After a rough outing against Tacoma Defiance last Sunday, MNUFC2 will be taking the pitch this Thursday against The Town FC, looking for redemption. They will be bringing reinforcements, too. Following MNUFC’s exit from this year’s Leagues Cup tournament, a number of first-team players could see minutes against a formidable opponent that coincidentally shares its name with a gritty Ben Affleck crime drama.
While there has been no confirmation on exactly which first-team players could see action on Thursday night, D.J. Taylor and Wil Trapp are believed to be the most likely to take the field after having missed time with injuries in recent weeks. Along with Taylor and Trapp, others like Hassani Dotson, Hugo Bacharach, Samuel Shashoua, Moses Nyeman, and Jordan Adebayo-Smith are potential candidates for logging some time on the pitch.
No matter who among them ends up seeing minutes, the Twos have plenty of young talent at the NEXT Pro and academy levels to hold down the pitch. One player that continues to shine is 2024 MLS NEXT All-Star selection Darius Randell. The winger has impressed at the NEXT Pro level and upped the ante against Tacoma by scoring his first MNUFC2 goal of the 2024 campaign. Without question, The Town’s defensive third will have to focus on Randell, as his playmaking abilities certainly add more potency to a Twos’ attacking third that can thrive when things are clicking.
Additionally, the MNUFC academy has produced a number of talented standouts who have contributed at the NEXT Pro level throughout the season. Players like Julian Banks, Aidan Martinez, Justin Arias,and Dom Mawing continue to get valuable minutes for the Twos. However, the team will be without the defensive services of Mawing after he received a red card against Tacoma. Without Mawing in the mix, defenders Finn McRobb and Britton Fischer will have to be locked in if they hope to hold The Town’s attack at bay.
Lastly, the Twos will have a different type of home-pitch advantage in this match following the club's announcement Tuesday that the game will now be played at Allianz Field instead of NSC. Regardless of where the match is played, the Twos’ attack will be eager to find the net and atone for last week’s results in Tacoma.
Come see if MNUFC2, and some first-team players, can take down The Town FC this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at Allianz Field. Get your tickets today at SeatGeek.com. Can't make it to the Midway? Stream the game for FREE on MLSNEXTPro.com.
