MINNEAPOLIS — As the opening Minnesota Super Cup group stage match of the 2026 tournament was nearing its hour mark, Minneapolis City SC held a 1-0 lead. Visitors MNUFC MLS Next had gotten off the blocks quickly, but conceded in the 23rd minute. And after halftime, the Crows looked to be in control as they searched for a second goal.

The two sides had played to a 1-1 tie a year earlier. And Minneapolis also drew the St. Paul Blackhawks’ UPSL team 3-3 last summer while rotating its roster.

In the 54th minute, Friday, the Loons leveled.

Longtime-Crow Tomas Menna — a standout Futures player who matriculated to the senior team, making 13 appearances in all competitions for City last year — received a pass wide, on the edge of the Minneapolis penalty area. Cutting back off the dribble, Menna created space for a shot that took a slight deflection off center back Rayme Nyembwe before skipping past goalkeeper Moritz Krenc.

Were the Crows headed for a third-straight Super Cup group stage draw? In the charmingly-eccentric world of fourth-division soccer, a player that has been training with City can simultaneously be rostered by a cup opponent, and pop a backflip in celebration after scoring for them at Edor Nelson Field.

“We would be even happier for Tomas if that wasn’t an equalizer,” summed up the mood among Minneapolis staff in the press box.

But then, in the 69th minute, Phil Caputo found second-half substitute Shea Bechtel with a cross. The former St. Olaf standout’s shot was parried, but forward Caleb Capone buried the rebound to retake the lead for City.

A minute later and the latter pair swapped roles, as Capone assisted Bechtel following a turnover in the Loons’ end; Bechtel’s strike from outside the 18-yard box bringing the Crows’ bench to its feet.

In the 74th, Bechtel would raise his stat line to a brace, this time assisted by Caputo.

“Of course, to be able to bring Shae Bechtel on to the field is a huge luxury, as well as Islam [Houssni],” said Crows head coach Jon Forsythe. “The guys they came on for, I think, gave the opponents a lot of problems. And so once those guys came on, it was great to see how they took advantage.”

United would pull a goal back in the 77th minute. And once again, the Crows responded, this time to ice the game.

Driving in from a narrow angle after beating his marker off the dribble, wingback Ari van Mol picked his head up.

“I mean, I was on the end line, almost, and I saw we had numbers in the box, but their defenders were in the way,” said van Mol. “So, ball was wet, it was skippy tonight, so I figured might as well shoot.”

Firmly struck, van Mol’s shot caromed off a defenders foot, up off the turf, and into the back of the net, punctuating a wonderful individual effort, and a Minneapolis victory.

It would be incorrect to assert that a lack of focus on the part of City’s players was responsible for a tight first hour between the two sides. The Loons played well and asked questions of their hosts. But in hindsight, that Menna’s goal served as a slap across the Crows’ collective face, shocking the black and pink awake, carries a narrative charm.

“I think our intensity changed,” said van Mol, on the second half. “We’re playing a lot more forward passes, getting on the end of crosses and being more dangerous in the box, just getting numbers in ready to finish.”

“I think just players decided to be themselves,” added Capone. “They really just took their chances individually and showed who they are, because each player on that field is technically good. They know they’re at this level for a reason. So we really just found ourselves and just brought the intensity.”

Giving the proceedings an edge was undoubtedly that several players — Julian Banks, Will Schmidt, Nyembwe and van Mol — previously played for MNUFC’s academy.

“I love rivalries, I love when you can feel something,” said Forsythe. “I think you felt a little of that tonight, especially from some of the guys where United was their former club.”

Badgering

Where United recorded the first pair of shots on target, the evening’s first goal came courtesy of a pair of UW-Madison teammates.

Initiating the sequence was Drake defender Jack Dancer, who played Badgers forward Capone into acres of space along the touchline. Racing towards goal, Capone had confidence a friendly face would be waiting for him at the far post.

“Yeah, I mean, I play at Wisconsin with Banks, so we’ve been playing together for almost a year now,” Capone said. “It’s always great to play for him. I knew when I was running down that line, that he’d be right there, so that’s just like the chemistry that we have.”

A sharp ball rolled across the mouth of goal found the 6-foot-1 forward just where Capone counted on him being, and Banks’ composed side-foot sealed the score.

As the Crows have gotten 2026 off to a flying start, overlapping circles of familiarity have accelerated the team’s growing cohesion. Whether that be the aforementioned quartet of former United academy teammates, or trio of Badgers, with Banks, Capone and van Mol combining for three goals and a pair of assists on the evening.

Making a Case

Forsythe was candid about his intent to use his side’s opening Super Cup tilt to provide competitive minutes to better evaluate City’s roster. Who, then, stood out?

“So, first, Rayme, he anchored the back line very well. I even feel like, as a center back, it’s new for him, he’s only been playing a few years there. So mature, he anticipated so well, he won the tackle so well. Like, I think it’s clear he was up for the game today against his former club, so he did great.”

“You expect a good experience from the outside center backs as well,” Forsythe said, of the more experienced Curtis Wagner and Dubem Obilo — the former a fan favorite, longtime Crow and invaluable conduit of club culture; the latter a talented new addition signed away from divisional rival RKC Third Coast.

The 29th minute contained a small but memorable moment when Obilo, already on a caution, put in a big tackle to win the ball at midfield. It was a challenge that the defender had to get right, else calamity. And Obilo was clean in breaking up a United counter.

Forsythe went on to praise Schmidt for connecting play in the middle of the pitch, van Mol for making an impact down the flank for the second-consecutive game, and Capone for his engine.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s really inspiring,” said Capone. “I think it’s a big win for us. You know, some of the players who didn’t get as many minutes in the first game really stepped up, and that shows our depth… and I think it shows how we can really make a run deep into USL League Two.”

Sprint for the Heartland!

We’ll turn our attention back to the league, given that Friday evening’s match was the first in group stage play for the 2026 Minnesota Super Cup, and there are no other results of which to keep track. Meanwhile, in the Heartland Division, recent results reduced the number of undefeated teams to just three.

Sueno FC rolled to a 6-0 win at St. Croix Legends, midweek. The Dreamers won again, on Saturday, but Scott Heinen’s Chicago Dutch Lions held them to a season-low three goals.

Rochester FC pulled off a comeback win over visiting River Light FC. And our fellow non-profit club, Edgewater Castle FC, fell victim to a 95th minute penalty call that resulted in a one-goal win for RKC Third Coast. Candidly, the broadcast camera angle gave the author no vantage upon which to second guess the referee. But it was a tough way for the Rooks to drop a point.

The opening two games of the new season could not have been more favorable for City. Playing 2025’s last-place Chicago in the league opener was akin to a final preseason tune-up. And Friday’s cup tie allowed Forsythe and Mark Yueill to audition players for minutes going forward. But this coming week will up the intensity. The Crows will travel across the metro to face St. Croix on Wednesday, before returning home to host Rochester on Saturday.

Focusing on the immediate challenge, the all-time series with the Legends is dead-even at 5-5-1, with both teams having 16 goals for and against. Last season, Minneapolis swept St. Croix in league play for the first time, and recorded a forfeit victory in the Super Cup.

“We know they’ve been a club that’s been able to have success against us at certain times in history, but we’re gonna come really motivated; more hungry,” said Forsythe. “I went and watched their first game against Sueno. Result wasn’t what they wanted, but you could see some of the qualities that they had in the individual players. So we know a crosstown game will be like this, and I love it. I love playing in these games… And so, I think it will be a very intense, a great game, on Wednesday night.”