MINNEAPOLIS — Midweek against St. Croix Legends, it took Minneapolis City SC 44 minutes to score, and 86 to secure a lead. On Saturday evening, back inside the friendly confines of Edor Nelson Field, the Crows achieved both in just the third minute. And did not stop, there.

“We said at the beginning of the game, goals separate games,” said Minneapolis head coach Jon Forsythe. “You could see 1-0, we really put our stamp on it. But, I think, more importantly, the 2-0, 3-0 right away, that helped us have control, and then keep going from there.”

Following that late, 4-1 win on Wednesday, Forsythe praised his team’s patience, maturity and perseverance.  After his side’s 8-0 rout of Rochester FC, he praised his players’ relentlessness in a short, postgame talk back in the home locker room.

“These games are so important for guys to develop the relationship on the field, create the identity that we have, especially with the ball in the attack, and see the patterns that we want to see going forward,” Forsythe noted.

Quickly running down goals in the first half, Shea Bechtel assisted Nathan Donovan to open scoring. Hakeem Morgan headed in his own rebound. Bechtel assisted Donovan a second time. Centerback Rayme Nyembwe set up fellow defender Dubem Obilo’s header. And Donovan completed his hat trick off an Alex Moreno corner.

With a commanding lead and four Crows on cautions, Forsythe swapped in four new players to start the second half. And another three before the final whistle. Masango Akale, Morgan, and 60th-minute substitute Landon Benge each tallied goals.

Donovan, who now has five goals in his last two matches, was named Player of the Match by the Minneapolis Citizens. The forward’s hat trick is just the 11th in Crows’ history, but the third this season, following Akale and Morgan’s performances in the season opener.

Placing the lopsided score line in perspective, Saturday’s 8-0 victory was both City’s largest margin of victory in League Two, as well as the most goals scored in a single game. All-time, Minneapolis previously thumped both La Crosse Aris (June 7, 2017) and Dakota Fusion FC (July 7, 2018) by 8-0 final scores during its NPSL era. But last night was the only home match of the three.

The Kids Are Alright

City’s brass has been bullish on the depth of the 2026 roster. On a night when nearly everything went right for the Crows, there were no shortage of players to praise.

Forsythe, in his postgame, noted Daniel Sessler’s ability to keep a clean sheet when the goalkeeper is only called into action to make a few key saves, staying alert while waiting out long periods of the match . The coach also remarked on forward Phil Caputo’s creativity, which was evidenced by a back-heel assist to Benge. And, for Benge, the Drake Bulldog’s work rate.

Additionally, a pair of teenagers produced laudable performances.

In just 70 minutes across two league appearances, forward Julian Banks has already tallied three assists. Add to that a goal in cup play, and in his second season with City, Banks is making an impact.

Setting up Akale with a precisely-weighted pass to break Rochester lines for the Crows’ sixth score, the former made sure to thank Banks for creating the goal. Banks would also draw a penalty to put Morgan on a brace.

“Over my entire career, I’ve always tried to, you know, do a little bit of both. Scoring goals is obviously the main goal of a striker, and it’s something that I’ve done in the past, and would like to continue to do. But I think as long as the team’s winning, and as long as I’m contributing to offensive chances, and you know, making plays happen. I think I’m happy with that,” Banks said.

“Obviously, I think the goals will come, eventually, if I keep getting in the box and keep going forward. But I think the assists speak for themselves, and I think it’s nice to be able to play. They can help other people score, especially with Hakeem and Sango on such hot goal-streaks right now.”

For his own part, the Wisconsin Badger came within inches of his first league tally, when a deft chip skipped just wide of the far post with keeper beaten, countering in the 90th minute.

“I thought Banks was excellent today, too,” said Forsythe. “Super creative, two or three balls in behind that were unbelievable from the striker position. So yeah, only positives there.”

 

Also playmaking, and notably, as a defender, Nyembwe provided an assist for the second-consecutive match. Where it was a ball sent long for Donovan against St. Croix, it was a long throw to Obilo against Rochester.

“This past college semester I worked a bunch on it,” Nyembwe said. “Coach Jon just told me to start using it, and went up there, hit Dubem right on his head. And [it] just went in, and it was beautiful.

“Always good when a defender scores a goal. It’s a fun time to celebrate with ’em.”

The incoming UW-Green Bay sophomore, receiving his first League Two start on a night off for Jason Ramos, impressed in his primary duties as well.

“I’ve said his name a few times. Rayme was excellent,” said Forsythe. “Ninety minutes, clean sheet, you give a lot of credit for this guy. He’s a young guy, stepped in for for Ramos there, and was excellent on the ball, off the ball, did everything great.

“The guys know in the minutes that you get, you got to make an impression, and these guys are giving us great problems as a staff because we keep seeing really good performances, performances that deserve more minutes. So yeah, really good from those guys.”

Sprint for the Heartland!

Every team has now logged at least three matches, with division-leading Sueno FC having won four. More than a quarter of the regular season is behind us, and barring cataclysmic reversals of fortune and multiple upsets, the Heartland Division title-race looks to be between the Crows and Dreamers; the pair are the only remaining unbeaten teams, and presently, the only sides with positive goal differentials.

Since the last time this rundown ran, Sueno won 4-1 away to Edgewater Castle FC. St. Croix picked up its first win, 2-1, thanks to a 95th minute goal against River Light FC at home. Scott Heinen guided Chicago to a 2-1 home dub over the Rooks — the Dutch Lions second-ever League Two victory. And, in upset news, Rockford Raptors FC beat RKC Third Coast 2-0 in Racine, Wisc.

Preseason, many would have bet on the Seagulls being in the mix with City and Sueno for the Heartland’s two postseason berths. Much could still change between now and mid-July. But RKC having already dropped 5 points from their first-four contests, it could be that the Crows and Dreamers are in a tier of their own.

Which brings us to Wednesday night when Minneapolis travels to the Badger State to face Third Coast. The Crows will be fighting for all 3 points to keep pace at the top of the division. Handing the Seagulls their second loss would be a significant blow to the latter’s playoff hopes. But City will be battling against recent history, as RKC holds a 3-0-1 record in the all-time series.

“So, I know RKC has been, traditionally, really good,” Forsythe said on Saturday evening. “I think, watching their games, they’ve gotten better and better every single performance that they’ve given. So, we know the quality that they have, and that going there to play is going to be a challenge for us.

“We’re super focused on that, hopefully we can get guys fit and available. And then, of course, you can always look in the distance, but for us, yeah, RKC, that’s all we got to focus on. The five hour drive over there, and come back in the bus with 3 points as the objective.”