C.R. Rampage United surrender late goal, settle for 1-1 tie

CEDAR RAPIDS – In the race for second place, the Cedar Rapids Rampage United could not quite complete the leap.

A goal in the 86th minute from Minneapolis City SC proved to be the late-game equalizer, and Cedar Rapids settled for a 1-1 tie before an estimated crowd of 550 fans Friday night at Clark Field.

'I think the guys put all their energy in the game,” Rampage United Coach Hewerton Moreira said. 'In the second half, we lacked a little bit of patience and ball possession. For the first half, we dominated the game. Second half, we allowed the game to be a little too even.”

Minneapolis City (2-0-2, 8 standings points) remains ahead of Cedar Rapids (2-1-2, 8 points) in the West Division of the Premier League of America.

After a scoreless first half, Rampage United forward Gordy Gurson went down after his own slide tackle and gingerly left the field to the silence of the home crowd looking for his offense.

The wait was not long.

Gurson returned to the field after the short injury break and fielded a long pass from defender Charlie Bales, gathered the ball, and attempted to break back inside but was tripped.

The whistle from the referee invited Gurson to line up the penalty kick from 12 yards out, which fired off the left hand of Minneapolis City goalkeeper Matt Elder and into the right half of the net.

'I caught him inside, and the only thing he could do at that point was take me down,” Gurson said. 'He did what he had to do, and I was lucky enough to make the PK.”

Forward Kenan Malicevic – a former Cedar Rapids Washington, Cedar Valley Christian and Drake player – showed vast potential with a breakout offensive game.

Malicevic had a one-on-one scoring chance that he delivered to the keeper's chest in the 7th minute, then had a pair of apparent goals – one in each half – negated by offside calls.

'A bunch of us are playing together for the first time and we're really starting to click as a team,” Malicevic said. 'I see improvements in every different aspect of the game. … We did have a couple of good chances, but unfortunately we missed some. I do believe that we were the better team tonight.”

With Cedar Rapids clinging to its 1-0 lead in the waning minutes, Minneapolis City had two strong scoring chances.

Cedar Rapids goalkeeper Alexis Apodaca made an apparent game-saving stop of a one-on-one strike in the 86th minute, but Minneapolis City quickly regrouped offensively and Will Kidd delivered tying score less than a minute later.

The Rampage United will step away from the PLA when they host the Des Moines Menace of the Premier Development League for a June 19 exhibition game.

AT CLARK FIELD

Cedar Rapids 1, Minneapolis City SC 1

Goals - CR: Gordy Gurson; MC:

Will Kidd.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com