Minnesota United II

Real Monarchs stood in the way of the conference quarter-final, and Minnesota United II beat them 2-1 on 19 October. New York Red Bulls II went on to win the whole tournament.

The club exists as the reserve arm of Minnesota United FC, and it does not share a home with the first team: instead of Allianz Field, it plays at National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine. Capacity there is put at 5,500 in some counts, though the ground itself has held far more for other events. The colours are the parent club's own — black for the loon that gives Minnesota United its "Loons" nickname, blue for the Mississippi, grey for the Iron Range — which is how the reserve side picked up its own tag, Black and Blue, without ever choosing it.

Not every player who has come through stays long enough to be remembered for what happened here rather than what came after. Zaidan Bello signed with the reserve team in December 2022, was called up to the first team within months, made his MLS debut, and left for Norway's Alta IF. Muba Nuur's mark is quieter but more specific: when he signed his first professional contract in March 2025, he became the first Somali-American player in the club's history.

None of it existed before 2022, when the team took the field for the first time against San Jose Earthquakes II.