New Zealanders back to action in USA as Minnesota United beat Sporting Kansas City

Football resumed in United States of America as MLS is Back Tournament kicked-off on Wednesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando.

The current Major League Soccer season counts on many players from New Zealand and three of them were involved in today’s clash between Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United FC. Defender Michael Boxall was Minnesota’s captain while his countryman James Musa started on the bench. The third Kiwi involved in the clash was Winston Reid who remained on Kansas City’s bench during the whole match.

Boxall played with a special item today: a armband with George Floyd’s name – a black American killed by a white police officer who knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds in Minneapolis.

Kansas City opened the scoreboard in the first half with a goal scored by Khiry Shelton. Shelton still had time to score another goal in the second half… an own-goal in the 92th minute to equalize. Minnesota still had time to score another goal in the stoppage time when Kevin Molino found the net in the 97th minute before being replaced by James Musa.

Minnesota’s next clash will be against Real Salt Lake while Sporting Kansas City will face Colorado Rapids. Both matches are going to be contested on Friday.