MN United drops home opener

SAINT PAUL, Minn. (August 21, 2020) — In the team’s much-delayed home opener at Allianz Field, Minnesota United faced their old frenemies Sporting Kansas City — the team they defeated in dramatic fashion to start the MLS Is Back Tournament in July. The game would end with the same 2-1 scoreline as that one, but with the Loons on the wrong side of the result. With two own goals and a third that appeared at least partly accidental, the game might not have been pretty, but it was a return to play in the Loons’ home stadium and a first step back to regular season play. Video highlights click here

The game began brightly for the home side, with MNUFC applying attacking pressure right from the opening whistle and earning its first corner kick just three minutes in. The Loons forced the issue largely down the right side, looking for the combo of returning fullback Romain Metanire and winger Ethan Finlay that was so often potent down in Orlando. But Sporting absorbed the pressure and began to wrench it in the other direction after the first 10 minutes, at which point the Loons began to struggle to get out of their own end.

In the 12th minute, midfielder Gadi Kinda found himself with a good amount of space on the left wing, giving him time to pick out the onrushing Roger Espinoza as the midfielder dove into the box. Kinda put a beautiful ball into the space in front of Espinoza and the ball bounced up and past goalkeeper Gregory Ranjitsingh — starting in place of Tyler Miller — to give the visitors a one goal lead.

The home side refocused following the goal and Ranjitsingh settled in, putting in a number of solid saves over the rest of the evening. As the game creeped towards the half-hour mark, it was Minnesota’s turn to wrest control of the momentum as the Loons began to make inroads into the final third, including a near-banger from midfielder Hassani Dotson off the volley in the 26th minute after Chase Gasper’s cross was cleared.

Midfielder Kevin Molino — who had not seen much of the ball after the game’s first 10 minutes — provided the spark in the 32nd minute. Playing on the left wing, the midfielder received the ball and drifted across the top of the box before picking out Finlay on the opposite wing. Finlay attempted to rip a low cross on the ground to forward Luis Amarilla, but defender Jaylin Lindsey got a foot in and sent the ball into the back of SKC’s net to level the score at 1-1, which was how the teams would go into the locker rooms.

Although MNUFC began the second half on the front foot, it was once again Sporting Kansas City who would put their mark on the game about 10 minutes after the whistle. In the 55th minute, a timely interception in midfield by the visitors led to a breakout led by Kinda. After he drew the defense in, the midfielder dumped the ball off to Russell on the left wing and the Scotsman toed the touchline before drilling a short cross that beat a diving Ranjitsingh, unfortunately landing at the feet of a diving Michael Boxall, who sent the ball into the net to put Sporting KC on top once again.

Down the stretch, MNUFC looked the team most likely as SKC shifted to a more defensive look and the home side brought on both Aaron Schoenfeld and Mason Toye as forwards to give the teeth plenty of attack. But despite many tantalizing opportunities, Minnesota couldn’t quite put it together in the final third. Perhaps showing just a little looseness from the layoff following the MLS Is Back Tournament, many passes were just a little behind or a little late and some sterling opportunities went begging.

In the end, the result kept Sporting KC on top of the Western Conference and gave Minnesota United its first regular season loss of the 2020 season.