Saturday's gold medal game between the U.S. and Brazil will be a coronation for one side and motivation for the other entering the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
The pre-professional team, now armed with investors, is waiting to hear this fall whether it will become the 16th team in the NWSL, the nation’s top women’s league.
Former Gopher Katie Duong, who led the Aurora in goals and assists this past season, is joining the DC Power Football Club, one of eight teams in the new USL W Super League.
Like the first team, the Aurora 2 went undefeated during the regular season. On Sunday at TCO Stadium, the team could win a United Premier Soccer League conference title.
Friday’s playoff loss in Detroit — which included a late penalty-kick miss — was Minnesota’s first loss of the season, as the Aurora chased their first league championship following three undefeated regular seasons.