It was a back-and-forth, tightly-contested match on Tuesday evening in the Bay Area, where MNUFC2 battled, but wasn’t able to score an equalizer, ultimately falling to The Town FC by a 3-2 score.
1’ - MNUFC2 started the game off with a quick and dangerous scoring attempt when midfielder Babacar Niang hit the crossbar at the 50-second mark. The rebound landed in front of forward Darius Randell, but a second shot would be unsuccessful.
16’ - The Twos again forced The Town FC to make a stop when MNUFC Academy midfielder Max Harwood briefly gained possession, turning the ball up and forward to Muba Nour. Nour then took a strike from distance, but goalkeeper Francesco Montali made the save.
18’ - Just minutes later, the home side saw its first close chance. Winger Missael Rodriguez beat Harwood inside the MNUFC2 18-yard box before sending the ball towards the center of the penalty area. Forward Adimabua was the recipient of the ball and his short-range shot sailed above the crossbar.
27’ (0-1) - The Town FC scored first. Missael Rodriguez slipped past the MNUFC2 back line and beat the Twos’ keeper after a long ball was sent overtop the pitch from The Town’s defending half by Cruz Medina.
38’ (0-2) - A second goal was scored by the home side, this time as a result of a corner-kick service into MNUFC2’s box. The Twos’ defense made an attempt to win a header duel, but the ball floated towards an open Chance Cowell, whose close-range header found the back of the net.
45’+4’ (1-2) - Forward Luke Hille scored when he converted a penalty-kick attempt in a shot that went straight to the middle of the net. The goal pulled the Twos within a one-goal margin just before half time.
56’ - The Town FC saw another close shot by Adimabua missed high above the crossbar after he positioned himself inside the MNUFC2 six-yard box and received a cross from the opposite side.
66’ (1-3) - A third goal was scored by the home side after winning a direct-free kick about 25 yards from goal. Diogo Baptista’s shot curled into the far edge of the net, beating Minnesota’s keeper to add to their lead.
69’ (2-3) - The Twos responded quickly, scoring as a result of a cross deep into TTFC’s box. Kieran Chandler sent the ball in, where Muba Nour’s header at close range was saved by Montali. The rebound floated in front of midfielder Babacar Niang, whose immediate header touch crossed the line and pulled the Loons back into the match.
90’+5’ - Cruz Medina crashed towards the MNUFC2 net when he barley beat the Twos’ back line. Medina fired off a shot from inside the box, but Zeruhn made the diving save to keep the score as-is.
GOALS
0-1 TTFC - Massael Rodriguez (Cruz Medina) - 27’
0-2 TTFC - Chance Cowell (Edwyn Mendoza) - 38’
1-2 MNUFC2 - Luke Hille (penalty) - 45’+4’
1-3 TTFC - Diogo Baptista - 66’
2-3 MNUFC2 - Babacar Niang (Britton Fischer) - 69’
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
TTFC - Ariel Mbumba (caution) - 42’
TTFC - Diogo Baptista (caution) - 45’+3’
MNUFC2 - Anderson Farris (caution) - 65’
MNUFC2 - Alpha Kabia (caution) - 79’
TTFC - Keegan Walwyn-Bent (caution) - 80’
TTFC - Edwyn Mendoza (caution) - 88’
TTFC - Cruz Medina (caution) - 90’
NOTABLE STATS
3 – With his penalty-kick goal at the end of the first half, forward Luke Hille has now scored at least one goal in the past three games in-a-row.
1 – Babacar Niang scored his very-first MLS NEXT Pro and MNUFC2 goal on Tuesday night at The Town FC.
1 – MNUFC Academy U16 defender Justin Sosnouski made his MLS NEXT Pro and MNUFC2 debut appearance when he came into the match as a second-half substitute.
TEAM LEADERS (Updated through July 22, 2025)
Goals – Luke Hille (7)
Assists – Curt Calov (6)
Saves – Kayne Rizvanovich (27)
Wins – Wessel Speel, Kayne Rizvanovich (3)
Shutouts – Wessel Speel, Kayne Rizvanovich (1)
LINEUPS
MNUFC2 XI: GK Kai Zeruhn; D Anderson Farris, Britton Fischer, Kisa Kiingi; M Kieran Chandler, Babacar Niang (Kage Romanshyn Jr. 71’), Max Harwood (Alpha Kabia 56’), Muba Nour, DJ Taylor © (Justin Sosnouski 71’); F Luke Hille (Issa Saidi 87’), Darius Randell (Troy Putt 71’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Keane Perkins; M Brady Schumacher
The Town FC XI: GK Francesco Montali; D A Cano, Ricardo Ibarra ©, Ariel Mbumba, Diogo Baptista (Keegan Walwyn-Bent 79’); M Missael Rodriguez (Julian Donnery 73’), Cruz Medina, Nick Fernandez, Edwyn Mendoza, Chance Cowell (Rohan Rajagopal 64’); F Adimabua
Substitutes Not Used: GK David Sweeney; D Hudson Kohler, Alexander Ling; M Yujin Kikuchi
