BLAINE, MINN. – Tacoma Defiance (11-5-8, 46 points) defeated Minnesota United FC 2 (9-9-6, 36 points) 4-2 Friday evening at the National Sports Center. Josh Atencio, Braudilio Rodrigues, Frank Daroma and Gio Miglietti all scored for Tacoma to secure the road win. With the result, Tacoma stays in first place in the Pacific Division.
Atencio got Tacoma on the board early in the eighth minute. Georgi Minoungou angled a pass just outside the area to the midfielder, who smashed the ball into the bottom corner of the net. The goal marked Atencio’s first for Defiance this year and Minoungou’s first assist of the 2023 campaign.
Minnesota leveled the score via Molik Kahn in the 18th minute before Rodrigues retook the lead for Tacoma in the 36th minute, scoring from just inside the area for his team-leading 11th goal of the year.
Daroma added to Defiance’s lead in the 58th minute, receiving a pass from Rodrigues, taking a touch inside the 18-yard-box before curling a shot into the top right corner. It was Miglietti who bagged Tacoma’s fourth goal of the night, rocketing a low shot across the face of goal and into the back of the net in the 69th minute for his sixth goal of the season.
Minnesota pulled one back late with Emmanuel Iwe scoring in second-half stoppage time.
Following tonight’s contest, Wade Webber’s side returns home for a matchup against Cascadia rival Timbers2 on Monday, September 4 at Starfire Stadium (8:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV).
Tacoma Defiance 4 – Minnesota United FC 2 2
Friday, August 25, 2023
Venue: National Sports Center
Referee: Alex Beehler
Assistants: Christian Little, Maggie Short
Fourth official: Brian Wood
Weather: 81 degrees and mostly sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
TAC – Josh Atencio (Georgi Minoungou) 8’
MIN – Molik Khan 18’
TAC – Braudilio Rodrigues (Josh Atencio) 36’
TAC – Frank Daroma (Braudilio Rodrigues) 58’
TAC – Gio Miglietti (Georgi Minoungou) 69’
MIN – Emmanuel Iwe 90+1’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
TAC – Xavier Arreaga (caution) 45+1’
MIN – Kameron Lacey (caution) 56’
MIN – Britton Fischer (caution) 78’
TAC – Gio Miglietti (caution) 79’
MIN – Britton Fischer (ejection) 85’
LINEUPS & STATS
Tacoma Defiance – Andrew Thomas; Stuart Hawkins, Hal Uderitz – captain, Xavier Arreaga (Elias Katsaros 46’); Reed Baker-Whiting (Gio Miglietti 61’), Frank Daroma, Josh Atencio (Snyder Brunell 72’), Blake Bowen; Ethan Dobbelaere (Antonio Herrera 46’), Georgi Minoungou (Chris Aquino 75’), Braudilio Rodrigues
Substitutes not used: Wallis Laplsey, Pedro
Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 7
Fouls: 9
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 3
Saves: 3
Minnesota United FC 2 – Fred Emmings; Devin Padelford, Geremy Rodas, Britton Fischer, Nick Richardson (Alisa Randell 71’); Molik Khan, Cedrik Gbo (Rory O’Driscoll 46’), Zaydan Bello (Kage Romanshyn Jr. 71’); Juan Mosquera (Loïc Mesanvi 64’), Kameron Lacey, Emmanuel Iwe – captain
Substitutes not used: Alec Smir, CC Uche, Jason Ramos
Total shots: 23
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 11
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 10
Saves: 3
