Minnesota Thunder News Release - www.mnthunder.com

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

ST PAUL, MN -- The Minnesota Thunder announced today the signing of Brazilian forward Frederico Moojen and Colombian/Canadian defender Andres Arango, pending approval. Both players played for the Montreal Impact during the 2007 season and should be eligible to play in this week’s season opener in Portland.

Moojen joins the Thunder after spending the 2007 season with the Impact where he played 773 minutes in 14 games last season, logging two goals and one assist before being sidelined the rest of the season with an injury.

“I saw Freddy last year at the MLS combine,” said Thunder head coach Amos Magee. “He is an outstanding target forward who is very creative and will score a lot of goals for our team this season. I am thrilled with this signing.”

Moojen was the Impact’s second-round pick in the 2006 United Soccer Leagues First Division College Player Draft. Moojen spent his collegiate career at both Lincoln Memorial University and Clemson University where he tallied 59 goals and 133 points in three seasons.

During the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Moojen finished as the top goal scorer in the PDL scoring 18 goals in each season with the Cocoa Expos and the defunct Augusta Fireball. In that 2006 season he was named the PDL Player of the Year.

Arango is a seasoned veteran of the USL First Division. The 2008 season will mark his sixth season in the league in which he started his career with the Montreal Impact in 2003 before being traded to the Toronto Lynx where he spent the next three seasons. After the Lynx dropped to PDL following the 2006 season, Arango returned to the Impact where he played in 21 games last season logging 1725 minutes.

“Andres has been one of the top defenders in this league,” said Magee. “His work rate, knowledge of the game and athleticism will add a lot to our defense. We feel that Andres is one of the last pieces to a playoff puzzle.”

Arango was named the Lynx defensive player of the year in both the 2005 and 2006 season. His final season in Toronto he was the team’s leader in minutes played and sixth overall in the league. The native of Medellin, Colombia has dual citizenship in Canada, where he spent time with the Canadian National U-20 Team.

In other news, the Thunder announced today that forward Sasha Gotsmanov has been released from the team.

The Minnesota Thunder will open its home season on Sunday, May 4 at James Griffin Stadium against the Rochester Raging Rhinos at 5:05 p.m. Season tickets are currently on sale by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 651.989.5151