Soccer Recap 28: MNUFC Vs St. Louis City Preview, Loons Go International, A Look Around MLS, and What's Up With The USMNT?
Minnesota Soccer Spot
Friday, September 13th
MNUFC Vs St. Louis Preview, Loons Go International, A Look Around MLS, and What's Up With The USMNT?
*Disclaimer: My takes are not thoughtful, and they are NOT based in knowledge.*
Welcome back to another installment of "Lydia complaining with a fancy title and logo to make it seem more legitimate." Let's go:
MNUFC Vs St. Louis City Preview
Tomorrow, Minnesota United will take on St. Louis City in St. Louis. This fixture will be the third-ever meeting between the two clubs, 2024 being St. Louis' second year in the league. The record between the two clubs is even: Last April, Minnesota went into St. Louis and stole three points. That match was St. Louis' first loss of their epic start to the league. St. Louis returned the favor later in the season: Minnesota would strike first, but St. Louis would come from behind to steal three points from the Loons in Minnesota, evening the score.
Minnesota is in a similar position to the last time these Western Conference foes faced: At ninth place in the West, Minnesota is just above the playoff line looking to solidify a spot. St. Louis is in almost the opposite position they were in last year: The newest expansion team currently sits at thirteenth, second to last in the Western Conference. Mathematically, they are still alive for playoff contention, but it will be a steep hill for them to climb. This fixture will be vital for both teams, considering the limited number of matches left in the season.
This is how I predict Minnesota United will lineup this weekend:
The lineup is identical to the previous fixture against San Jose. As far as defense is concerned, the three-centerback pairing has been consistent since Díaz' arrival. In my opinion, I don't believe Díaz has showcased starter quality up to this point, but I doubt Ramsay will go a different route. I assume his goal is to build chemistry with these three, so I suspect he will stick with Díaz for the foreseeable future. Rosales is a mainstay, and I am enjoying San Bin's performance at right back. As far as the midfield goes, I don't expect there to be any changes. I am aware of the arrival of Joaquin Pareyra, but it would be unlikely for him to start right off the bat with a midfield as solid as the three MNUFC veterans were the previous week. He will most likely come off of the bench. I assumed once Oluwaseyi was officially back, we'd see him and Yeboah start up top together, but Bongi has made a real case to be starting. After his brace against San Jose, I'd argue he deserves to start this weekend. To add to that point, both he and Yeboah worked well together in creating scoring opportunities.
Minnesota will look to repeat recent history against St. Louis. The Loons will need as many three-point results as they can scrape up to have a chance at making the postseason. This will be a match to watch.
Welcome back to another installment of "Lydia complaining with a fancy title and logo to make it seem more legitimate." Let's go:
MNUFC Vs St. Louis City Preview
Tomorrow, Minnesota United will take on St. Louis City in St. Louis. This fixture will be the third-ever meeting between the two clubs, 2024 being St. Louis' second year in the league. The record between the two clubs is even: Last April, Minnesota went into St. Louis and stole three points. That match was St. Louis' first loss of their epic start to the league. St. Louis returned the favor later in the season: Minnesota would strike first, but St. Louis would come from behind to steal three points from the Loons in Minnesota, evening the score.
Minnesota is in a similar position to the last time these Western Conference foes faced: At ninth place in the West, Minnesota is just above the playoff line looking to solidify a spot. St. Louis is in almost the opposite position they were in last year: The newest expansion team currently sits at thirteenth, second to last in the Western Conference. Mathematically, they are still alive for playoff contention, but it will be a steep hill for them to climb. This fixture will be vital for both teams, considering the limited number of matches left in the season.
This is how I predict Minnesota United will lineup this weekend:
The lineup is identical to the previous fixture against San Jose. As far as defense is concerned, the three-centerback pairing has been consistent since Díaz' arrival. In my opinion, I don't believe Díaz has showcased starter quality up to this point, but I doubt Ramsay will go a different route. I assume his goal is to build chemistry with these three, so I suspect he will stick with Díaz for the foreseeable future. Rosales is a mainstay, and I am enjoying San Bin's performance at right back. As far as the midfield goes, I don't expect there to be any changes. I am aware of the arrival of Joaquin Pareyra, but it would be unlikely for him to start right off the bat with a midfield as solid as the three MNUFC veterans were the previous week. He will most likely come off of the bench. I assumed once Oluwaseyi was officially back, we'd see him and Yeboah start up top together, but Bongi has made a real case to be starting. After his brace against San Jose, I'd argue he deserves to start this weekend. To add to that point, both he and Yeboah worked well together in creating scoring opportunities.
Minnesota will look to repeat recent history against St. Louis. The Loons will need as many three-point results as they can scrape up to have a chance at making the postseason. This will be a match to watch.
Loons Go International:
Normally, my blogs include a summary of the previous match. Luckily for the Loons, they had this international break off match-wise. With seven key absences, it would've been challenging for Minnesota to compete. So, instead of giving a match summary, I will provide all of the important information regarding those seven Loons' travels.
We'll start with the Canadians, Dayne St. Clair & Tani Oluwaseyi. Their first match was against the United States. (I will go more in-depth from a USMNT fan perspective later in the blog). During this match, Portland Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau got the start in the net, leaving Dayne on the bench. Tani Oluwaseyi came off the bench in the sixty-seventh minute. Their second match was against Mexico. In the 0-0 draw, Dayne St. Clair got the start in the net above the Timbers keeper. This draw is St. Clair's second clean sheet with the Canadian Men's National Team. In the match against Mexico, Tani Oluwaseyi came off the bench in the seventy-seventh minute.
Next, we'll go over the Finnish internationals. Both Teemu Pukki and Robin Lod were participants in at least one of the two matches their National Team played. The first match was last Saturday against Greece. In the 3-0 loss for the Finlanders, Robin played sixty-two minutes. Teemu Pukki spent the full ninety minutes on the bench. In their second match against England, the roles were reversed. Teemu Pukki got the start up top. He was subbed out in the forty-sixth minute. Robin Lod made an appearance off of the bench. That result was a 2-0 scoreline in favor of England.
Robin with Harry Kane, the most well-known footballer with no trophies <3
Minnesota United defender Zarek Valentin was called up to the Puerto Rican National Team. In their first match against Haiti, he played in a centre back position for the full match. That fixture ended 1-1. In their second match against Aruba, Valentin spent the match on the bench. That fixture ended 1-0 in favor of Puerto Rico.
Joseph Rosales represented Honduras during the international break. Honduras played two matches in the group stage of the CONCACAF Nations League tournament. Their first match was a 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. Rosales played the full ninety minutes, and former Loon Kervin Arriaga scored the second of four goals for Honduras. Honduras' second match was against Jamaica. Once against, Rosales started and played the full ninety. This fixture ended 2-1 in favor of Jamaica.
Michael Boxall represented New Zealand. New Zealand played two international friendlies, both being against CONCACAF opponents. Their first match was against Mexico. In the 3-0 loss for New Zealand, Michael Boxall started and played the full ninety minutes. Their second match was against the United States. In the 1-1 draw, Michael Boxall made an appearance off of the bench in the seventy-fourth minute.
The next international window will be at the beginning of October.
Normally, my blogs include a summary of the previous match. Luckily for the Loons, they had this international break off match-wise. With seven key absences, it would've been challenging for Minnesota to compete. So, instead of giving a match summary, I will provide all of the important information regarding those seven Loons' travels.
We'll start with the Canadians, Dayne St. Clair & Tani Oluwaseyi. Their first match was against the United States. (I will go more in-depth from a USMNT fan perspective later in the blog). During this match, Portland Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau got the start in the net, leaving Dayne on the bench. Tani Oluwaseyi came off the bench in the sixty-seventh minute. Their second match was against Mexico. In the 0-0 draw, Dayne St. Clair got the start in the net above the Timbers keeper. This draw is St. Clair's second clean sheet with the Canadian Men's National Team. In the match against Mexico, Tani Oluwaseyi came off the bench in the seventy-seventh minute.
Next, we'll go over the Finnish internationals. Both Teemu Pukki and Robin Lod were participants in at least one of the two matches their National Team played. The first match was last Saturday against Greece. In the 3-0 loss for the Finlanders, Robin played sixty-two minutes. Teemu Pukki spent the full ninety minutes on the bench. In their second match against England, the roles were reversed. Teemu Pukki got the start up top. He was subbed out in the forty-sixth minute. Robin Lod made an appearance off of the bench. That result was a 2-0 scoreline in favor of England.
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| Robin with Harry Kane, the most well-known footballer with no trophies <3 |
Minnesota United defender Zarek Valentin was called up to the Puerto Rican National Team. In their first match against Haiti, he played in a centre back position for the full match. That fixture ended 1-1. In their second match against Aruba, Valentin spent the match on the bench. That fixture ended 1-0 in favor of Puerto Rico.
Joseph Rosales represented Honduras during the international break. Honduras played two matches in the group stage of the CONCACAF Nations League tournament. Their first match was a 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. Rosales played the full ninety minutes, and former Loon Kervin Arriaga scored the second of four goals for Honduras. Honduras' second match was against Jamaica. Once against, Rosales started and played the full ninety. This fixture ended 2-1 in favor of Jamaica.
Michael Boxall represented New Zealand. New Zealand played two international friendlies, both being against CONCACAF opponents. Their first match was against Mexico. In the 3-0 loss for New Zealand, Michael Boxall started and played the full ninety minutes. Their second match was against the United States. In the 1-1 draw, Michael Boxall made an appearance off of the bench in the seventy-fourth minute.
The next international window will be at the beginning of October.
A Look Around MLS:
Due to the international break, a few teams got the weekend off. There were only six matches across the board in Major League Soccer. Let's get into the best/most memorable moments:
Columbus VS Seattle: Okay, what the hell happened here? This has got to be the biggest soccer disaster I've ever seen. Two of Columbus' goalkeepers were called up to their national teams over the break (Patrick Schulte with the United States and Nicholas Hagen with the Guatemala National Team). Because of this, The Crew was forced to start Abraham Romero, the third-string backup keeper with no other keepers on the bench. The match started okay for him. He made a couple of decent saves, but all hell would break loose. In stoppage time in the first half, there is a nasty collision between Jordan Morris (Seattle forward) and the Columbus goalkeeper. It results in a straight red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Because there is no backup keeper on the bench, defender and midfielder Sean Zawadzki opts to put on the goalkeeper shirt. Unfortunately for the Crew, the match would go as expected: Seattle would put four past the reigning MLS Cup champions. A hat trick from Albert Rusnák would earn him the title of player of the week, but all in all, it's just sad. Funny enough, Zawadzki made two saves in his goalkeeping debut.
OUTFIELD PLAYER IN GOAL?? - Link here!
Columbus VS Seattle Highlights - Link here!
What the fuck :')
New England VS St. Louis: This match would be one both fanbases were looking forward to. Recently, New England and St. Louis swapped defenders: Tim Parker of St. Louis moving to New England, and the former New England man Henry Kessler moving to St. Louis. The match would end with a 2-2 tie, but not without some highlights. St. Louis would open the scoring from none other than Kessler himself. His phenomenal header off of a set piece would put his visiting side up 1-0. New England would come back to lead 2-1, but an equalizer toward the end of the match would leave both teams leaving a point apiece. I also want to highlight New England goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič's performance. His seven-save match kept New England in it.
Henry Kessler Goal - Link here!
New England VS St Louis Highlights - Link here!
Andrew Gutman (Chicago Fire) BANGER: Just one more highlight from this weekend. This goal from Gutman is an absolute BANGER! It's definitely worth checking out.
Due to the international break, a few teams got the weekend off. There were only six matches across the board in Major League Soccer. Let's get into the best/most memorable moments:
Columbus VS Seattle: Okay, what the hell happened here? This has got to be the biggest soccer disaster I've ever seen. Two of Columbus' goalkeepers were called up to their national teams over the break (Patrick Schulte with the United States and Nicholas Hagen with the Guatemala National Team). Because of this, The Crew was forced to start Abraham Romero, the third-string backup keeper with no other keepers on the bench. The match started okay for him. He made a couple of decent saves, but all hell would break loose. In stoppage time in the first half, there is a nasty collision between Jordan Morris (Seattle forward) and the Columbus goalkeeper. It results in a straight red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Because there is no backup keeper on the bench, defender and midfielder Sean Zawadzki opts to put on the goalkeeper shirt. Unfortunately for the Crew, the match would go as expected: Seattle would put four past the reigning MLS Cup champions. A hat trick from Albert Rusnák would earn him the title of player of the week, but all in all, it's just sad. Funny enough, Zawadzki made two saves in his goalkeeping debut.
OUTFIELD PLAYER IN GOAL?? - Link here!
Columbus VS Seattle Highlights - Link here!
 |
| What the fuck :') |
New England VS St. Louis: This match would be one both fanbases were looking forward to. Recently, New England and St. Louis swapped defenders: Tim Parker of St. Louis moving to New England, and the former New England man Henry Kessler moving to St. Louis. The match would end with a 2-2 tie, but not without some highlights. St. Louis would open the scoring from none other than Kessler himself. His phenomenal header off of a set piece would put his visiting side up 1-0. New England would come back to lead 2-1, but an equalizer toward the end of the match would leave both teams leaving a point apiece. I also want to highlight New England goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič's performance. His seven-save match kept New England in it.
Henry Kessler Goal - Link here!
New England VS St Louis Highlights - Link here!
Andrew Gutman (Chicago Fire) BANGER: Just one more highlight from this weekend. This goal from Gutman is an absolute BANGER! It's definitely worth checking out.
What's Up With The USMNT?:
This past international break, the United States Men's National Team played two international friendlies against Canada and New Zealand. These were the first matches since the departure of former head coach Gregg Berhalter. After an early exit from the Copa América tournament, fans and players alike were hoping for a quick turnaround. Unfortunately, the results didn't go the United States' way. A 2-1 loss to Canada and a 1-1 draw to New Zealand got fans and commentators weighing in on the following questions: Is the United States really that good? What's missing? Is it mentality, or are the players just not good enough? Let's get into it.
USMNT V CANADA:
The United States' starting lineup was made up of players who were twenty-five years old or younger (minus Grandpa Tim Ream). Christian Pulisic captained his team once again. The lineup included the familiar names of Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally (in for the hurt Sergiño Dest), Yunus Musah, Brenden Aaronson, Christian Pulisic, and Folarin Balogun. Jonnhy Cardoso and Malik Tillman get the start in the midfield, both less-known players to the average USMNT fanbase. Kristoffer Lund got his first-ever start at left back, replacing Antonee Robinson, who was left off of this roster. And Patrick Schulte, the Columbus Crew goalkeeper, also gets his first-ever start for the senior team.
The first half against Canada was a poor one for the United States. Canada came out with a much higher intensity than the reigning Nations League Champions. The first half saw a struggling USMNT, especially in the midfield. A poor turnover in the midfield would result in the first goal for Canada. They would score their second in the fifty-eighth minute. The United States would respond in the second with chances of their own. Their chances would eventually result in a first USMNT goal for Luca De La Torre, who came on as a substitute. Unfortunately for the United States, their second-hald surge wouldn't be enough to catch Canada's two-goal game.
To summarize, the United States struggled to keep up with Canada. It was a frustrating watch. It would be one thing if it were an even match and Canada came out on top, but a flat first half from the Americans came back to bite them in the end. With that being said, there were some bright spots: Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte had a good showing. Neither of the goals were his fault, and he kept the United States in the match with five saves, a couple of them being truly impressive. Kristoffer Lund was also a bright spot: The young defender made a convincing case that he should be the go-to fullback behind Antonee Robinson. He's fast as hell, and he provided an edge in the attack that has been lacking since Dest's injury. Aidan Morris also made a solid case to be a depth piece in the midfield. That midfield trio of McKennie, Adams, and Musah is hard to crack, but Morris had a positive showing against the Canadians.
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| Who the FUCK is LUCAS De La Torre??? |
USMNT V NEW ZEALAND:
Following the loss to Canada, interim head coach Mikey Varas decided to switch some things up lineup-wise. Matt Turner would regain his starting position in the net. Tim Ream would also be benched and replaced with defender Mark McKenzie. Lund and Richards would maintain their positions from the previous match with Richards captaining the team for the first time. Joe Scally would move to the bench, and Marlon Fossey would make his first start for the United States. The midfield trio would include Brenden Aaronson, Yunus Musah, and Aidan Morris. Christian Pulisic would be moved to the bench, and in his place would be three strikers? Balogun would get the start up top, and Pepi & Wright, who normally play in the nine position, would start as wingers. It was an interesting move from Varas. It was an experiment, to say the least.
The New Zealand game would have a different vibe. Throughout most of the match, the United States was on the front foot. A goal from Ricardo Pepi in the first half would be called back for a foul. In my opinion, there was minimal contact, and the foul should not have been given, but unfortunately, this match lacked V.A.R. The call would stand. Eventually, the United States would find the breakthrough goal in Christian Pulisic. A well-worked ball from Scally all the way up through the midfield would find Pulisic making a run, and as expected, he would finish perfectly. It looked as though the United States had finally found the breakthrough, but an unlucky moment would result in a New Zealand goal: The New Zealand keeper kicks the ball (super smart soccer lingo, I know) down the field. It lands at the foot of a forward. I don't even know how this happens, but Richards attempts to head the ball away. It hits Mark McKenzie (I believe), and the deflection off McKenzie is then deflected off of the New Zealand forward. The ball would then be deflected just over Matt Turner into the net. It was the weirdest goal I've ever seen the USMNT concede, and it would unfortunately cost them the match.
In summary, it was an unlucky result for the Americans from Pepi's goal being chalked off to the deflected (times three?) goal. Despite that, I thought the debut of Fossey was a solid one. I also thought Aaronson had an impressive match. He was showcasing some foot skills I haven't seen from him as much. (To me, he's more of a speed player).
SO, WHAT'S UP?:
Before I get into my thoughts, firstly, I want to acknowledge the match against New Zealand. I don't think that match speaks to something bigger. Freak goals happen, and this match was a perfect example of that. Soccer is a weird sport. As Jay from Modern Family says it best: "Thrilling match... 1-1 tie. One of the goals was an accident." Should the U.S. have done a better job putting away their chances? Sure. There's always room for improvement. But commentators using this result to make grander claims about the players, their abilities, and American soccer culture in general is dramatic. (And they say women are too emotional...)
The Canada match is worth critiquing. The first half was SO sloppy. Nobody could hold onto the ball for more than two seconds. It was like watching my sixth-grade rec soccer team play against a professional Canadian team (I'm joking... kind of...). But in all seriousness, there were some issues in that match.
But here's my main point: This is a new and revived Canadian side. This is a Canadian side that lost all of their World Cup matches just a year and a half ago. The players are not new, for the most part. The commentators during the match even said it: Jesse Marsch has brought a new fire to this group of players. Their intensity is one I haven't seen to that level before. They didn't have this insane tear-down and rebuild that U.S. Soccer fans are calling for. They brought in a new coach who lit a fire under them. Are there issues with the United States Men's National Team mentality-wise? Culture-wise? Yes, of course. You saw it during that match. Mistakes that were made in that match, struggling to hold onto the ball, etc. are all mental lapse moments. It makes sense: This team has maintained the same status quo over the last three years under Gregg Berhalter. There has not been this boom result-wise that fans were hoping for with this generation. Players who should've been getting more minutes were snubbed. Tactics were poor. There were players such as Jordan Morris and Christian Roldan making the World Cup roster. This team has lacked the playmaking creativity you see with other National Teams around the world. The real kicker is that these players are talented: at the club level, you see many of them thrive in a way they don't with the National Team. Will a new coach fix these issues? Honestly, it might. Maybe I'm just a casual soccer person who doesn't know what they're talking about, but those who are calling for this massive tear-down cannot deny what a solid coaching change can do to a squad. They argue that Berhalter and Berhalter alone cost the team results but a new coach wouldn't be enough. I don't believe both of those statements can be true.
Here's my point minus the tangent: A new coach who knows how to utilize these players could make a world of difference. You saw that with the U.S. Women: They went from being knocked out of the World Cup in the round of sixteen to winning the gold medal just a year later. The players were the same, for the most part. Emma Hayes went in there and whipped that team into shape. Now obviously I don't think the USMNT will win the World Cup. We're looking at two completely different playing fields. However, many examples have shown that a decent coach can change not only the on-field performance but the culture as a whole.
That's all for this week! See you next week! Or not.
But here's my main point: This is a new and revived Canadian side. This is a Canadian side that lost all of their World Cup matches just a year and a half ago. The players are not new, for the most part. The commentators during the match even said it: Jesse Marsch has brought a new fire to this group of players. Their intensity is one I haven't seen to that level before. They didn't have this insane tear-down and rebuild that U.S. Soccer fans are calling for. They brought in a new coach who lit a fire under them. Are there issues with the United States Men's National Team mentality-wise? Culture-wise? Yes, of course. You saw it during that match. Mistakes that were made in that match, struggling to hold onto the ball, etc. are all mental lapse moments. It makes sense: This team has maintained the same status quo over the last three years under Gregg Berhalter. There has not been this boom result-wise that fans were hoping for with this generation. Players who should've been getting more minutes were snubbed. Tactics were poor. There were players such as Jordan Morris and Christian Roldan making the World Cup roster. This team has lacked the playmaking creativity you see with other National Teams around the world. The real kicker is that these players are talented: at the club level, you see many of them thrive in a way they don't with the National Team. Will a new coach fix these issues? Honestly, it might. Maybe I'm just a casual soccer person who doesn't know what they're talking about, but those who are calling for this massive tear-down cannot deny what a solid coaching change can do to a squad. They argue that Berhalter and Berhalter alone cost the team results but a new coach wouldn't be enough. I don't believe both of those statements can be true.
Here's my point minus the tangent: A new coach who knows how to utilize these players could make a world of difference. You saw that with the U.S. Women: They went from being knocked out of the World Cup in the round of sixteen to winning the gold medal just a year later. The players were the same, for the most part. Emma Hayes went in there and whipped that team into shape. Now obviously I don't think the USMNT will win the World Cup. We're looking at two completely different playing fields. However, many examples have shown that a decent coach can change not only the on-field performance but the culture as a whole.
That's all for this week! See you next week! Or not.
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