Minnesota Soccer Recap 18: Loons Losing Streak, Portland Next, and USMNT in Copa America

 

Minnesota Soccer Spot 

Tuesday, June 25th

Loons Losing Streak, Portland Next, and USMNT in Copa America

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

Loons Losing Streak:

This post has to be two of the worst back-to-back losses in Minnesota United history. It's not the scorelines or the way they played attack-wise necessarily: It more had to do with vibes. I know that is an oversimplification of the events of this past week, but you just had to be there. 

Minnesota VS Dallas:

This past Wednesday night, Minnesota United traveled to Frisco, Texas to take on the Houston Dynamo. In the most shocking defensive display of the season, the Loons conceded five goals for the first time in a long time. (I am no professional. I don't have these stats in front of me). 

Here's how both teams lined up:

MNUFC Lineup

FC Dallas Lineup

Eric Ramsay presented a 3-4-3 lineup. With Arriaga out for "personal reasons", Eriksson steps in alongside mainstays Michael Boxall and Miguel Tapias. Joseph Rosales officially returns from suspension and international duty into the starting eleven. Caden Clark maintains a spot in the midfield due to the absence of both Devin Padelford and DJ Taylor. Robin Lod starts as a false nine up top. For Dallas, interim head coach Peter Luccin puts forward the same formation as Minnesota. This lineup featured attacking threats Paul Arriola, Jesus Ferreira, and Petar Musa. 

The beginning of the first half showed a lot of Dallas half-chances. They would strike first in the seventeenth minute: Petar Musa gets the better of Mickey Tapias and finishes beautifully. 

Minnesota would have plenty of chances throughout the rest of the half: In the nineteenth minute, Bongi does an excellent job maintaining possession in the midfield. He finds Caden Clark making a run down the right-hand side. He then crosses the ball to Lod, who shoots it straight at the Dallas keeper. In the twenty-fourth minute, a long-distance free kick from Joseph Rosales sails just over the crossbar. In the thirty-second minute, Joseph Rosales takes the ball in stride up the left side of the field finding Bongi making a run in the midfield. He takes a shot from a distance, forcing a smart save from Maarten Paes. In that same minute, Minnesota is awarded a corner. Rosales delivers an inswinging ball that finds the head of Bongi. He puts it in the back of the net, and the match is tied. 

Minnesota wouldn't go into halftime with a tie game: In the thirty-eighth minute, Kamungo crosses a ball into Minnesota's box. The ball goes straight through the legs of Eriksson, who is extremely flat-footed. The ball falls to Petar Musa, who puts it away for his second of the evening. The first half would end 2-1 in favor of the home side. 

Going into the second half, Minnesota had a couple of half-chances. A long-distance shot from Hlongwane rolls straight into the arms of Maarten Paes. Another long-distance strike from Joseph Rosales evokes another comfortable save from Paes. In the fifty-seventh minute, Caden Clark finds the foot of Bongi Hlongwane. Bongi is able to hold the ball up, laying it off to Hassani Dotson, who strikes from distance. Paes gets a piece of it, but it isn't enough, and the game is tied once again. 

From this point on, Minnesota would completely collapse. Musa would get his hat trick and player of the match day in Major League Soccer. Jesus Ferreira would get a goal in the seventy-fifth minute. And young Logan Farrington would get a goal in the ninetieth minute. Wil Trapp would score a penalty in stoppage time, but it would be mere consolation, and the match would end 5-3. 

Minnesota VS Austin FC:

Immediately following the match against Dallas, Minnesota would travel back home to take on Austin FC. It would be another lackluster performance from the Loons, and Austin would walk away with all three points. 

Here's how both teams lined up:

MNUFC Lineup

Austin FC Lineup

Ramsay put forward another 3-4-3 lineup. Arriaga made what would most likely be his final MNUFC appearance, taking the place of Eriksson from the previous week. DJ Taylor comes into the midfield, taking the place of Caden Clark, and Bongi and Lod switch positions. It's a very similar lineup to the previous week. Austin FC put forward a 4-4-2 lineup. Former Loon Ethan Finlay gets the start in the midfield. Familiar faces Alex Ring, Jon Gallagher, Diego Rubio, and Gyasi Zardes all appear as well. 

The beginning of the first half would be boring for both teams. Hassani Dotson would pick up his first yellow in the twenty-fifth minute. In my opinion, Dotson barely touches him. I don't even believe it's a foul, but these types of calls cannot be reviewed. This yellow would come back to haunt Dotson less than a minute later. He would commit another tactical foul against Zardes, and he would receive his second yellow card. To me, this is poor officiating. You almost NEVER see double-yellows in this manner. Usually, referees would allow the play to settle down. Maybe Drew Fischer wanted some drama, who knows? But either way, the Loons are down to ten men just inside twenty-five minutes. 

Austin would take advantage of the red card just a few minutes later. A ball served in from Gallagher is batted away by Clint Irwin. It falls right to the foot of Diego Rubio, who puts it away. It's a horrendous mistake from Irwin, and Austin FC are up 1-0. 

Throughout the second half, you wouldn't even know Minnesota was playing with ten men. The introduction of Fragapane would add an attacking edge for the Loons. He would get his first shot toward the net in the sixty-second minute. Arriaga would try a strike from distance ten minutes later. Sang Bin would have a couple of genuine chances toward the end of the match, but he would get them all wrong. In the end, the Irwin mistake would dictate the result of the match. 

Mood

Portland Next:

Minnesota will travel to Portland this coming Saturday to take on the Portland Timbers. Portland, who have been redeeming themselves as of late, will look to better their record against Minnesota. The Loons have a decent record against the Timbers throughout their time in Major League Soccer. Minnesota will look to get themselves back to winning ways against their old rivals. 

Here's how I would line up against the Timbers:

I genuinely have no idea how this team will line up. With Eriksson's future in the air right now, I'm not even sure if he will be available. I assume he will be for Saturday, and he will only start because we literally have no one else. I think moving Lod to the center of midfield will free up space for Fragapane to start, a start I believe he deserves. A 3-4-3 lineup will give Minnesota the freedom to flow back and forth between a three and five-back. Having Lod as more of a playmaker in the midfield may provide Loons more creativity in the midfield. Minnesota needs at least a tie here, preferably three points in the absence of Tani Oluwaseyi and Dayne St. Clair, two of our most important players. 

USMNT In Copa America:

This past Sunday, the USMNT took on Bolivia in their opening Copa America match. This match featured goals from both Christian Pulisic and Flo Balogun. It was an unsurprisingly dominant performance from the young Americans. They will wish they got more goals out of this game, especially Ricardo Pepi, who failed to convert a couple of golden chances. Gregg Berhalter and Co. will take the three points, but against a team like Panama, it will be more important to put those chances away. Panama, while they may be a lower-ranked team (the United States is favored), will be more skilled defensively. In recent matches, the United States has had a difficult time breaking down defensive blocks from CONCACAF opposition. 

The United States will face Panama this coming Thursday. 

THATS ALL FOR THIS WEEK!