For the first time in a long time, Minnesota played a game south of the Mississippi River, playing in the outer-ring suburb of Apple Valley, instead of the outer (but farther north) ring suburb of Blaine.
Immediately, a mildly-experienced observer knows why the Thunder plays most of their games at the National Sports Center: their full-sized field. While the fans were closer to the game, the field (thankfully without the football lines) was very small. Smaller, in fact, than their usual home-away-from-home Macalaster College's football field. Putting 22 men on a small field is often a recipe for a very physical game, something, when coupled with frustration, is something Minnesota knows quite well, after losing Gerard Lagos for the season to a very frustrated Cincinnati Riverhawks. Like Cincinnati, Minnesota has dominated the series with the Blast, leading the four game series with an aggregate score of 15-0 (four wins, no losses or draws).
First Half
As expected, the first half produced a great deal of the pinball effect; short passes, because of the lack of space, were commonly intercepted by both times, and if the ball remained dead for a split-second, it was immediately pounced on by a number of players from both squads. In the close-quarters, bumping and physical play was common, and the long ball because the most potent offensive option.
In the 13th minute, Johnny Menyonger sprinted after a loose rebound, from a shot by Morgan Zeba, saved by Chuck Browder on the right corner. The rebound dribbled across the 6-yard box, and Menyonger stretched his body to just nudge the ball in net before wobbling out-of-bounds.
In the 36th, Apple Valley native, and goalkeeper, Jon Lowrey picked up an assist in a play much more likely in the short field of Eastview High School. After placing the ball just outside of his penalty area, he smacked the ball midway into the Blast's half, where both Johnny Menyonger, and Paul Schneider beat Indiana's defense. Schneider, who came down with the ball, was able to pop it over the head of Browder, who dived to cut down the angle, but was unable to stop the balls ascent.
Schneider picked up the second of his two goals courtesy of John Sylvester, who, making a run down the left side, crossed the ball nine-yards out from the corner, to the near post. Schneider then flicked the ball, barely, with his head, into the far end of the goal. During the play, Indiana protested that the ball was in fact played by the wrist, and not the head. Both Matt Ogden and Mark Allen picked up yellow cards for dissent during the ensuing argument.
Second Half
After falling down 3-0 in the first half, the frustration was very apparent in Indiana, both in style of play, and on their faces as they played. The Blast played the half with an increasingly physical style of play, causing several scuffles between one team anxious to get on the scoreboard, and another wanting to avoid another injury. On several occasions, teammates rushed to pull apart their comrades before things escalated.
Indiana got on the board in the 72nd minute, after threading the ball through heavy traffic in the penalty area, Peter Baah crossed the ball left, creating an easy header into the goal for Jeff Dresser, who send it to the left of second half keeper John Swallen.
As the Blast tried to step up the attack, it left itself open for a stoppage time goal by Morgan Zeba, who originally, off a break-away, passed the ball left, to the upper left corner of the penalty area to Mark Abboud, who's shot was saved by a diving Chuck Browder. The rebound was picked up by Luis Labastida, who's immediate shot was blocked by an Indiana defender off the line; that rebound was taken by Morgan Zeba, who, inside the box, and to the right of the arc, had an open shot to the right side of the goal.
MINNESOTA THUNDER 4, INDIANA BLAST 1. Goals: Johnny Menyongar (Morgan Zeba) 16, Paul Schneider (Jon Lowery) 36, Paul Schneider (John Sylvester) 44, Morgan Zeba 90; Jeff Dresser (Peter Baah) 72.
MINNESOTA Jon Lowery (John Swallen, 46), Brian Winters, Mike Gentile, Morgan Zeba, John Coughlin, Stoian Mladenov (Nate Winkel, 66), Johnny Menyongar (Mark Abboud, 76), John Sylvester, Paul Schneider (Luis Labastida, 61), Don Gramenz, Ronald Valderrama.
INDIANA Chuck Browder, Gino DiGuardi (David Proctor, 71), Justin Pratt, Dustin Ottesen, Chris Duff, Matt Ogden, Matt Caution (Jeff Dresser, 46), Mark Allen, Peter Baah, Jon Pickup, Andy Parrish (Andy McDermott, 78).
SHOTS Minnesota 10, Indiana 3. SAVES Lowery (MIN) 0, Swallen (MIN) 0; Browder (IND) 3. FOULS Minnesota 17, Indiana 15. OFFSIDES Minnesota 3, Indiana 0. CORNER KICKS Minnesota 3, Indiana 0. CAUTIONS Odgen (IND) 44, Allen (IND) 44, DiGuardi (IND) 65, Valderrama (MIN) 66. EJECTIONS None. ATTENDANCE 3,205. OFFICIALS Elias Bazakos, Fotis Bazakos, Jeremy Schroeder, Brian Gryniewski.
