Recap
Rosenborg BK 2 – 0 Asane (F)
Rosenborg combined for two goals in the first half as the center of the attack was able to connect more effectively. The team held on for the rest of the match.
Real Salt Lake 2 – 2 Minnesota United (M)
The Loons combined for two goals in the first half with Emanuel Reynoso having an immediate impact in his return to the starting line up (and strong showings by both Hasani Dotson and Jeong Sang-Bin). But team was not able to hold on for the rest of the match, giving up two goals in the last 11 minutes (plus stoppage time) to turn an excellent road win into an acceptable road draw.
Bavarian United 0 – 2 Minnesota Aurora (F)
Aurora completed their biggest road trip of the year with another win, another pair of goals for Maya Hansen and another Heartland Division title (their second in as many years)
Rosenborg 0 – 3 Sarpsborg 08 (M)
The other team from Trondheim did not seem to have much of anything in this match as they defended as best they could, and saw Sarpsborg stride forward with purpose and intensity and Rosenborg was…there.
Emelec 2 – 1 Danubio (M-Copa Sudamericana)
Los Bombillos continue to save their best showings for the continental competition (though if they keep doing so, they may not qualify for next year’s competitions). They applied tremendous pressure throughout the match and it was a particularly great game for fullbacks as Bryan Carabali got a goal and Romario Caicedo notched an assist. They will move on to the knockout stages.
News & Notes
Weekly Kids Highlights
We were on a family staycation at your grandparents this week, so Alex was out of action for his regular Sunday practice. However both boys have taken to wrestling and punching…so…
Gold Cup-Date
Several Loons players are still on international duty (heh-heh, duty sounds like doody) at the Gold Cup, North America’s big international tournament. Dayne St. Clair didn’t start for Canada, but after Milan Borjan gave up two more goals to Guadaloupe, maybe it’s time for a change between the posts.
Joseph Rosales was on the struggling side of a 4-0 drubbing by Mexico. Kemar Lawrence came on for the second half for Jamaica against the United States, but the Reggae Boyz gave up a late equalizer to fall short of an epic upset.
Transfer Time
Every team is looking to upgrade in the summer season and ours have been impressively active.
Start with the Loons, whose offense I have bemoaned a fair few times. They responded by getting Robin Lod’s teammate and Norwich’s favorite Fin Teemu Puuki. So hopefully he and Bebelo are able to get together quickly to pull the Loons back into contention.
Freiburg has continued their routine of selling high and buying low, as long as the premier league continues to offer big sums, the Griffins will keep taking them and reinvesting in the next generation. As in addition to the Austrian Adamu they grabbed a replacement goalie in old pal Florian Muller.
Vozdovac and Ross County have trended to younger academy players, but the Dragons did bring in former Red Star defender Aleksandar Lukic, and the Stags grabbed recent thistle in their sides, Kyle Turner (because he played for Partick Thistle in the playoffs just a few weeks ago…get it?) and left back Josh Reid who just missed a trip to the Premier League with Coventry City. Unfortunately the Stags also said goodbye to stalwart defender Alex Iacovitti, so there will be some shoes to fill.
RBK’s Finances
I don’t much like writing about the business side of soccer, because (1) I don’t understand it and (2) I have no idea how to work it into life lessons for you boys. But it seems relevant at this point because, apparently Rosenborg’s women’s side has suffered financially in the last year, and the Norwegian Federation is worried about their ability to stay afloat. (I’m not quite sure why they’re struggling, they’ve been consistently one of the best teams in the country, the stands at Koateng arena are usually full, but like I said…I don’t understand a lot of the business stuff.) As a result they have been docked a point in the league dropping them further behind Valerenga…but I don’t have to do that, and I won’t.
Player of the Week
Her hat trick could have been rewarded last week, but there was a bigger point to make by standing with her fellow defender. But after another clean sheet boosting the best defense in our table, Sara Horte you are our player of the week.
Standing
Emelec will get a much needed break after their Copa Sudamericana tie this week and then it’ll be a summer of Minnesota and Rosenborg! (And a summer where Punjab keeps looking over their shoulders)
| Team | W | D | L | PPG | GFA | GAA |
| Punjab–b | 12 | 2 | 3 | 2.24 | 2.29 | 0.94 |
| Minnesota | 16 | 5 | 7 | 1.89 | 2.39 | 1.14 |
| Rosenborg | 15 | 6 | 10 | 1.65 | 1.74 | 0.90 |
| Legon Cities–b | 9 | 7 | 8 | 1.42 | 1.25 | 1.29 |
| Grenoble–b | 15 | 6 | 17 | 1.34 | 1.16 | 1.13 |
| Emelec | 5 | 8 | 7 | 1.15 | 1.20 | 1.20 |
| Freiburg–b | 12 | 7 | 19 | 1.13 | 1.24 | 1.66 |
| Alebrijes–b | 5 | 5 | 8 | 1.11 | 1.33 | 1.39 |
| Ross County–b | 6 | 4 | 12 | 1.00 | 1.23 | 1.50 |
| Vozdovac–b | 4 | 3 | 11 | 0.83 | 0.67 | 1.65 |
| Montana–b | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
b–Team is between seasons
What’s Next
Thursday, June 29th
Green Bay Glory v. Minnesota Aurora (F)
Friday, June 30th
Saturday, July 1st
Roa v. Rosenborg BK (F)
Minnesota United v. Portland Timbers (M)
Minnesota Aurora v. Chicago City SC (F)
Sunday, July 2nd
Aalesund v. Rosenborg (M)
MacKenzie's Boot Room 