FC Minneapolis

FC Minneapolis (known informally as FCM or The City Lions) is an American soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2014, the team plays in the United Premier Soccer League, a national league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.

Full nameFootball Club Minneapolis
Nickname(s)The City Lions[1]
Founded2014 (2014)
StadiumPride Stadium, Park Center Senior High School[2]
Capacity4,500[3]
Sporting DirectorAaron Gastafus
Head CoachOluwalaanu David Adeola
LeagueUPSL
2021 (2021)4th, Midwest Conference
Playoffs: Division Semis
WebsiteClub website

History

Founded in 2014 as a member of the Minnesota Recreational Soccer League, playing in the Sunday Division One, the club's mission was to provide a quality, accessible and equitable pathway to professional football for all players in the United States. As such, in 2015, the club became one of the founding members of the now defunct American Premier League, becoming league champions in their inaugural season and finishing 5th position out of five teams in 2016. The club is partially owned by "supporter group members" who make game related decisions for the team, such as the team jersey, game day amenities, and future opponents for friendly matches.[4][5] In 2018, they joined the United Premier Soccer League.[6] In 2019, they finished their spring season of the Midwest Conference West Division at four wins, three draws and three losses, good for third place in the league.[7] Their first competitive game of the United Premier Soccer League was a 5-4 loss against Granite City FC in St. Cloud, Minnesota.[8] The club's first goal of the United Premier Soccer League was scored by Lorestho Banks in their away match, a 5–4 defeat to Granite City FC at Huskys Dome of St. Cloud State University.[9]

Honors
  • 2019 U.S. National Cup Regional Quarter Finals
  • 2020 Minnesota Fall Cup Finals
  • 2021 U.S. National Cup Regional Finals
  • 2021 UPSL Midwest Conference Division Semi Finals
  • 2021 U.S. National Cup Champions of Regions Semi Finals
  • 2021 U.S. National Cup Champions of Regions Third Place

Season-by-season
Season Division League Wins Draw Losses Regular season Playoffs US Open Cup US National Cup
2014 Recreational Minnesota Recreational Soccer League (Sunday Division) 0 0 14 8th Did not qualify Did not enter Did not enter
2015 5 American Premier League 4 1 1 1st Champions[10] Did not enter Did not enter
2016 5 American Premier League 0 2 6 5th Did not qualify Did not enter Did not enter
2018 4 UPSL (Midwest Conference, North Division) 0 1 9 6th Did not qualify Did not enter Did not enter
2019 4 UPSL (Midwest Conference, West Division) 4 3 3 3rd Did not qualify Did not enter Midwest Region Quarterfinals
2021 4 UPSL (Midwest Conference, West Division) 4 3 1 4th Division Semis[11] Did not enter Regional Finals[12]

Current roster
As of 2021[13]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player Nation
1 GK Gafar Ayodele  Nigeria
2 GK Tayjon Campbell  Canada
3 DF Emmanuel Morris  Liberia
4 DF Christopher Apparicio  Canada
5 DF Garvin Morgan  England
6 DF Demba Jameh  Gambia
7 MF Ian Sendi  Uganda
8 MF Layton Blair  Jamaica
9 MF Luis Rodriguez  Honduras
10 MF La'el Daniel  Eritrea
11 MF Adil Abdirahman  Ethiopia
12 FW Aaron Takan  Uganda
13 FW Anthony Leo  Italy
14 FW Anthony Huerta  Mexico
15 DF Nalikem Fayose  Ghana
16 MF Zachary Gerdees  United States
17 FW Victoriano Duque  Mexico
18 FW Malon Jorge  Colombia
19 MF Chala Gemeda  Ethiopia
20 MF Martin Garr  Liberia
21 FW Brandon Laredo  Mexico
22 FW Aerial Gbalenchey  Liberia
23 DF Martin Blessing  Liberia

Technical Team

  • Nigeria Oluwalaanu David - Head Coach
  • Sudan Mohammed Ulel - Assistant Coach
  • Mexico Miguel Lopez - Strength & Conditioning Coach[14]
  • Canada Dave Knibbs - Head Scout
  • United States Nicholas Moe - Team Doctor

Historic record vs opponents

Legend
0-0-0 Win–loss-draw
0-0 Win–loss
* No games played
Opponent Regular season Friendly U.S. Open U.S National Cup Playoffs Total
Minneapolis City SC 0-1-0 0-2-0 * * 0-1-0 0-4-0
Dakota Fusion * 0-1-0 * * * 0-1-0
Granite City FC 3-2-0 6-0-0 * * * 9-2-0
FC Fargo 0-2-0 0-1-0 * * * 0-3-0
Minnesota Twinstars FC 0-2-0 1-1-0 * * * 1-3-0
Duluth FC 0-2-0 * * * * 0-2-0
Lacrosse Aris FC 0-0-2 * * * * 0-0-2
Green Bay United 0-1-1 * * * * 0-1-1
Milwaukee Bavarian 0-2-0 * * 1-1-0 * 1-3-0
Madison 56ers 0-2-0 * * * * 0-2-0
Croatian Eagles SC 0-2-0 * * * * 0-2-0
Vlora City FC 2-1-1 1-4-0 * * 1-0-0 4-5-1
Minnesota United Reserve * 0-1-0 * * * 0-1-0
St. Louis Lions FC * 0-1-0 * * * 0-1-0
FC Wichita * 0-1-0 * * * 0-1-0
Turbo Sports 1-0-2 3-1-0 * * * 4-1-2
North Central University * 1-0-0 * * * 1-0-0
Minnesota Cranes 1-1-0 * * * * 1-1-0
Brothers FC 1-0-1 * * * * 1-0-1
Midnimo FC 2-0-0 * * * 1-0-0 3-0-0
Dakota Young stars FC 2-1-0 * * * * 2-1-0
Rochester FC 1-1-1 * * * * 1-1-1
Barron SC * * * 1-0-0 * 1-0-0
Spring Field FC * * * 0-1-0 * 0-1-0
ASC New Stars * * * 0-1-0 * 0-1-0
Ann Arbor FC * * * 0-1-0 * 0-1-0
Inter Minneapolis 0-0-1 0-0-2 * * * 0-0-3
Minnesota Brooklyn Knights 0-0-1 0-0-1 * * * 0-0-2
Total 13-19-10 12-13-4 *-*-* 3-4-0 0-1-0 28-37-14
  • Updated to mid of August of 2021

References

  1. "FC Minneapolis-The City Lions". FC Minneapolis. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  2. "FC Minneapolis finalizes relocation plans to Brooklyn Park".
  3. "Game Attendance Procedures". Park Center Senior. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  4. "News & Features: FC Minneapolis to defend American Premier League Title". FC Minneapolis. January 16, 2016.
  5. "Soccer Club Nixes Trip To Uganda Over Travel Ban Concerns". WCCO CBS Minnesota. March 19, 2018.
  6. "SSC United Premier Soccer League Announces Midwest Conference Expansion with FC Minneapolis". fcminneapolis.com. January 23, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  7. "Standings". United Premier Soccer League. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  8. "Granite City FC vs FC Minneapolis". Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  9. "Granite City FC 5, FC Minneapolis 4: Granite City FC vs FC Minneapolis – Granite City FC". April 28, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  10. "FC Minneapolis to defend American Premier League Title". FC Minneapolis. January 16, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  11. "Schedule". UPSL. June 30, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  12. "FC Minneapolis to represent Minnesota in the Champions of Regions Championship". FC Minneapolis. August 13, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  13. "PLAYERS". FC Minneapolis. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  14. "Confirmed: Mexican striker Miguel Lopez Varela will join FC Minneapolis as player-coach!". FC Minneapolis. February 7, 2017. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
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