May 29, 2026
Minnesota Aurora FC remains unbeaten with 1-0 win against Rockford Raptors FC
LOVES PARK, Ill. – In the second of a three-match road stretch, Minnesota Aurora FC defeated Rockford Raptors FC 1-0 on May 28 at Mercyhealth Sportscore Field. The win moved Aurora FC to 3-0-0 on the season and into a tie atop the Heartland Division table with Edgewater Castle, each with 9 points so far in 2026.
The tightly contested first-ever meeting between the two clubs opened with lengthy spells of possession from Raptors FC in the first 20 minutes. However, Aurora’s defense held firm, as the two divisional foes remained deadlocked at nil-nil as the match neared in the half hour mark.
Just before that half hour mark, Aurora would turn the tides of the match in their favor.
In the 28th minute, the visitors won an attacking half free kick, which Kalo Iongi stepped up to take. The initial try was deflected by the Raptors’ wall, but a fortuitous bounce saw it fall back to the feet of Iongi, who dribbled past a Rockford defender on the edge of the penalty area and set a service across the face of goal that Talia Coury ran onto the other end of, nodding it past Rockford netminder Eme McClenahan for the 1-0 lead.
From there, Aurora FC imposed themselves on Rockford, asking questions of the home side, However, Aurora were unable to find the net again in the opening half, taking the one-goal lead into the intermission.
Entering the Second Half, head coach Jen Larrick made a change in net, bringing Taylor Fox in to spell emergency signing Naomi Jackson, who started the first half.
From the opening whistle of the final 45 minutes, it was more of the same for Aurora FC, who continued pressing for a second goal.
In the 84th minute, Rockford’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when Ines Simas was handed a second yellow, forcing the Raptors to play down a player until the full-time whistle. While they had the player advantage for the final six minutes, Aurora were unable to capture a second goal and the contest ended 1-0 in favor of the visitors from Eagan.
It marks the third-straight clean sheet Aurora FC have kept to open 2026, the first time since the 2023 campaign Aurora have not allowed a goal in the first three matches of a season. That year, Aurora ripped off four-straight shutouts before conceding their first goal.
The win also maintains Aurora FC’s unprecedented run of form in the USL W League regular season, now unbeaten in 51-consecutive regular season fixtures.
Aurora FC stays on the road for the final of three-straight away from home, squaring off with rivals River Light FC Saturday, May 30 at 2 PM. Aurora leads the all-time series, 2-0-2, taking four of a possible six points against the 2024 W League playoff qualifiers. RLFC 2-1-0 overall, falling to co-division leaders Edgewater Castle last time out.
