Minnesota's summer of soccer hits full stride Friday, lasting five entertaining weeks

Call it some summer of soccer.

The ball will bounce from the National Sports Center in Blaine to Allianz Field in St. Paul these next five weeks.

Friday morning brings the start of the USA Cup youth tournament that draws players and referees from 20 countries and a Minnesota United game — one of six in July. Then comes next month's MLS All-Star Game, right in the heart of the Twin Cities.

And don't forget Minnesota Aurora's successful season that leads to the new USL W playoffs next week and Premier League's Everton visiting an old friend.

"Well, there's plenty of opportunity if you like to go watch some really good football," Loons coach Adrian Heath said.

Minnesota United's bustling July

The Loons' game at Vancouver on Friday will be their second of this busy month. Four of these six July games will be at home for a team that didn't play a home league game for five weeks, from late May until Sunday's home game against Real Salt Lake.

The Loons won their last two games — at LA Galaxy to end a three-game road trip and at home against RSL — after they had won one of their previous eight MLS games and fallen behind in playoff contention.

"We've got a lot of home games," Heath said. "We'll have a really good idea where we are at the end of July."

USA Cup brings 'em back

From Friday through July 16, the annual youth tournament welcomes the world back to the soccer fields in Blaine with international teams returning for the first time since 2019.

This time, more than 950 teams will play more than 2,300 games in the eight-day event. The opening ceremony at NSC Stadium is Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Two teams from Ukraine — under-16 boys and under-14 girls — will compete. The boys' FC Minaj academy team travels from Latvia, where it has been seeking refuge from war at home.

NSC executive director Todd Johnson said the Ukrainian teams' presence "will inspire hope for all the teams participating in this life-changing event." To learn more or to donate to cover the two teams' travel and lodging expenses, visit usacup.org/ukraine.

Minnesota Aurora shines

Minnesota's entry into the new USL W brought big home crowds and a Heartland Division title with a undefeated season (10-0-1) entering its final regular-season game at Green Bay.

It sold out three of six home games and led the league in attendance by averaging more than 4,500 a game in a season coach Nicole Lukic called "incredible."

Aurora hosts a quarterfinal playoff game on Wednesday night at TCO Stadium in Eagan.

A friendly among Everton friends

A proper English Premier League team arrives at Allianz Field for a July 20 friendly against the Loons and Heath, an Everton man through and through. He scored 93 goals in eight seasons there.

Included was an unforgettable goal deep in extra time of a scoreless 1984 F.A. Cup semifinal that sent Everton onto the tournament's title for the first time in 18 years.

"Everybody knows how I feel about them," Heath said. "I'm really looking forward to it — and the biggest fan. It changed my life going there a long, long time ago."

2022 MLS All-Star Game

The stars are out Aug. 10.

Minnesota United's reward for building its splendid $250 million Allianz Field brings the league's best and famous to St. Paul to play the same from Mexico's top LIGA MX.

There's a Monday concert starring Khalid in downtown Minneapolis, a Tuesday night "Skills Challenge" at Allianz, the Wednesday night game and other festivities, such as a just-announced MLS Next Pro all-star game of its own in Blaine, also on Aug. 10.

As the hometown and home team coach, Heath gets to pick 12 players for the MLS roster and has indicated he thinks his own Emanuel Reynoso, Dayne St. Clair and Robin Lod are all worthy.

"Those are three who might have a chance — and they'll have more of a chance because I do have a vote. So we'll see."