A penalty-kick conversion by Jordan Adebayo-Smith in the dying minutes of the match, on the back of a dominating game of possession by MNUFC2 all night, helped lead MNUFC2 to a 1-0 victory over Colorado Rapids 2 in the last home game of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season. The Twos now look to their final game of 2024 on the road against North Texas SC on Sunday, October 6.
Just under the first 10 minutes played in the match, MNUFC2 won the first free kick of the night after Jordan Adebayo-Smith was fouled in the Colorado Rapids 2 defending half. Twos’ captain Rory O’Driscoll stepped up and took a shot, but the on-target attempt was deflected off Colorado’s wall.
In the 30th minute, Colorado narrowly approached a scoring opportunity as Kimani Stewart-Baynes made a run down the left flank. He took a sharp-angled shot near the left post, only to graze the outside of the net.
Within two minutes, Rapids 2 were booked three times. First, Kimani Stewart-Baynes was shown a yellow-card caution after a challenge in Minnesota’s half. Following his yellow card, Stewart-Baynes was shown his second yellow which resulted in him being ejected from the match, leaving Colorado down a man. One minute later, Wayne Frederick was shown a yellow card.
Following a foul by Colorado’s Daouda Amadou on Loons’ midfielder Aidan Martinez in the 40th minute, Rory O’driscoll set up the free kick outside the 18-yard box. His shot skimmed the top of the crossbar.
Minnesota’s first goal scoring opportunity of the second half came in the 54th minute when first-team defender Matúš Kmeť received the ball, turning to face the goal he found a pocket of space where he fired off an unopposed shot but Rapids 2 goalkeeper Zackory Campagnolo was able to save the shot.
In the 58th minute, Rory O’Driscoll took another free kick for the Twos outside the 18-yard box, making a quick and short pass to Moses Nyeman. Nyeman and O’Driscoll made a quick give-and-go, having O’Driscoll cross it to the penalty spot where the ball was cleared by Daouda Amadou over the net, giving the Twos a corner. In the corner kick, O’Driscoll played Nyeman short but had no shots on target, ending the play on a foul call over Carlos Casillas-Lopez.
In the 88th minute, the Twos were granted a free kick positioned just atop the 18-yard box on a foul committed against Anderson Farris. The foul was deemed a denial of a goal scoring opportunity, and Rapids 2 defender Nate Jones was shown a straight red. O'Driscoll took the set piece and struck the ball, sending it into the bottom left corner of the net. However, the goal was ultimately disallowed due to an interference call.
Deep into the final moments of second-half stoppage time, the Twos won a penalty-kick opportunity when O’Driscoll was fouled inside the box by the Rapids 2 keeper. Jordan Adebayo-Smith stepped up to take the penalty, executing a precise shot that found the bottom left corner of the net, successfully converting the opportunity and leading MNUFC2 to a 1-0 victory to close the home slate of games this season.
GOALS
1-0 MNUFC2 - Jordan Adebayo-Smith, penalty kick (90’+6’’)
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Caution, COL2 - Kimani Stewart-Baynes (37’)
Ejection, COL2 - Kimani Stewart-Baynes (37’)
Caution, COL2 - Wayne Frederick (38’)
Caution, COL2 - Daouda Amadou (40’)
Caution, COL2 - Zackory Campagnolo (63’)
Caution, MNUFC2 - Jordan Adebayo-Smith (69’)
Caution, MNUFC2 - Matúš Kmeť (76’)
Ejection, COL2 - Nate Jones (89’)
Caution, COL2 - Steve Flores (90’+4’)
NOTABLE STATS
90’+6’ - MNUFC forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith’s penalty kick goal was scored in the sixth minute of second-half added stoppage time, breaking the record for the latest goal scored in MNUFC2 history. The previous mark was 90’+5’, which was also a goal scored by Adebayo-Smith in this year’s first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on March 20 at Chicago House A.C.
1 - MNUFC Academy U18 goalkeeper Kai Zeruhn earned his first clean sheet of his MNUFC2 career tonight against Colorado Rapids 2.
5 - With the victory tonight, MNUFC2 is currently riding a five-game unbeaten streak.
TEAM LEADERS (Updated through Sept. 27 )
Goals – Patrick Weah (8)
Assists – Britton Fischer (4)
Saves – Alec Smir (26)
Wins – Alec Smir (4)
Shutouts – Clint Irwin (2)
