Lucas Rodriguez scored again, this time giving the Minnesota Stars a 3-1 victory over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the NASL Championship. The Stars now travel for the final match in Florida to decide the 2011 NASL Champion.

Minnesota started the scoring, with Neil Hlavaty scored his 5th goal of the season. Andrei Gotsmanov was fouled just before entering the penalty box after he dribbled past two Strikers, and Hlavaty curled the resulting free kick around the wall and past Striker goalkeeper Matt Glaeser. The Strikers equalized through a freak own goal, when Stars’ defender Justin Davis chested the ball past goalkeeper Joe Warren. “Within one minute the Stars were back in the lead with a fantastic goal by Luke Mulholland. The English-born forward accepted a redeeming cross from Davis on the left flank where he had made a deep run. The Stars forward took a touch and then slammed an out-swinger with his right foot through traffic and into the far side netting. The 20-yard screamer put Minnesota back in front 2-1.”

Lucas Rodriguez finished the scoring in the 77th minute with a low strike, past Matt Glaser. “[Rodriguez], who has been playing his best soccer of the year during the playoffs, dribbled past 4 Strikers defenders and slotted the ball inside the near left post.”

“[Lucas] just drove forward,” Stars Coach Manny Lagos said. “It was such a nice individual play.”

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Video highlights and behind the scenes look at the Minnesota Stars’ semifinal victory via shootout over the Carolina Railhawks. Lucas Rodriguez scores, buries the game winning penalty kick, and is interviewed after the match.

Taking a 1-0 aggregate lead against the NASL regular season champions into their home stadium is never an easy task, but Lucas Rodriguez and the Minnesota Stars were up to the challenge in a wild semi-final second leg against the Carolina Railhawks.

Minnesota’s Andrei Gotsmanov started the scoring in the 40th, driving a low shot toward goal that deflected off Carolina defender Gareth Evans into the net, past a helpless RailHawks’ keeper Brad Knighton. Pablo Campos equalized shortly before the halftime break, latching onto a loose ball in the Minnesota box and beating Joe Warren.

After the intermission, Lucas Rodriguez began asserting himself on the left wing with pace and technical skill. In the 52nd minute, he beat Devon McKenney and released a shot between Evans’ legs and dragged the score back to 2-1. Campos scored a 60th minute PK to equalize again, and in the 63rd Kyle Zimmerman gave the Railhawks a 3-2 lead. The pandemonium at WakeMed Park was soon quieted though, as another run by Rodriguez led to him being gridiron-tackled in front of goal by a Railhawks defender to deny the Argentine winger his second goal. The referee issued a straight red card, sending McKenney off, and Hvalaty completed the penalty kick to put NSC Minnesota up 4-3 on aggregate. Campos completed his hat-trick in injury time to win the game for the Railhawks and equalize the aggregate score.

After 120 minutes, the game headed to penalty kicks. Warren blocked an Johnny Steele spot-kick, and Lucas Rodriguez stepped to the spot to for the Stars’ 5th shot. He calmly slotted the winning penalty past Brad Knighton, helping Minnesota advanced to the NASL championship series.

Lucas Rodriguez and the NSC Minnesota Stars controlled their own destiny and left it to the last day of the NASL regular season, but they got the job done.  The math was simple: win and you’re into the playoffs – lose and go home.  The task was a little more difficult, as the Stars had to play on the road against the best team in the NASL, the regular season champion Carolina Railhawks.

Jeff Cosgriff drew a penalty shortly after halftime, which Kyle Altman converted in 47th minute.  Pablo Campos equalized minutes later from a Johnny Steele pass, but in the 52nd minute, Rodriguez read the Carolina buildup and pounced on a pass.  The Argentinian midfielder dribbled past one defender and slide a pass to Brian Cvilikas.  The striker smoothly finished for the game-winner.

Video of the Stars’ post-game celebration:

Minnesota now faces the #3 seed, F.C. Tampa Bay in a one leg quarterfinal.

The Stars put out a nice video showing the build up to the game and the emotions involved in Minnesota’s victory.  Lucas is interviewed before the game about the importance of the fixture.  The footage also shows his game winning assist and an interview about the play in the locker room.

Lucas Rodriguez scored his second goal of the year in the 55th minute Wednesday night, finishing powerfully from a delicate chipped pass by Simone Bracalello to give the NSC Minnesota Stars a 1-1 tie on the road against the North American Soccer League’s first-place team, the Carolina RailHawks. The tie ends the Stars’ two-game losing streak and halts a run of nine consecutive RailHawks’ wins in Cary, N.C., at Wake Med Soccer Park.

Bracalello turned with space perhaps to shoot about 25 yards from goal but instead chipped the ball into the penalty area for Rodriguez, who let the ball carry toward the corner of the six-yard box before slamming a left-footed shot across his body and just inside Knighton’s far post.

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The City Council of Independence, Missouri honored Lucas Rodriguez and several of his Missouri Comets teammates for their efforts in brining professional indoor soccer back to town, as well as their individual achievements in the 2011 season. Mayor Don Reimal presented Rodriguez and the Missouri Comets with a proclamation for the team’s inaugural season in Independence.

“It’s just an honor to have a good soccer team here in Independence,” Reimal said. “I look forward to, I don’t know how many more years, but many more years of having you here in town.”

The following Comets’ players were recognized in the proclamation for their titles and records as part of the Major Indoor Soccer League: Brian Harris, defender, All-Rookie Team; Jamar Beasley, forward, All-MISL second team; Lucas Rodriguez, midfielder, Rookie of the Year; Leo Gibson, defender, All-MISL First Team; and Byron Alvarez, forward, Most Valuable Player and All-MISL first team.

“We appreciate the relationship that we have, and this is home,” Coach Kim Roentved said of the Comets and the city working together. He also recognized the team’s owners for “putting up a lot of sweat and tears” in bringing back an indoor soccer team to the Kansas City area.

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The NSC Minnesota Stars and Lucas Rodriguez ended the undefeated streak of the Puerto Rico Islanders on Wednesday evening by beating the Caribbean team 2-0 at NSC Stadium in Blaine, Minnesota. The win put Minnesota on its own streak of 4 games without a loss and propelled them into 2nd place in the NASL standings.

Stars left back Justin Davis started the scoring in the 62nd minute, putting the Stars up 1-0. Davis’ goal would be the eventual game winner. Lucas Rodiguez slid a ball through Puerto Rico’s offsides trap with an in-swinging cross to Devin Del Do, who had an easy toe-poke past Islanders’ goalkeeper Ray Burse for the final goal.

Rodriguez also added some defense to maintain the shutout, when he block a Puerto Rico a free kick 20 yards from Minnesota’s goal. In stoppage time, he nearly added another insurance goal for the Stars, but his shot was blocked before reaching goal.

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Goals from Jeff Cosgriff, Neil Hlavaty and Lucas Rodriguez led the Stars to a comprehensive 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Silverback in NASL league action. Atlanta goalkeeper Felipe Quintero denied several other scoring chances to prevent the difference from being greater.

Rodriguez threatened early in the match, dribbling past three defenders in the box before unleashing a left-footed drive that seemed bound for the top corner. Quintero made an acrobatic save to keep the ball out and the score at 0-0. In the 65th minute “[Devin] Del Do carried the ball into the Silverbacks penalty area, drawing two defenders before squaring the ball for Rodriguez, who was unmarked near the penalty spot. Rodriguez took a touch before rolling the ball past the on-rushing Quintero from about eight yards out. Rodriguez celebrated by sucking his thumb in honor of his young daughter, who was in attendance along with his wife and parents.”

“Rodriguez had two golden opportunities in the last 25 minutes to add to his tally. In the 69th minute, Del Do fed Rodriguez again, springing him for a breakaway. A bad touch allowed a defender to catch up with Rodriguez, but two cut backs left the defender and Quintero on the ground, but Rodriguez shot just over from 18 yards. Quintero came off his line quickly in the 76th minute to deny Rodriguez a second goal from about 14 yards.”

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The Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) announced today that Missouri Comets’ midfielder, Luca Rodriguez has been named the 2010-2011 MISL Rookie of the Year. Rodriquez, a 25-year-old midfielder, recorded six goals and seven assists (19 points) in 17 games this season. Rodriguez was also named to the league’s All-Rookie 1st Team.

The announcements follow a formal voting process that polled members of the media, as well as MISL coaches and general managers. Voters were asked to select three forwards/midfielders, two defenders and one goalkeeper.

When told that Rodriguez been named MISL Rookie of the Year, Head Coach, Kim Roentved sounded like a proud papa. “I honestly couldn’t be more proud of Lucas,” the coach said. “His confidence escalated throughout the season after he got his first goal. He has tremendous skills with unlimited potential, and it was a pleasure watching him progress as the year went on.”

Rodriguez was a bolt of energy for the Comets all season long. Rodriguez brought speed and ankle-breaking ball movement to each game, and was key to opening up defenses and creating scoring opportunities for his teammates.

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Dos Mundos Newspaper recently caught up with Missouri Comets rookie of the year candidate and NSC Minnesota Stars midfielder Lucas Rodriguez and had the chance to talk with him about playing for his hometown team in the MISL.

Playing professionally for the Missouri Comets, his hometown indoor team, gives Rodriguez an emotional boost, he said, because of the responsibilities involved.

“You want to win for your family, your friends, the people (in the stands), the city, the community,” Rodriguez explained. “I have a lot of people that … look up to me and support everything I do. I … have … tons of friends and people I play soccer with that I know … would give anything they had in order to be able to represent Kansas City.”

Because of those responsibilities, Rodriguez tries to do everything possible to help the Comets win when he plays, he said. Through the Comets’ first 15 games, what Rodriguez had done was play in 12 games and contribute 22 shots; 10 points (three 3-point goals and four assists); and nine blocks.

Comets coach Kim Roentved believes Rodriguez will have a bigger impact on the team as he gains professional indoor soccer experience. It’s clear to Roentved that Rodriguez “has lots of talent.” “He just needs to use it at the right places,” Roentved commented. “And that’s what we’ve been working on since he came into (training) camp.”

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