Stars ready for playoff opener against Tampa Bay
The Minnesota Stars face FC Tampa Bay for the third time in less than a month on Saturday night at 6:30 CDT at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla. After sealing a playoff berth on the North American Soccer League’s final day, the Minnesota Stars enter their single-elimination opening round playoff game against FCTB confident from an important victory and already hardened by the pressure of a playoff mentality.
Download: Match Notes and Stats (PDF)
A seven-game winless streak from August 10 to September 6 threatened to quash the Stars’ once-certain playoff dreams, but the team rebounded by taking seven of a possible nine points in the season’s final three games, beating last-place Atlanta 2-0 on September 10, tying 1-1 at Tampa Bay on September 17 and closing the season with an impressive 2-1 win at regular season champion Carolina last Saturday to finish the season. As every team still playing switches to a must-win mentality, the Stars carry forth an attitude adopted out of necessity three weeks ago.
“Saturday was a huge win for us, not just because it sealed our spot in the playoffs, but because we played extremely well on the road against the best team in the league, and that’s something we’re going to have to do consistently to have success in the playoffs,” Stars head coach Manny Lagos said.
That road to success starts Saturday in a match that will thoroughly test the Stars on both sides of the ball. In four matches this season, FCTB and the Stars have combined to take 111 shots in action that has frequently moved rapidly from end to end. The combination of the its typical possession play and the increased opportunity to counterattack with FCTB sending numbers forward led Minnesota to average three more shots per game against Tampa Bay than against any of the league’s other teams.
Despite the openness in attack, the two teams combined for only seven goals total in their four previous meetings. The Stars finished the season with the league’s third-best defense, allowing 32 goals in 28 games and allowing more than one goal in only eight matches. Two of those matches were against FCTB, prompting Lagos to earmark a key to the game for both sides of the ball.
“On defense, it’s important to limit the quality chances Tampa can create. It’s not just the forwards who we need to watch, it’s the pace on the wings and the threats their midfielders can create joining the attack,” he said. “Offensively, we need to continue to be confident in front of goal and make the most of our scoring chances.”
To the second end, the Stars have an in-form forward in Brian Cvilikas, who has scored three goals in the last five games after struggling for playing time earlier this season. In addition to his goal-scoring exploits, including the game-winner last Saturday at Carolina to send the Stars to the postseason, Cvilikas’ work rate up front has been outstanding, and his hold up play has played a less heralded role in helping the Stars reverse their fortunes in the final three weeks of the season. Lagos has preferred to pair Cvilikas with Luke Mulholland, but also has leading scorers Simone Bracalello and Devin Del Do available.
Saturday could also see the return of Ely Allen, a right midfielder who made 11 appearances to start the season before injuring his knee July 9. With the good form of wingers Jeff Cosgriff, Lucas Rodriguez and Anthony Hamilton, Allen’s inclusion in the lineup remains to be seen, but he provides Lagos with another option on the wing, a position asked to work hard on both sides of the ball in the Stars’ system.
“We had to roll up our sleeves and fight to get in here, and we know that every team is going to take that approach now and really battle for their fans,” Lagos said. “It’s playoff soccer.”
