Minnesota Aurora defeats Green Bay to remain Undefeated

Minnesota Aurora remains undefeated with a 2-0 victory over the Green Bay Glory Thursday night in Green Bay.  Aurora had previously tied the Glory 1-1 in the home opener which was the only single point game of the Aurora season. 

Tonight, Aurora came out strong in the first half with lots of possession and scoring opportunities. Sangmin Cha and Mariah Nguyen dominated the field, but Aurora couldn’t capitalize on their chances. Green Bay Glory goalkeeper Alyssa Stumbaugh was steady in goal for her team, keeping Aurora out of the net for a scoreless first half.

Aurora Captain Makenzie Langdok (5 goals) broke the stalemate to put Minnesota Aurora up 1-0 over the Glory. From a corner kick in the 69th minute, Langdok stepped over the kick in a “dummy” play to allow her teammate the initial shot on goal. That shot deflected, but Langdok stayed engaged, followed the rebound, and buried the shot through a mass of players for the goal – her fifth of the year. In a post game interview, Head Coach Nicole Lukic said that the corner kick play was designed during halftime, a chance to try something new.

As the Glory pushed for the equalizing score, Minnesota held possession to wind the clock down. Jelena Zbiljic headed towards goal and tripped up by a defender in the 18-yard box, earning a penalty kick. Morgan Turner (4 goals) stepped up for the kick and beat Stumbaugh for 2-0 in the 93rd minute. The game ended seconds later. 

“There’s never a doubt in our minds that we won’t come back. Whether we’re down, whether we’re tied, we always believe in ourselves. We believe in each other, lift each other up, and stay  positive,” said Star of the Game, Rachel Preston. “That’s why we get results: we stay together.”

Minnesota Aurora FC finishes out its regular season against the Green Bay Glory on July 9 in Green Bay. On July 13, Aurora returns home to TCO Stadium for the USL W League quarterfinal. Schedule and ticket information can be found at mnaurorafc.com. Tickets go on sale Friday morning at 10 a.m.