Soccer Recap 12: Double Game Week (Feat. L.A. Galaxy and the Portland Timbers), MLS Rivalry Weekend, and the Rey-No-Show Rundown

 

Minnesota Soccer Spot 

Monday, May 13th

Double Game Week (Feat. L.A. Galaxy and the Portland Timbers), MLS Rivalry Weekend, and the Rey-No-Show Rundown

*Disclaimer: My takes are not thoughtful, and they are NOT based in knowledge.*  

Double Game Week

This post is going to be different than others. Normally, I would give a rundown of Minnesota's previous match, and then I would take a deep dive into what to expect for the next match. But with Minnesota having this past weekend off and two games this coming week, we'll have to improvise. 

MINNESOTA VS GALAXY

Minnesota will take on the L.A. Galaxy at home this Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Galaxy, who are coming off of a tie that felt like a win (I will get into this later), are in an extremely comfortable position compared to years past. They currently are tied with the Loons, sitting in third place in the West with Minnesota just above them in second. Minnesota is arguably in an even more comfortable position. With one or two fewer games played than every other team in the Western Conference, they are sitting pretty. This matchup between two of the best in the West will be one to watch!

Here is what I assume the lineups will be. Since Minnesota is playing two games, I have created an ideal lineup that could apply to both games. It's hard to predict how Ramsay will change from Galaxy to Portland tactically, so this is the best this amateur blogger can do. 

MNUFC Lineup

L.A. Galaxy Lineup

This past weekend saw the return of Dejan Joveljić to L.A. Galaxy's starting eleven. It also saw Riqui Puig come back from his yellow card suspension. These two being back will be a pain for Minnesota's defense. Puig, no matter how annoying I find him, is an extremely skilled player. He's the type of player you cannot give an inch to: He will take a mile. Joveljić has proved to be lethal for L.A. with six goals and two assists in the ten matches he has appeared for the club this season. With those two missing (Joveljić for longer due to injury), you could see the Galaxy struggling to keep their winning momentum going. With both of them returning combined with new 2024 signing Joseph Paintsil, Minnesota will have a tough task ahead of them. 

WARNNG! BEFORE YOU SCROLL, THERE IS A PHOTO OF RIQUI PUIG BELOW! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

A face only a mother could love. I'm sorry the photo is so big on the blog. 

As a society, we have moved on from this too fast. He should never live this down.

As for Minnesota, they have been cooking as well. The Loons are in such good form that they have a designated player (Pukki) and arguably their most important attacking player from last season in Bongi Hlongwane as super-subs. This season has seen every single player step up like never before. And with the potential return of Emmanuel Reynoso (I will also discuss this later), it's hard to say who would potentially lose their starting position. It's a good problem for Eric Ramsay and the rest of his staff to have, and it gives fans a legitimate reason to have faith in the team. 

DON'T FORGET THE TIMBERS:

Minnesota will also play at home the following Saturday, taking on the Portland Timbers at 7:30 PM. Portland, who are coming off of a home loss to the Sounders, are not doing as well as they would've hoped. They currently sit at the bottom of the Western Conference with ten points and two more games played than the Loons. Even with their new designated player signing in Jonathan Rodríguez and the class Evander provides the midfield, the Timbers have yet to make their presence in MLS known this season. The Loons will look to capitalize on not only the home-field advantage but their better form advantage as well. 

Here is how I expect Portland to lineup: 

Portland Lineup

Before we move on, I would like to give a shoutout to the Universe. Seeing the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, and Sporting Kansas City all sitting below the playoff line brings joy to my life. I also need Minnesota to kick Portland's ass this weekend. I have been on too many Hinge dates with MULTIPLE Portland Timbers fans that have not gone the way I would've hoped. And since I am never the problem and the only commonality is that they are Portland fans, this victory isn't just about soccer anymore. It's personal. 

MLS Rivalry Rundown

Sadly, I missed most of the games this weekend due to supporting my former college acapella group. (Yes, I was one of those. But you're spending your free time reading the most ill-informed soccer blog to ever exist, so you're not one to judge here). Obviously, I spent my free time these last couple of days catching up on what I missed. With fifty-four goals and a lot of MLS chaos, there's a lot to unpack. Here are the highlights:

Philidelphia Union VS Orlando:

Other than the Portland Timbers VS. Seattle Sounders Match, this was the second match I was bummed about missing. This is a massive road win for Orlando, and the Union is going to walk away from this match feeling more defeated than they were going in if that's even possible. The Philidelphia Union, who have been arguably one of the best teams in MLS for the last three or four years, are struggling as of late. They haven't won a match since April 6th, taking only one point away from their last four matches. Union fans will be frustrated by a lot of aspects of this match, and Orlando fans will be dying on the hill that the second penalty wasn't a penalty.

Here are my thoughts: Firstly, I think Quinn Sullivan is onside on this goal that was called off on the field. I totally understand why Union fans are pissed about this, but we all know how angles work with the camera. This would've been a second goal for the Union, which could've preserved a point for the home team. 

Secondly, that second penalty for the Union isn't a penalty, in my opinion. Sullivan was already going to ground before the contact was made, and even then, the contact was extremely soft. In the end, Gazdag would have the penalty saved, sealing the victory for Orlando City. My favorite thing ever is when a penalty is called that is questionable and it is saved. As they say, "Ball doesn't lie." 

Union VS Orlando Highlights

L.A. Galaxy VS RSL:

What a match! This was the only match I was able to catch this past weekend, but it made up for other matches missed. L.A. Galaxy dominated most of the first half in this one, but RSL was able to put their opportunities away, even against the run of play. Chicho Arrango would walk away from the first half with a brace, and RSL would have their two-goal lead. This would change in the second half: It was one of those matches where the next goal would decide the tone of the match, and of course, Galaxy found a way. The combination of Puig, Painstil, and Pec would pay off, giving Galaxy life in the sixty-eighth minute. It seemed as though Real Salt Lake would escape with all three points by the skin of their teeth, but in the last kick of the match, Miguel Berry, who had otherwise been struggling, would find the back of the net. This result was good for Minnesota as well, keeping the Galaxy from jumping them and keeping RSL in reach. 

Galaxy VS RSL Highlights

Portland VS Seattle:

This is the best rivalry in Major League Soccer, and I will die on this hill. Fight with the wall. 

Anyway, I didn't catch this game, but I just wanted to highlight that it happened. Seattle would walk away from this one with all three points, giving an otherwise pretty lifeless team some momentum. In summary, Ruidiaz owns Portland and only Portland, and Portland needs to figure it out going into Minnesota this coming weekend. 

Timbers VS Sounders Highlights

Here are some goals and other highlights from this past weekend:

Benteke HAT TRICK PART 2: He does it again! For the second time this season, Christian Benteke has his hat trick! This time, it's a hat trick of headers. 

Luis Muriel BRACE IN MLS: Two great goals from Orlando's new signing!

Rojas Free Kick STUNNER: On a night where Messi didn't cook, Rojas came in clutch. This stunning free kick changed the course of this Montreal VS Miami match. 

Hector Herrera BANGER: He's BACK YOU GUYS! What a goal this is. 

Ferreira scores FIFTY IN MLS: With Ferreira having scored his fiftieth MLS goal this past weekend, here is a compilation of the young American's goals throughout his time with FC Dallas. 

Ruidiaz Owns Portland: "Nobody does it better." Damn right. 

Where's Rey?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? I'm not sure what the hell it is, but it definitely isn't Reynoso. Or is it?

Apparently, after the third hiatus of his Minnesota United career, Emanuel Reynoso was spotted in Minnesota for the first time since March a couple of days ago. People figured out he was in Minnesota because someone in my group chat found a photo of him at a field in Minnesota. He was also signing autographs either earlier today or yesterday. It's a big development in this season of "Where's Rey?" 

For those of you who don't know (if you've been living under a rock), he has a history of pulling this stunt. It started last year when he simply didn't show up for the first third of the season, then appeared in Minnesota on a random Saturday. He did it again for a more brief period at the beginning of the 2024 preseason. It just so happened that he showed up once the team had gone to a warmer location. Don't quote me on that, but the timing is suspicious. This third time was arguably the worst of the three: Reynoso was supposed to take the international break to travel back to Argentina for his green card. He not only missed that appointment but missed multiple flights back to Minnesota. He has been AWOL ever since, only having been spotted at a club in Argentina, up until a couple of days ago. 

So what happens now? Honestly, I don't care. It's like that guy who tells you over and over again that this time will be different, but it never is. Eventually, you just stop feeling bad and move on. Michael Boxall, who sounds like a woman reclaiming her power after a situation like the one I described, basically agrees with that. Essentially, he said: "I don't care. Let's move on. He clearly doesn't want to be here." And I think fans feel the same way. 

So what's going on with Reynoso? Who knows. Maybe he has bad allergies and was avoiding the weather. Or maybe he just doesn't vibe with the dance clubs in Minnesota. Either way, it will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

That's all for this week!