STARS TIE MIAMI FC 1-1, WARREN SAVES THIRD PENALTY IN THREE GAMES
BLAINE, Minn. (May 15, 2010) – Johnny Menyongar scored his first goal of the season in the 55th minute Saturday night, but the NSC Minnesota Stars couldn’t hold the lead and settled for a 1-1 draw with Miami FC. Paulo Araujo Jr. scored Miami’s only goal in the 73rd minute.
Goalkeeping was the theme of the night for both teams. Joe Warren saved his third penalty kick in three games, and the Stars peppered Miami’s goal with 11 shots, eight of which were on goal. Unfortunately for the home team, Miami goalkeeper Caleb Patterson made seven saves, including three from close range, to keep the Stars from earning all three points.
The Stars began the game brightly, with plenty of possession in Miami’s defensive end. Two-Boys Gumede, starting at defense instead of his usual outside midfield position, dazzled the crowd early with some fancy footwork. Despite the quality possession, it took 20 minutes for the Stars to get a shot on goal.
When the chance came, though, the Stars nearly found themselves up 1-0. Brian Cvilikas intercepted a poorly hit back pass to Patterson, but his touch around the Miami goalkeeper took him away from the goal. By the time he could turn his body to shoot, Miami’s defense had recovered to clear the ball off the goal line.
Cvilikas was involved in the Stars next good scoring chance. The 6-foot-3 forward got onto the end of a Chris Clements cross at the back post, nodding the ball back across goal. The ball landed at Daniel Wasson’s feet, but Patterson blocked both his point-blank shot and his follow-up attempt.
Miami regrouped at halftime and started the second half with more threatening possession than in the first. Abe Thompson tried his luck in the 51st minute from the top of the penalty area, but Brian Kallman slid in front of his shot at the last minute to prevent it from getting to Warren.
“The defense I love is the defense we played tonight, where they don’t even let the shots reach me,” Warren said after the game.
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