The 2024-25 MLS NEXT season officially began this weekend at the National Sports Center, as all three Minnesota United Academy squads took on Midwest United. They came out of Saturday’s tripleheader with three points apiece and put in three shifts that were plenty worthy of the wins they earned.
U18
Coach Alex Morawiecki and the U18s kicked off the first day back with a hard-fought match, ultimately getting the better of their opponents with a goal from substitute Will Smith in the dying stages of the match.
A dominant start to the match saw the Loons earn set piece after set piece in dangerous areas, and though they failed to convert any of the opportunities they created in the first half, they played very much on the front foot throughout. A combination of high pressing and fantastic communication saw them maintain composure on the ball, move forward dynamically, and completely smother everything Midwest United threw at them in the first 45 minutes.
The second half saw the visitors find their footing, and the Loons faded a bit in response. To counter the newfound confidence of Midwest United, MNUFC began playing more directly, opting for counterattacks over build-up play. A red card at the hour mark exacerbated the Loons’ problems, leaving them to play with just 10 men for the remainder of the match. They handled the adversity well, though, and impressed their coach in the process.
“I’m really pleased with the group overall,” Morawiecki said. “Going down a man in the later part of the match and finding a way to win on the first time out shows the character and mentality we have been working to build throughout pre-season. We asked the group to be very aggressive with the ball in getting to the goal and created a number of chances early on in the match that (had we scored) would have helped create some separation in the latter stage. A good lesson as we continue to improve moving forward.”
Smith’s winner came in the 88th minute and was a result of an effective press high up the pitch. The group has been working on winning the ball in dangerous areas in the lead-up to the season, making this last-gasp match-winner even sweeter. With a long season ahead of them, there’s plenty more for the U18s to look forward to this year, including the opportunity to take their games to the next level.
“Our primary goal is to help players move along the pathway into first and second team football,” Morawiecki said. “That is only possible by continuing to instill habits and a mindset that each day is important for growth. We will continue to make that the focus so that when they do have opportunities to move up into a second team environment, they are prepared to make an impact and add quality to the club. As a team, we want to be considered one of the top U18 teams in the country, and to do so, that means qualifying for MLS Flex and pushing into the MLS NEXT Playoffs come June. A lofty goal, but I know the guys are excited for the challenge.”
U16
Immediately following the U18s, it was the U16s turn to return to the pitch. A very fast start to the game saw the Loons deny a chance almost directly from kickoff before going right down to the other end of the field and scoring in the fourth minute. With the lead secured, they continued to play with energy and intent, hitting the frame of the goal twice more before earning and converting a penalty kick midway through the half.
The intensity didn’t let up for the entirety of the 90 minutes, and the scoreline reflected just that. Goals from Justin Sosnouski, Tim Dennis (2), Griffin Giel, and Jadan Bernard saw the home team put up a 5-0 win in their first match back, setting a fantastic baseline for their squad to build off this season. Sosnouski earned recognition from U16 Coach Jamie Carroll-Rolfe for his workrate in the final third, which produced a goal and an assist. Likewise, George Porter’s tempo-setting performance in possession opened up the opposition and allowed the Loons to get in behind, earning him kudos from coach Carroll-Rolfe.
After such a good start, it’s important for the boys to stay focused on the long-term goals this season. Carroll-Rolfe outlined these goals after the match, noting individual and team growth opportunities.
“We want to continue to help the players within the group improve as individuals, and we do that through having success as a team,” he said. “My hope is that by the end of the season we have seen players grow enough that they are able to make big contributions in the U18 team. We want to qualify for the flex event in Maryland at the beginning of May and give ourselves the best chance to qualify for playoffs. Continuing to make progress at Generation Adidas Cup by exposing the players to the highest levels of youth soccer in the country.”
U15
The youngest group wrapped up the day with yet another win, bagging three goals and securing yet another clean sheet on their way to completing the perfect start to the season. U15 Head Coach Amin Qasim was happy with the group, noting that this was the first time these players had experienced this level.
“Majority of the group is actually new,” Qasim said. “We had a preseason game, like two weeks ago to start out, but it was actually good to see some of the things that we've been working on during the past four or five weeks within the group come together in a competition that's different, that's meaningful.”
Goal scorers Julian Vasquez and Donatien Nzambimana (x2) stood out in this opening match, along with Collin Barnes and Mario Vera-Martinez. In a match that the Loons were in control of, subs and starters alike were asked to adapt to the needs of the game, being called upon to be aggressive when necessary and take the sting out of the game for proper lead management. All in all, it was a clean first performance for the U15s.
Following the match, Coach Qasim echoed the goals of his fellow coaches as he looked forward to the season ahead.
“I think the overall goal is to just push the group as a whole,” he said. “I think one of the things right now as a club is that we're really trying to push players that we really think are ready for the next level. And sometimes we wait for a whole year. Sometimes it happens within the year. For us as staff, and especially for myself, it's about pushing as many players from this group into the U16 team, and then some, because then that will make the group lighter. And that was the whole idea of making the U15 group the biggest within the whole academy, so that the guys that we think are in the higher end, we can just challenge them, push them up, and get them ready and as close as possible to the first and second teams.”
With nine goals scored and zero conceded across all three games, the Loons couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the MLS NEXT season. All three sides will be back in action this weekend as they take on Shattuck St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minnesota, with kickoffs scheduled for 10:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 2:30 p.m., respectively.
