![]() ![]() Several players angrily said something to the referee and then Minnesota head coach Youssef Darbaki told all of his players to get off the field, audibly saying, "We’re leaving." There was a heated confrontation between both teams and the referees in front of the scorer’s table at midfield, with some shoving and lots of shouting.Īfter the game, Darbaki claimed Torrent fans behind his team’s goal had shouted racial slurs at the TwinStars, including comments that brought one player to tears.įollowing several frenzied minutes – including Milwaukee players applauding their supporters as though the game was over, and then Davi yelling at fans to get away from the fences around the field and sit down – play resumed. In the 62nd minute, emotion overcame the TwinStars and their anger boiled over during a strange and chaotic episode. After defender Chris Kurth let the ball go through with a savvy dummy move, Weber got it at midfield, took a few touches and played a perfectly weighted pass to the on-running Bennett, who brought it into the box and unleashed a powerful strike to the near post for his first score. In the 57th minute, Bennett got his first goal on a beautiful bit of combination play – and chemistry – between him and Weber. Midfielder Declan Rodriguez calmly converted the penalty, putting it into the left side netting for his second goal and a 2-0 lead. Just minutes into the half, Bennett got the ball in the box and sent a shot toward goal that struck TwinStars defender Bill Baye on the arm, resulting in a red card for Baye and a penalty kick for the Torrent. Davi, who the day before had expressed reluctance to do much substituting, inserted Ian Bennett, an electric indoor star for the Wave, on the left wing, and the move quickly paid dividends. ![]() But, aside from a scorching shot that was saved off the post by Torrent goalkeeper Nick Barry, the TwinStars didn’t create many chances.īecause of the heat, there were two referee-mandated and much-needed water breaks before halftime, when Milwaukee went to the locker room with a 1-0 lead.Īlmost immediately in the second half, though, the Torrent opened the flood gates. Minnesota midfielders Karim Darbaki and Ahmed Osman were dangerous in attack, displaying flashes of trickery and creativity with the ball. Center back Drew Ruggles, a poised former USL player who won a championship with the Rochester Rhinos last year, was rugged and dominant in defense, a forceful winner of balls in the air and a precise long passer who showed his higher-level experience throughout the contest. While the Torrent held much of the possession against the TwinStars, who it beat in Minnesota on May 21 in its season opener, the hosts couldn’t break through again in that half. With more than 650 fans in attendance for the initial home game, the Torrent, Milwaukee’s only professional soccer team and its first since 2004, gave them plenty to cheer about.įorward James Weber scored the only goal of the first half, a patient, one-man effort where he collected the ball along the right end line in the box and, with no offensive support, blasted it into the upper corner of the net for his first tally. It was just amazing, unbelievable, all the support. "You’re happy with everyone who shows up," he said. Head coach and owner Andreas Davi said he was pleased with not only the play on the field, but also the turnout and atmosphere in the stands. ![]() With the temperature in the 90s – even higher on the artificial turf of KOHLER Engines Stadium – and with tempers flaring due to an ugly off-field incident, the Torrent capitalized on a man advantage and poured in four second-half goals to notch its third win in three matches. On a sweltering Saturday afternoon at Uihlein Soccer Park, the Milwaukee Torrent blazed past the Minnesota TwinStars, 5-0, in the home opener of its inaugural season. ![]()
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