Vlora FC (Women) at Granite City FC (Women)
Vlora FC women’s side traveled to St. Cloud on Sunday to take on Granite City FC women’s side. They squad was looking to bounce back from a 2-0 loss at home to Superior City. The coaching staff would make a few changes this game. Kaylie Krueger would get her first start in goal and co-captain Lauren Ives would get her first start of the season. Vlora would jump in the driver’s seat early as Catherine Cajamarca would send a nice through pass to Ives would outpace the Granite City back line and slot the ball past the goalkeeper in the 8th minute of play. That goes down as the team’s quick goal in history (albeit its only 4 games).
The score would remain 1-0 at the break. The second half would start with a lot of action. Granite City would level the score to 1-1 in the 47th minute, on a through pass to a forward who would slot a shot by the outstretched Krueger. It wouldn’t take long for the visitors to respond as Cajamarca would again find Ives on pass over the top of the defense in the 49th minute. The Granite City goalkeeper would come out to make a sliding effort, but it looked like the pressure from Ives caused her to misjudge the ball. The ball would slide under her arms and into the path of Ives who easily slot home her second goal of the game (third of the season) and reestablish the lead for Vlora. Vlora would hold on to their 2-1 lead and earn their second win of the season.
Vlora FC (Men) vs Worthington Community FC
Front Row (Left to Right): S. Suljic, J. Muse, R. Cooper, R. Vera, A. Vicente, D. Valencia.
It was a successful weekend for both the Vlora FC Men and Women squads. Vlora FC men hosted Worthington Community FC at Bob Pates Stadium (Burnsville High School) on Friday night. It was an important match for both teams as Vlora was looking to jump to the top of the table and Worthington looking to stay in the playoff hunt. It was a pretty even start to the game as both teams were clearly trying to feel each other out. That deadlock would end in 32nd minute in one of the most unlikely ways. Vlora FC would open the scoring off a long dropkick from goalkeeper Mitch Wolff that would then go off of the head of a Worthington defender and take a big bounce that would over head of the Worthington keeper who was off his line and wasn’t quick enough to keep it out. Not something you see everyday. It was a goal that left the whole stadium in disbelief, including Mitch Wolff. based on the pure shock on his face. Vlora FC would extend their lead just before half on a second chance effort from Robert Cooper in the 44th minute, his fourth of the season.
In the second half Vlora would continue their recent form and really assert themselves and dominance in this game. They would go on to double their 2-0 lead by getting goals from Jibril Muse (75th minute), his first career goal with the club and Chamoe Loo (86th minute) would get his second goal of the season. Vlora would close out the game 4-0, earning 17 points on the season and currently in 2nd place in the table.
