City Lions off their guard with a long range shot that flippantly passed in-between the keeper’s legs giving them a 3:1 lead at the beginning of the second half, but Nathaniel Atamba, the 19 year old Ugandan forward, found Aaron Takan with shoulder height cross who tapped it in to score his second goal of the night for the City Lions reducing the goal margin to 3:2.
Aaron Takan, a 23 year old Ugandan joined the City Lions First Team this year after being part of the FC Minneapolis football program for the past three years and tonight, his two goals came in as a statement that he is ready for life in the United Premier Soccer League and beyond.
FC Minneapolis was able to find an equalizer in the second quarter of the second half when Liberia’s Emmanuel Togar scored the third from Micheal Ssekitoleko’s assist. The game was now back in balance and both teams continued pressing each other hard for a winner but it was the City Lions who got the most of the night when Ian Sendi picked up a pass from the midfield, passed it to Ssekitoleko who dashed well into the box to lay a strong minus that was blasted in as a winner by Ian Sendi 12 minutes before full time.
The City Lions face Minnesota Brooklyn Knights next Saturday at Zane Soccer Fields as part of their post season schedule.
