ST. PAUL, Minn. — A five hour bus ride brought Minneapolis City SC to Illinois. And in the Crows’ first-ever match against Rockford Raptors FC, it took the opening 20-some minutes to shake off that road weariness, ahead of notching a 3-0 victory.
The Raptors were content to sit deep and try and catch the Crows out on the counter. It initially proved effective, forcing Minneapolis goalkeeper Daniel Sessler to make his fourth save of the evening in just the 24th minute.
“[Sessler] was the first guy I spoke to after the game,” said City head coach Jon Forsythe. “Just said, ‘Hey, two or three saves early in the game, I don’t think the game goes the same if you don’t make those.’ So, very solid, again. The experience that he has, the quality that he has, is a foundation for the team.
“I didn’t love, to be honest, the way we start the game. I think it’s hard to get off the bus and to play with the intensity that we need. But credit to the guys, they make a shift, and gain a ton of control, and then you see the quality of the front players to be able to finish the chances that we’re able to create.”
Things had started to move in the Crows’ favor a few minutes prior. In the 16th minute, Phil Caputo drew a foul inside the Rockford penalty area, and booked his own ticket to the spot. In a nil-nil contest, the former St. Cloud State Husky opted for flair.
“I mean, I’ve taken a couple Panenkas in the past, and I’ve also shot a couple penalties to the sides,” said Caputo. “Some of them go in, some of them don’t. But yeah, I just kind-of wanted to make the penalty as flashy as possible, so I thought a Panenka would definitely do that justice.”
Style points aside, scoring his first as a Crow, the goal also balanced a karmic ledger for Caputo — the attacker had already created far too many dangerous chances on the season to continue to remain off the scoresheet.
Given another 25 minutes, Caputo would contribute to a crucial second-score — this time as playmaker. A smartly-whipped cross found forward Nathan Donovan. The no. 9’s glancing header was enough of a touch to avoid the Rockford keeper. And with it, Donovan’s team-leading eighth goal of the season had doubled Minneapolis’ lead.
“Oh, 100-percent,” answered Caputo, on whether his assist was more important than his goal. “I think the second one was maybe like five-to-10 minutes going into halftime. So just getting that second goal right before halftime, and then being able to slow the game down, and just being able to control it a bit more with our midfield, with our strikers, our defense, definitely gives us more breathing room and just calms our nerves a bit. Especially on the road where you’re fighting for every single minute, every single loose ball. So, 100-percent more important.”
Where the Raptors looked dangerous in transition in the first half, in the second, they did not. Halftime additions Ari van Mol and Caleb Capone brought renewed energy down the flanks for the Crows, as City began to boss the contest.
“I told the guys after the game, we win the game, not because we are individually better. Though I thought we had really good individual moments,” Forsythe recalled. “We don’t win the game because tactically we have a better plan. We win the game because the work ethic in transition, especially after the first 15-20 minutes, to regain the ball in the middle of the field, not have to make a long transition to sprint back, and we’re able to keep control the game. Even if there are a few technical errors, here and there.”
The only question seemed to be whether Rockford’s deep block would hold the score line at 2-0, barring some moment of magic on the break. All while a patient Minneapolitan roster kept searching for a third goal.
It finally came in the 90th minute, when second-half substitutes Asher Ozuzu and Julian Banks combined, the former assisting the latter.
Postgame, the author pressed Forsythe on if being held scoreless in the second half would have added a sour note to an otherwise sweet win on the road.
“No, to be honest,” the head coach answered. “I mean, every time you go away, 3 points is the objective. Maybe you look at goal difference a little bit, but the objective is to win. And so, we win 5-4, 1-0 or 8-0, and it’s 3 points. And especially on the road, we want to get 3 points.
“Happy to score the third goal, really deserved from Banks. He has worked very hard this whole season, and did a really good pressing action a few minutes before. Wasn’t rewarded with a goal. And then, to get the goal at the end, really good work. And you see the substitutes combining between Julian and Asher. Great way to cap off the game, for sure.”
For Caputo’s part, and thanks to Banks’ strike, it was a result that reflected the run of play.
“Beginning of the game, Sessler had a couple of saves, which was really important for us to keep that clean sheet. And then, our offense has a good track record, as everyone has seen the past couple of games,” said Caputo. “So, you know, it was another controlled performance from the midfield, from Jake [Swallen], [Jason] Ramos. Three-to-zero is definitely justified in my opinion.”
Caputo and Banks Score First League Goals
Halfway through the season, the Crows have already used Phil Caputo as a forward, wingback and midfielder. Eye-catching runs with the ball, nifty combination play, and a number of well-struck shots had previously combined to produce only a pair of assists. But for anyone watching, Caputo’s goal-and-an-assist breakthrough against the Raptors was overdue.
“Phil has been in an unfortunate situation this entire season, where the front three that we’ve been rolling with have been so, so good, so far,” Forsythe said. “And we’ve seen in training, top quality player. And so, for him to get the opportunity and to take it, I mean the goal and an assist within, I think, the first 40 minutes? And taking on players, dribbling, quality delivery. He hit a few quality shots from distance, as well, that you know, maybe he gets two or three in the game. So, I know he’s been wanting the first goal of his USL2 campaign, and really well deserved.”
“I’ve definitely been trying to score the whole season,” said Caputo. “It’s just something that it’s a part of my game, and that’s definitely why the coaching staff brought me in. And it’s been hard not scoring, But the team has been winning, and today, I was able to step up when the team needed me. So, yeah, definitely happy for the ball to go in, and hoping for this to increase my confidence and my ability to score goals.”
Asked about being deployed all over the pitch, Caputo was untroubled.
“I’m a player that likes to attack, so coach definitely sees that,” he said. “I practice that I’m willing to attack from every position, and wherever he puts me on the field, I’m ready to make opportunities, try and get as many shots as possible, and just get the ball as close to the goal to try and score a goal, or be able to set one up for my teammates.”
Also opening his league account was another talented attacking player, in Banks. Having already contributed a trio of assists on the summer, and coming within inches of scoring at home against Rochester on May 16, the Wisconsin Badger finally found the back of a USL goal.
Picking Banks out in the game’s dying moments, Ozuzu noted the position his teammate had taken inside the Raptors’ penalty area.
“I think he’s a great player, and it was one of those moments where I saw that he was in a much-better opportunity than me,” Ozuzu said. “And I thought, give him the ball, and I knew we’re gonna finish that. So, super happy for him, and I know he has a lot more goals coming in the season.”
Ozuzu Making an Impact
Whether its former Legend, Donovan, ex-RKC Third Coast defender Dubem Obilo, or Rochester FC transfer Jeloni Murray-Powell, the Crows have proven an attractive landing spot for top talent within the Heartland Division. A good thing, as well, having lost six starters from last-season’s roster to other League Two sides.
Most-recently, having joined after the start of the 2026 campaign, add Ozuzu to that list.
“I feel like City really feels more like a home to me,” Ozuzu said. “Even though, as long as I’ve been at St. Croix, the minute I got here, it’s like, most of the guys I already knew on the team. It’s like everything just clicked so well, you know? I’m just really glad to be here.”
Since making his first matchday roster in the Crows’ crucial victory over Sueno FC, Ozuzu has been tapped on the shoulder for a pair of second-half appearances off the bench. The author asked Ozuzu if that was a role in which he was comfortable.
“I see that, right now we have a winning team. We have one of the best teams in the country. You know, whatever I can do, to come in and help this team win. I mean, I’m happy with that, 100-percent,” came the Ozuzu’s reply.
Forsythe now has turned to Ozuzu, a forward, to help close two late, Crows’ leads.
“[Forsythe] just wanted me to keep the intensity going,” said Ozuzu. “Going into the game, we had a 2-0 lead, but the other team was still coming at it. It was still a really fast game. So he just wanted me going in with that same intensity, you know? Coming with even more, because I was fresh legs. He just wanted me to give everything I had, and I was able to do that. And at the end of the day, we saw the 3 points and a clean sheet.”
Sprint for the Heartland!
City’s chief rival for the second-year running, Sueno FC, rebounded from a pair of defeats with a 4-1 win over Rockford on June 10. The Dreamers will likely stay within striking distance of the Crows, playing four of their remaining five regular-season matches at home.
In other action on Saturday, Scott Heinen’s Chicago Dutch Lions drew River Light FC 2-2 at home, and St. Croix Legends piled on the misery for last-place Rochester FC via a 3-0 win in Stillwater, Minn.
Minneapolis’ next league game comes on Saturday, June 20 when it hosts fellow 501(c)3 Edgewater Castle FC — an excellent chance to uphold the old supporters’ tradition of “Beer, 90, Beer,” in that all involved wish the Rooks nothing but the best, outside of the opening and full-time whistles. Should the Crows end up with 3 points on the evening, a seventh-straight victory would be a new club-best in League Two.
But before then, City will face the NPSL’s Minnesota Blizzard FC in its final group-stage game of Minnesota Super Cup play this Wednesday. With the Blizzard having drawn MNUFC MLS Next three days ago, the Crows need only a draw to advance to the knockout rounds.