A season is a collection of moments: of excitement, of triumph and of heartbreak. For anyone following along, Minnesota United’s inaugural MLS season ran the gamut. When you ask fans what their most memorable moment of the season was, though, they know right away. The team made history on more than one occasion and, for supporter Stephanie Stewart, this season provided an opportunity for her children to begin to learn why soccer is truly the world’s game.
“It means that my kids can see that soccer is a sport known around the world and is one to be respected,” she explained. “My kids see now that they can play soccer long term and have so many options for what to do within the professional soccer world. My family is so excited that we were a part of the inaugural MLS season. We plan for this to be part of our family legacy. My grandkids will attend these games, I know it. As a family, we have made a commitment to MNUFC and we could not be happier about that decision.”
Fans Jarrett Yehlen and James Norungolo echoed this, as soccer was their first love and both continue to be heavily involved in the game.
Norungolo witnessed Minnesota United’s first-ever MLS match against Portland when he made the cross-country trek with his fellow members of True North Elite. In all, over 150 members of TNE and Dark Clouds headed to Oregon to support the team on a cold, rainy night full of singing and celebration that Norungolo will never forget.
“Flying out there. Being there with my friends. Being in the pub with Dr. McGuire and just a bunch of United supporters all together,” Norungolo reminisced. “Just this celebration that we’re in the top flight. Marching over to Providence Park. The outcome of the game was almost beside the point. Seeing Christian score the first ever goal for the club in MLS. Just knowing the doubts of whether Christian and some of the other players could make the jump from NASL, and for him to score the first ever goal? And for it to happen at the end of the stadium where we were at? It was just a memorable night.”
For Jarrett Yehlen and his wife, the moment that stood out was another historical one: the club’s first home win.
In its fifth match of the year, Minnesota United hosted Real Salt Lake on a beautiful April evening. The Loons went down 1-0 in the first four minutes of play, but were able to draw level off a Kevin Molino header before heading into the locker room. In the second half, a brace from Christian Ramirez and a goal from Johan Venegas brought the score to 4-1, and the Loons left the pitch victorious for the first time at home.
“I’ll never forget the euphoria I felt during Minnesota United’s first home win against Real Salt Lake,” Yehlen said. “My wife and I were sitting three rows up behind the goal. We couldn’t help but feel like we were a part of the team that night. As the clock ticked down on that crisp spring night, we knew we were witnessing history.”
Three matches later in the team’s next home match, the stadium once again rang with Oasis’ “Wonderwall” after the team beat the Colorado Rapids 1-0. Miguel Ibarra’s diving header not only won the match, but won the slot of most memorable moment of the season for many fans in the stands.
“When Miguel scored that header goal against Colorado, at the supporters’ end of TCF, right in front of us, to win that game. And then to have him and JD [Justin Davis] come into the True North Elite section, just like they did back at NSC,” Norungolo said. “To literally hold those guys and let them know how important, and great that moment was. That was, like, I’m getting goosebumps talking about that right now. It was the best of what we were like when we were in the NASL. But moving it into MLS. For one of your players that was an MNUFC player back in the NASL days to make that jump to MLS, and to score such an important goal and to have that kind of moment, is really cool.”
Stewart and her son will never forget that goal, either. "Miguel Ibarra's diving header against the Colorado Rapids,” she said. “Ibarra is my son's favorite player, and then to have this happen right in front of our seats! It was amazing. Everyone in the crowd went crazy, and I think my son was by far one of the loudest.”
There is a reason soccer is referred to as the world’s game. It gives people a chance to come together in one stadium, supporting one team, sharing in the same moments. As the club looks ahead to 2018 and the move to its own stadium, Allianz Field, in 2019, there’s a lot of work to be done and a lot for fans to enjoy in the future. But the moments from 2017 will always hold a special place in fans’ hearts.
