Med City FC Defeats Duluth FC 2-1 in North Conference Final

By Med City FC

It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.  That has certainly been the case for Med City FC this season.  After a slow start to its 2023 NPSL campaign, the Mayhem have hit their stride at the right time.

That became clear last night as Med City FC traveled up to #1 seed and undefeated Duluth FC for the North Conference Final.

The Mayhem went in with a lot of confidence despite being the North Conference’s #3 seed, having been on an eight-game unbeaten run of their own since a 1-0 loss in Duluth in late May. They traveled to Fargo on Wednesday night and handed #2 seed Dakota Fusion FC a 2-0 loss in the conference semifinals. 

And they carried that confidence with them in a wild, exciting match last night.  Both teams battled for superiority.  Eventually, it would be Duluth who would score first, and the BlueGreens would take a 1-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

However, the second half was a different story.  Med City FC tied the game at 1-1 on a penalty kick from Tristan Jumeau in the 72nd minute.  And as the second half continued, Duluth FC would have two players sent off for yellow card accumulation.  Despite the advantage, the Mayhem couldn’t find the back of the net, and the game went into overtime. 

The Mayhem were menacing throughout the overtime periods, hitting the post and the crossbar with shots, but unable to end the contest.  Finally, Med City ‘s Ricardo Schroeder broke the deadlock and made the score 2-1 in the 116th minute.

Duluth would have a third player sent off, and they finished the game with eight players on the field.

With the win, Med City FC claims back-to-back NPSL North Conference titles, having also claimed the trophy in 2022.

Up next for the Mayhem will be a match with the Midwest Region’s top seed, Steel City FC from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  That match will take place on Friday, July 21.

Photo Credit: Med City FC