Three squads, six games, and just two days. Minnesota United’s Academy traveled down to St. Louis this weekend to take on St. Louis CITY SC and Lou Fusz Athletic in a Mound City doubleheader, making for a busy weekend of youth soccer. The young Loons took home a total of 12 points, with some great performances punctuating a successful trip.
U18
St. Louis CITY SC 5 - 3 MNUFC
Lou Fusz Athletic 2 - 1 MNUFC
In their first game of the weekend, the U18s came out strong. A 3-0 lead at halftime saw them firmly in control of the match, dominating possession and conceding only a few chances. They knew a strong push from St. Louis CITY would be coming to start the second half, and there certainly was one. After capitalizing on an early counter, the hosts found goals two and three shortly after, nullifying the Loons’ fantastic start to the match. A few cheap giveaways under pressure allowed STL to find two more goals before the final whistle, resulting in a 3-5 loss for MNUFC.
Sunday’s match had the same end result, though the match was much tighter. Lou Fusz sat in a low block for much of the match, absorbing pressure and playing on the counter. The Loons struggled to find the necessary space to break down the disciplined defensive performance of their opponents, and a combination of heavy legs and rotation contributed to MNUFC’s 2-0 deficit at halftime. A tactical shift in the second 45 saw the Loons control the second half and create more chances, but they were only able to get a single goal back before the final whistle.
Bryan Espadero found the back of the net in both games, with additional goals from Jackson Lusky and Kam Wimberly in the first match. Espadero had a fantastic weekend, adding an efficient defensive presence on top of his goalscoring exploits. Rayme Nyembwe provided a solid presence at the back, while some outstanding play from keeper Ramon Salto-Lujano likewise made head coach Alex Morawiecki proud.
U16
St. Louis CITY SC 0 - 1 MNUFC
Lou Fusz Athletic 0 - 4 MNUFC
A strong showing against St. Louis CITY SC saw the U16s pull off a tight 1-0 win. These three points didn’t come easy, as the hosts were causing a lot of problems in the early stages, forcing Jamie Carroll-Rolfe’s squad to adapt to find a foothold. Neither side was able to consistently create chances, meaning that the points would likely fall to the team that was able to be clinical when the opportunity arose. When that time came, Brody Schauf stepped up to the challenge, finding the back of the net and securing the win in game one.
Game 2 saw the U16s grow in confidence, coming out fast with four goals in the first half. Though the Loons were disappointed not to add to the scoreline in the second half, their early barrage proved enough to down Lou Fusz, making it two road wins on the bounce and maintaining their perfect start to the 2024-25 season. Goals from Arvim Tabukum, Justin Sosnouski, Alex Holst, and George Porter powered the Loons to victory in this one.
There were plenty of performances to recognize aside from this weekend’s goal scorers. Midfielder Lazar Angelovski set the example in a frustrating second half against Lou Fusz, refusing to let up and showing his teammates how their coach wants them to play, while Griffin Giel moved the ball well against St. Louis CITY and showed great leadership in a tight affair. All in all, it was another fantastic weekend for this group.
U15
St. Louis CITY SC 1 - 2 MNUFC
Lou Fusz Athletic 0 - 3 MNUFC
The U15s bounced back from last weekend’s loss to Chicago in style, earning a pair of wins in St. Louis just like their U16 counterparts. A good start to the match didn’t prove good enough to get on the scoresheet, as the Loons entered the half knotted at 0-0. A few adjustments in the attacking approach saw the visitors grab two goals in the second 45, which proved to be enough for the victory in the end. Head coach Amin Qasim’s team was good value for the win, and after a week of hard work and preparation, it was a great payoff to help right the ship after last week’s disappointment.
The youngest Loons once again mirrored their older teammates, earning a comprehensive 3-0 win over Lou Fusz Athletic. A rotated squad gave some tired legs a rest without dropping the level of intensity after a bit of a slow start to proceedings. A pair of first-half strikes put Qasim’s squad in control, and a third in the second half put the game to bed. It was a great way to cap off a long weekend of playing and traveling, showing great strength and resilience from this young group.
Donatien Nzambimana’s brace in the first match set the tone for the weekend, and he added a third in the victory against Lou Fusz. Sam Roseblade and Hector Cruz likewise found the back of the net, while Julian Vasquez and Mario Vera-Martinez added exceptional performances of their own across the two games.
All three teams will be back in action next weekend with another doubleheader, this time in the Mitten State. The Loons will be taking on the Michigan Wolves on Saturday before facing the Michigan Jaguars on Sunday, making for another tiring road test for Minnesota United’s Academy.
