I feel terrible for the Minnesota Stars this morning; they lost the NASL title in just about the most heartbreaking fashion possible. Up 2-0 after the first leg, they saw their lead erased by the 51st minute of the game. They immediately took the lead back, but then gave up another goal four minutes from the end of the match. Tampa Bay had a player sent off for the entirety of extra time, but the Stars couldn’t score. The whole night was like that, and Tampa got three saves in the shootout from their keeper, and that was that – a 3-1 loss on the night that gave the Rowdies the Soccer Bowl.

Here’s hoping the 2011 title will cushion the blow a little bit, for players and fans. Nobody should have to be on the losing end of a match like that.