There's a reason the rivalry between the Milwaukee Rampage and the Minnesota Thunder is so intense - every game seems to mean something beyond points in the standings. Be it playoff games, playoff qualifications, winning streaks, or something else entirely.
The Milwaukee Rampage snapped Minnesota's 63-game home unbeaten streak on June 8, 1996. In 1997, trying to qualify for the playoffs, Milwaukee assured that the Thunder would miss out for the first time in franchise history. Minnesota would return the favor in 1999 when the Rampage ended the last two games of the season against the Thunder, needing a game to enter the playoffs - again missing for the first time in franchise history.
In days gone by (and maybe even today), the front offices were rivals, and it only fed the natural geographic rivalry between the two neighbors. The results of this rivalry have not always been pretty, but always gritty, physical matches and exciting soccer.
The tradition continued in the latest round between these two teams, and once again the game meant more than points in the standings. Minnesota had a 20-game unbeaten streak stretching into 1999, and a ten game winning streak against Milwaukee itself. The Rampage were fighting for a wildcard birth in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, needing a win and three goals.
First Half:
A typical Rampage-Thunder game: Physical. Plenty of hard tackles, a couple yellow cards on Minnesota. Johnny Menyonger, the 20-year-old rookie from Liberia, lit up the scoreboard first in the 33rd minute, after a short cross in heavy traffic from fellow striker Gerard Lagos.
Both teams had a number of chances. The majority from Minnesota, all but one stopped by some fine goal keeping by Dan Popik. Milwaukee's best chance got past keeper John Swallen in the 25th minute, but was blocked off the line by second-year Thunder defender Eric Otto.
Second Half:
If the first half was hard-nosed, bite and scratch to get a shot soccer, the second half was more so, but as Milwaukee pressed for more offense, they opened up the counter-attack, which Minnesota leaped upon. Minnesota's counter-attack became the Johnny Menyonger show, as he scored two more goals, once in the 73rd minute and again in the 75th minute. The third goal was contested by Milwaukee for being offside. Menyonger could have scored a fourth on a breakaway when Popik took him down in the penalty area on a no-call.
Milwaukee capitalized on the Minnesota grumblings to score a quick goal in the 79th minute of the contest off a fine shot by Brian Loftin, a minute after that no-call. Minnesota would eventually get their penalty kick after Luis Labastida was taken down in the penalty area following another breakaway. Morgan Zeba converted on the PK.
Like the first half, while a faster pace, the tough style of the teams continued, with hard fouls, and three more yellow cards, this time all on Milwaukee (including the foul that resulted in the penalty kick). A total of forty-one fouls were called throughout the game.
MINNESOTA 4, MILWAUKEE 1. Goals: John Menyongar (Gerard Lagos) 33, John Menyongar (Brian Winters) 73, John Menyongar 75, Morgan Zeba (PK) 88, Brian Winters (Steve Bernal) 79.
MINNESOTA -- John Swallen, John Sylvester, Eric Otto (Mark Schulte, 83), Dionysius Sebwe (Ubusuku Abukusumo, 71), Don Gramenz, Mike Gentile, Brian Winters, Morgan Zeba, Stoian Mladenov, John Menyongar (Luis Labastida, 81), Gerard Lagos (Aaron Leventhal, 71).
MILWAUKEE -- Dan Popik, Chris Jahr, Alen Soso, Lovelace Ackah (Ted Storm, 64), Dennis Fadeski, Josh Provan (Mirsad Dzilic, 69), Steve Bernal, Hrvoje Galovic (David Marshall, 46), Brian Loftin, Nate Houser, Digital Takawira.
SHOTS -- Minnesota 21, Milwaukee 6. SAVES -- Swallen (MIN) 2, Popik (MIL) 7. FOULS -- Minnesota 21, Milwaukee 20. OFFSIDE -- Minnesota 3, Milwaukee 1. CORNER KICKS -- Minnesota 6, Milwaukee 1. CAUTIONS -- Zeba (MIN) 10, Winters (MIN) 39, Soso (MIL) 63, Fadeski (MIL) 71, Storm (MIL) 88. EJECTIONS -- None. ATTENDANCE -- 1,911. OFFICIALS -- Sia Rahimi, Richard Huber, Bob Petersen, Elias Bazakos, Mishaun Ahmad.
