News

BLAINE, Minn. (July 18, 2012) — Luck was not on Minnesota Stars FC's side Wednesday night as it closed out a four-game homestand with a 2-1 loss to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in front of 4,034 fans at NSC Stadium.

Mark Anderson scored twice in the first half for Fort Lauderdale, capping two lightning fast counterattacks to put the Stars down 2-0 after a first half they dominated for spells and in which they hit the post twice.

The first goal of the match came in the 34th minute on the counter attack when a breaking Andy Herron hit Mark Anderson with a pass. Anderson then made a couple of dribbles and fired a shot just inside the far post, beating Stars' goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel.

The Strikers second goal came just before halftime in the 42nd minute when the attacking duo of Paulo Araujo Jr. and Mark Anderson connected for the goal. Anderson took Araujo's pass and struck the ball high into the near corner of the net for his second goal of the game and ninth goal of the season.

In the second half, the Stars were able to pull within a goal when former Striker forward Martin Nunez snuck a pass through the Strikers' defense to Simone Bracalello. The Minnesota forward found himself one on one with Matt Glaeser and tucked his shot under the Strikers' goalkeeper to make it 2-1.

Just four minutes later, Lucas Rodriguez’s in-swinging free kick found Núñez unmarked at the back post, and he headed his shot past Glaeser. Unfortunately for the home side, the linesman’s flag wiped the equalizer off the board on a very close offside call. Bracalello had the best chance for a stoppage-time equalizer, but his header from four yards out was right at Glaeser. The Stars also had a penalty claim for handball waved off.

The match ended with the Strikers walking out 2-1 victors.

COMPLETE STATS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE HERE