MNUFC2 on Thursday night broke a six-game losing streak, playing to a thrilling 2(3)-2(2) draw against Austin FC II, with the Minnesota side coming away with two points after winning the shootout from the mark.
Early on in the match, in the eighth and ninth minutes, MNUFC2 found two back-to-back chances on goal. The Twos captain, Kage Romanshyn Jr., served a long ball up the pitch, finding Loïc Mesanvi on the left flank. Mesanvi crossed a driven ball on the ground across goal but teammate Darius Randall wasn’t able to get a touch before it ricocheted off an Austin FC II player and out of bounds. The Twos second chance came from Romanshyn Jr.’s second service off the corner into the box where Aidan Martinez, inside the six-yard box, fired off a close-range shot that went high above the crossbar.
Austin FC II took the lead in the 16th minute after having put the Twos under a bit of pressure. The goal came after a mistouch from Austin’s forward Bryant Farkarlun trying to receive a pass while running towards goal. MNUFC2’s midfielder Moses Nyeman quickly passed it back towards goalkeeper Francesco Montali, who tried to quickly clear it, but the clearance hit Austin’s Bryant Farkarlun on his back and the ball bounced into the net.
Montali then made a crucial diving save in the 22nd minute after Farkarlun, on the counter-attack, found himself open on the left side. He was able to cross the ball across goal but Montali batted the ball out and away, keeping the opposing team to one goal.
Right before half-time, in the 42nd minute, the Twos’ next chance came from a build-up and a one-two sequence in their half that found Mesanvi inside the box, where he passed it off to Romanshyn Jr. on top of the 18-yard-line. Romanshyn Jr. then laid it off to Randell on the right side, where he was able to fire off a shot from inside the 18-yard box, but hit it wide of the far post.
One minute into the second half, Austin FC II found the second goal of the match after Bobosi Byaruhanga broke away and chipped the ball from distance that went over-the-top of Montali who was far off his line.
But the Twos continued to fight and Mesanvi had an opportunity at scoring the their first goal of the match with a chipped shot that just went over the crossbar. It came after a great lofted ball from Montali to the left wing where Mesanvi was making a long run.
The scoring moment finally came when MNUFC2 was awarded a penalty after Jordan Adebayo-Smith was taken down inside the box by Austin’s defender Antonio Gomez. Midfielder Rory O’Driscoll was the one to step up and put in past goalkeeper Marcus Alstrup and reduced Austin's lead to one goal with less than ten minutes left in the match.
Coming off a bit of confidence from the first goal, the Twos got their second and equalising goal of the game in the 90th minute after a cross into the box from the right wing from Julian Banks, aimed for Mesanvi, was redirected towards goal by Austin’s defender Chieck Toure going past his own goalkeeper.
The match stayed even after regulation time, sending the game to a shootout from the mark, which ended in favor of MNUFC2, capturing two points on the night.
GOALS
0-1 ATXII - Bryant Farkarlun (16’)
0-2 ATXII - Bobosi Byaruhanga, assisted by Micah Burton (46’)
1-2 MNUFC2 - Rory O’Driscoll, PK (82’)
2-2 MNUFC2 - Cheick Toure, own goal (90’)
SHOOTOUT SUMMARY
MNUFC2
Britton Fischer - Saved
Finn McRobb - Saved
Julian Banks - Goal
Rory O’Driscoll - Goal
Enrique Nieves - Goal
ATXII
Alonso Ramirez - Miss
Cheick Toure - Miss
Rubén Bonachera - Save
Micah Burton - Goal
Antonio Gomez - Goal
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Caution, ATXII - Bryant Farkarlun (5’)
Caution, ATXII - Micah Burton (45’)
Caution, MNUFC2 - Kage Romanshyn Jr. (53’)
Caution, MNUFC2 - Britton Fischer (72’)
NOTABLE STATS
1 - Enrique Nieves made his MLS NEXT Pro and MNUFC2 debut against Austin FC II at the National Sports Stadium on Thursday, July 18. He also scored the penalty kick that secured the extra point during the shootout from the mark
1 - MNUFC2 played to its first draw of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro regular-season, earning two points after winning the shootout from the mark
TEAM LEADERS (Updated through July 18)
Goals – Patrick Weah (8)
Assists – Molik Jesse Khan (3)
Saves – Alec Smir (19)
Wins – Alec Smir (2)
Shutouts – Clint Irwin (1)
