Union Dubuque 0-5 Milwaukee Torrent
Article: 2021 NISA Independent Cup (Midwest Region) Men’s Soccer at Dubuque Soccer Complex, Dubuque, Iowa
Billed as “the largest U.S. interleague tournament of 2021” with 51 matches in four weeks, the NISA Independent Cup was held almost entirely in July of 2021. 35 teams were divided into nine “regions” (groups) of four, except for the Southwest region, which had three teams. The Midwest region consisted of Minnesota’s Med City FC, Wisconsin’s Milwaukee Torrent, Illinois’ Chicago House, and Iowa’s Union Dubuque. Med City play in the still-kicking NPSL (Midwest Region, North Conference), along with Milwaukee Torrent (Midwest Region, Great Lakes Conference), Chicago House (NISA), and Union Dubuque (Midwest Premier League). Chicago House played their first game the week before, losing to Milwaukee ahead of their début in the 2021 NISA League. Meanwhile, Dubuque dropped their first NISA Cup game 2-1 away at Med City FC.
Torrent threading the needle between two Dubuque players (Stephen H. Brakel Packer)
The gulf between the two sides was quite apparent from the kickoff in what was essentially a clash between an amateur side (Dubuque) and a semi/professional one (Milwaukee). This was exemplified by the fact that for two-and-a-half years to this point, Milwaukee had been coached by Boca Juniors old-boy Carlos Córdoba, who captained the Xeneizes for a year and has ties to the Milwaukee area after having played for the Milwaukee Rampage, a professional franchise that folded in 2002.
Torrent attacker Malik Mennana, left (Stephen H. Brakel Packer
All of Torrent’s goals came in the first half, with an average of one every five minutes in the first 20. The highlight of course was Milik Mennana’s superb overhead/bicycle kick goal that signaled once and for all that Milwaukee were simply on another level.
Mennana’s goal flies past the despairing dive of the Dubuque goalkeeper (Stephen H. Brakel Packer)
Having recently transferred to Milwaukee the month prior after spending almost two years in the German sixth division (Verbandsliga Südwest) with Eintracht Bad Kreuznach, Algerian-American Mennana was obviously ready and willing to prove himself at this level. Also of interest is the German connection, with Torrent owner Andreas Davi being a German expat who is actively building links between Bayer Leverkusen and Milwaukee Torrent.
Milwaukee moving the ball forward once again (Stephen H. Brakel Packer)
The fifth goal acted as a sort of circuit breaker for Milwaukee, as they began letting the pressure off with the result virtually assured, though it was clear that they were determined not to let Dubuque get close enough to their goal to threaten a consolation goal.
Experimenting a little with perspective yielded this shot of Dubuque keeper Matteo Gigliozzi collecting the ball (Stephen H. Brakel Packer)
Neither side scored in the second half, and the game was brought to a premature end when lightning strikes could be seen in the distance with the light already beginning to fade. Though weather radar indicated that the storm would take a while to pass over the area, both sides waited for over an hour to no avail. The game was declared abandoned but the 0-5 result was allowed to stand.
Five? (Stephen H. Brakel Packer)
Milwaukee Torrent went on to win the Midwest group with nine points out of nine. No further games were played, with no national playoff held before the start of the 2021 NISA Fall Season.
For more photos from this game, visit shbp.us.
-ShOT