Soccer Recap 14: Loons Barely Survive, LAFC and Sporting Kansas City next, and A Look Around MLS

 

Minnesota Soccer Spot 

Monday, May 27th

 Loons Barely Survive, LAFC and Sporting Kansas City next, and A Look Around MLS

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

Loons Survive, BARELY:

This past weekend, Minnesota United traveled to the Dick's Sporting Goods Park to take on the Colorado Rapids. In what one would call a poor defensive display, the Loons were able to walk away with a point. This game had everything: V.A.R., penalty saves, goalkeeping errors, and the goalpost working against us. 

Here's how both teams lined up:

MNUFC Lineup

Colorado Lineup

As I predicted, Minnesota went with a 5-3-2 lineup. What I did not correctly predict (shocking) was who would be placed where. Defensively, the backline was accurate. With the absence of Tapias, Padelford stepped into the vacated center back role alongside Boxall and Arriaga. Rosales and Taylor maintained their starting positions as fullbacks. Midfield-wise, Robin Lod and Wil Trapp maintained their positions, while Carlos Harvey got his second start in Major League Soccer. Pukki and Bongi are moved to the bench with Sang Bin Jeong and Tani Oluwaseyi starting up top. Colorado came out with a 4-2-3-1 lineup. (It's giving Adrian Heath). This lineup features a lot of B-Team USMNT players including Sam Vines, Cole Bassett, Zack Steffen (Rest in peace USMNT Zack Steffen), and Djordje Mihailovic. It also features Kevin Cabral, who I would argue is one of the most hated soccer players among L.A. Galaxy fans. This is all of the knowledge I have. That, and apparently Bombito is the fastest-recorded player in MLS this season. 

Colorado started the game off well. They had a couple of half-chances within the first few minutes. But as it goes, the Loons would strike first. In the eighth minute, Robin Lod shows some true class. He's able to showcase his foot skills and provide a world-class split ball to Sang Bin Jeong, catching Colorado's high defensive line out. SBJ uses his speed to beat the defenders, scoring the opener. It's his second goal in two games and Robin Lod's TENTH assist on the season. 

The true GOAT

Robin Lod tied for second in MLS assists this season

Colorado would come back: In the seventeenth minute, a shot from Navarro would force Dayne St. Clair into a smart save. The Rapids would score the equalizer just moments later. A header from Mosso finds the run of Kevin Cabral, who embarrasses Boxall with his speed. He chips the ball past St. Clair into the back of the net. And just like that, Colorado are back in it. 

This momentum wouldn't last long for the Rapids. Just a few minutes later, Minnesota regains possession of the ball. It pings around the Minnesota midfield, finding Sang Bin Jeong on the top of the box. He lays the ball off to Joseph Rosales who has a go. Zack Steffen makes the save but gives up a massive rebound for Oluwaseyi to put away. Initially, the flag goes up on Oluwaseyi, but after review, the referee overturns the call, giving Minnesota the lead once again. Minnesota would score another in the thirty-third minute. A turnover from Colorado's midfield would fall to the foot of Oluwaseyi. He splits Colorado's defense, finding Sang Bin Jeong who puts it away for his second on the night. Colorado would have a set piece before the break that pinged around in Minnesota's box. It should've been a second for the Rapids, but luck was on the Loons' side, and they finish the half up 3-1. 

The angle that overturned the call

The second half is when things got interesting. The Loons would start brightly: In the fifty-fourth minute, a header from Bombito unkindly falls to the foot of Sang Bin Jeong. He should've had his hat trick, but he scuffs it just wide. After this moment, the Rapids' press would pay off. In the sixty-second minute, Bombito would find the back of the net on a corner kick. In the sixty-sixth minute, a throw-in from Colorado would find the foot of Navarro. He squares it to Fernandez, who is taken down in the box by DJ Taylor. A penalty is called, but Dayne St. Clair would come in clutch, saving Navarro's penalty, keeping the score at 3-2. Dayne's luck would run out: In the seventy-first minute, a header from Cabral looks like it's saved by St. Clair, but it slips from his hands, finding the back of the net. With twenty minutes to go, it is 3-3. 

Minnesota would have one more opportunity: In the eighty-seventh minute, an awkward back pass from Cole Bassett would fall to the foot of Pukki. From a difficult angle, Pukki hits the post. Nine times out of ten, he puts that away, but the post saved Cole Bassett and the Rapids this time. Unfortunately for Colorado, their slew of set pieces wouldn't be able to get past the gloves of Dayne St. Clair, and the match would end in a 3-3 draw. Both teams will walk away feeling like they should've taken all three points, but Minnesota will be content with a tie given how poorly the second half was for them attack-wise. 

Upon further reflection, I understand Ramsay's approach to the match: Colorado scores a decent number of goals, but they also concede goals, and that is due to the high line they hold. Maybe I'm giving him too much credit, but it seems as though Ramsay's approach was to sit back a little more defensively and pounce on the counterattack, taking advantage of Colorado's high defensive line. In the first half, it worked. Unfortunately for Minnesota, Tapias' absence was felt in the second half, and defensively, they looked shaky. They looked even more out of sorts with Rosales being subbed off. Caden Clark and DJ Taylor as a fullback pairing was tough to watch, both of them giving up unnecessary set pieces toward the end of the match. Attack-wise, Pukki is difficult to discuss: On one hand, he hasn't been providing much of a spark or product in the attacking third. He has moments where his lack of speed is blatantly obvious. But on the other hand, position-wise, he clearly knows what he's doing. Multiple times throughout the season, his press is what has either led to a goal or almost led to a goal. For him, it seems he may be lacking a bit of confidence in the final third. What that man needs is a goal. 

Other than Dayne St. Clair's mistake, he carried the team. He made a few important saves, keeping the Loons in the match. He is a big reason why we were able to walk away with even a point. I say this because there is a trend I dislike on social media: Every time he makes a mistake (which isn't often by the way), it becomes a larger conversation among MNUFC fans online. In summary, the conversation labels this imaginary pattern Dayne has of making mistakes and insinuates he shouldn't be starting. Correct me if I'm wrong, but every goalkeeper in Major League Soccer has at least one massive blunder every couple of years. Unless someone can show me a stat that proves Dayne's blunders are more frequent or worse than other keepers throughout the league, I am not having a St. Clair slander session.  

MNUFC VS Colorado Highlights

Another Double Match Week (Feat. LAFC & SKC):

Minnesota United will travel to LAFC this coming Wednesday and host Sporting Kansas City this coming Saturday. I won't make lineup predictions due to it being a double-game week. There are always a lot of changes and managing minutes. 

As far as Wednesday is concerned, LAFC will be a tough match. The Black & Gold didn't start the season with the bang they were hoping for, but as of late, they've been in better form. With four wins in their last five regular season matches, they will look to keep the momentum going at home. But you cannot count out the Loons. Minnesota United haven't lost a match since April thirteenth with their record being four wins and two ties since then. If Minnesota were to go into LAFC and win, this would be when they could do it. 

For Sporting Kansas City, the one thing I would be worried about is the exhaustion from three games in a week. Sporting Kansas City continues their freefall into the abyss with only two wins on the season. Coming off of a loss to the Portland Timbers, this should be an easier three-point match for Minnesota. With that being said, Sporting's roster is better than they've performed. They have players such as Johnny Russell and Dániel Sallói who can change matches in an instant. The Loons midfield will need to be strong against players of their quality. 

A Look Around MLS:

Here are some highlights from this past weekend!

FC Dallas VS RSL:

I was unable to watch this match, but from the highlights, I wish I had. What a match this was in Frisco, Texas! FC Dallas played host to West front-runners Real Salt Lake in a Western Conference clash. Dallas currently sits in 12th place in the West with three wins, six ties, and four losses. Needless to say, they've been struggling to find form. Real Salt Lake is on the opposite end, sitting in first place. Initially, it seemed as though this match would have three points for Dallas written all over it. Thanks to two blunders from Zac MacMath and a turnover from RSL's midfield, Dallas found themselves up 3-0 over the visitors with just over half an hour to play. Real Salt Lake would come back to tie this match: A goal from the young American Diego Luna would get RSL back into the match. From there, it was all RSL. A banger from Anderson Julio would put the visitors just one goal away from completing the comeback. And in the LAST KICK of the game, Palacio would tie it 3-3. It's a match that will feel like a win for Real Salt Lake and one Dallas will walk away from feeling as though big changes are needed. 

FC Dallas VS RSL Highlights

Toronto VS FC Cincinnati:

If you watch any MLS, you would know that FC Cincinnati always finds a way, and they did against Toronto this past Saturday. Toronto started the match with a bang: A goal off a corner kick from Honduran international Deiby Flores would give Toronto the lead just twenty-five minutes into the match. It's his first goal in Major League Soccer, and BMO Field looks to be full of energy once again. But Cincinnati would strike back in the second half to take the lead: Both Orellano and Kelsy would score back-to-back goals in two minutes, making the game 2-1. An own-goal from Cincinnati defender Ian Murphy would help Toronto equalize in the sixty-third minute, but Cincinnati would strike back again, taking a 3-2 lead over the home side. In the eighty-fourth minute, Cincinnati looks to be walking away with all three, but a poor defensive moment from Miles Robinson would concede a penalty in Toronto's favor. Insigne puts it away, and it's all level. Cincinnati would find the winner in stoppage time: Acosta cooks once again, and Sergio Santos would put it away to steal all three points. 

Toronto FC VS FC Cincinnati Highlights

Goals And Other Highlights:

Jose Rodriguez Goal: Sporting Kansas City walked away from this with no points, but this goal is pretty impressive. 

Anderson Julio BANGER: The banger of bangers in RSL's comeback!

Penalty for Columbus Crew: I can't find a video of this, but this is genuinely the funniest thing I've seen. A penalty call was missed on the Orlando defensive end, Orlando breaks, and a penalty is called on the other end. So we go from one penalty on one side to VAR calling a penalty on the other side. Perfect MLS moment. 

Here are the MLS standings from this week:

That's all for this week!