The 2012 Minnesota Stars FC season was the club's third year of existence and their first season under the simple moniker Minnesota Stars after being called NSC Minnesota Stars for their first two seasons of existence. The team played in the North American Soccer League, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid, for the second consecutive year.
Outside of NASL play, the Stars competed in the 2012 U.S. Open Cup, reaching the fourth round before losing to the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer.
Background The Minnesota Stars FC Started the 2012 Regular season as the defending NASL Champions. The home opener was scheduled at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome vs the defending NASL regular season champions, the Carolina RailHawks.
The Stars were still leagued owned at the start of the season; this could have meant that the 2012 season could have been the last season for the franchise.
On November 8, 2012, NASL announced that Dr. William McGuire would be the new owner of the Stars, saving the Stars from possible contraction.
Roster
No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Contract ends Apps. Goals Goalkeepers 1 Mitch Hildebrandt GK Oakland Golden Grizzlies 2012 3 0 30 Matt Van Oekel GK Minnesota Thunder 2010 41 0 Defenders 2 Justin Davis DF New Mexico Lobos 2011 60 2 3 Cristiano DF Miami 2011 44 1 5 Edi Buro DF Travnik 2012 6 Kevin Friedland DF Kansas City Wizards 2004 33 1 14 Brian Kallman DF Minnesota Thunder 2010 64 1 15 Evan Sassano DF 2012 16 Kyle Altman DF Minnesota Thunder 2010 20 Connor Tobin DF Rochester Rhinos 2012 28 Ernest Tchoupe DF Expreso Rojo 2012 Midfielders 4 Neil Hlavaty MF Jagiellonia Białystok 2010 85 13 8 Daniel Wasson MF VfL Osnabrück 2010 13 Kentaro Takada MF Rochester Thunder 2010 19 Shawn Chin MF Edmonton 2012 22 Kevin Venegas MF Fullerton Titans 2010 23 2 23 Miguel Ibarra MF UC Irvine Anteaters 2012 31 5 24 Michael Reed MF PSC Soccer Academy 2012 32 Lucas Rodríguez MF Kansas City Brass 2010 77 Andy Lorei MF Real Maryland 2011 Forwards 7 Fuad Ibrahim FW 2012 9 Martin Nuñez FW Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2012 10 Simone Bracalello FW 2010 83 20 11 Amani Walker FW Orange County Blue Star 2011 48 10 17 Geison Moura MF Rockford Rampage 2010 21 Devin Del Do FW 2010 26 Travis Wall FW Columbus Crew 2012 Players away on loan Players who left during the season
Staff
Transfers Winter
In:
Out:
Summer
In:
Out:
Friendlies
Competitions NASL
Standings
Results
NASL Playoffs
Soccer Bowl
U.S. Open Cup
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|Players who left NSC Minnesota Stars during the season:
Goal scorers PlacePosition NationNumberNameNASLNASL PlayoffsU.S. Open CupTotal1 FW11Amani Walker72092 FW10Simone Bracalello51283 FW9 Martin Nuñez51064 MF23Miguel Ibarra31155 MF4 Neil Hlavaty20136 MF13Kentaro Takada2002FW21Devin Del Do2002MF22Kevin Venegas10129 DF16Kyle Altman1001DF2 Justin Davis1001DF28Ernest Tchoupe1001DF3 Cristiano1001FW25Nate Polak1001MF12Jamie Watson1001DF6 Kevin Friedland1001MF32Lucas Rodríguez0101 Own goal0101TOTALS347546
Disciplinary record NumberNationPositionNameNASLNASL PlayoffsU.S. Open CupTotal2 DFJustin Davis702010303 DFCristiano100001014 MFNeil Hlavaty301000106 DFKevin Friedland100000107 FWFuad Ibrahim100000109 FWMartin Nuñez4000001010FWSimone Bracalello2020002013MFKentaro Takada4010001014DFBrian Kallman4000101015DFEvan Sassano1000001016DFKyle Altman2110102020DFConnor Tobin3000001021FWDevin Del Do1000001022MFKevin Venegas5000101023MFMiguel Ibarra0100000128DFErnest Tchoupe1000001032MFLucas Rodríguez10000010TOTALS4127051533
References