Before heading down to the Central Conference Regional Boys’ Showcase in Frisco, Texas, this weekend, the MNUFC Development Academy U13 and U14 teams hosted squads from the Indiana Fire Academy and the Chicago Fire at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

MNUFC U13 vs. Indiana Fire Academy U13
This match was a high-scoring affair that got going early with an own goal against MNUFC off a misplayed corner kick in the 12^th minute that would be credited to Indy’s Benjamin Zec. Just a minute later, Indy’s Owen Meija put it through the ‘keeper’s legs to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. Indy’s David Alexander made it 3-0 in the 28^th minute, but MNUFC would get one back before the break with a far post blast from Solomon Straub. The second half would see the Loons come roaring back on goals by Cooper Ljewski, Micah Burton and Abdulsalam Akinola in the 45^th, 50^th and 62^nd minutes, respectively, to make it 4-3 but Indy would not go quietly and forced the draw in the 65^th minute on a strike by Taiyo Murashige.

MNUFC U13 vs. Chicago Fire U13
In their second match of the weekend on Sunday, MNUFC opened the scoring on a penalty kick in the 10^th minute that was calmly settled home by Cooper Ljewski. The Loons’ lead would not hold, though, as the Fire’s Titus Wilson would equalize in the 25^th minute, followed by the match-winner from Timi Usikalu in the 66^th minute to give the visitors a 2-1 win.

MNUFC U14 vs. Indiana Fire Academy U14
The U14s positively romped in their first match on Saturday, burying Indy under an avalanche of goals — a brace each from Jacob Thao and Daniel Lainsbury and a single strike from Perry Blay. Thao’s goals came on a pair of penalty kicks in the 14^th and 25^th minutes and Lainsbury’s came in quick succession in the run of play in the 73^rd and 75^th minutes to complete a 5-0 win.

MNUFC U14 vs. Chicago Fire U14
The match against the Chicago Fire U14s was a tense affair that was a goalless draw for 72 minutes before David Sanchez found the back of the net for the visitors to give Chicago a 1-0 lead that the Loons were unable to come back from.