Following an emphatic and emotional 4-1 win against St. Louis SC, Minnesota United is heading into the playoffs with some newfound energy. United, also referred to as the Loons, was able to celebrate Franco Fragopane’s last game as a Loon and Zarek Valentin’s retirement before the playoffs commence. The team played with a passion that seemed to have been lost ever since June.
United started the season on a hot streak. In March, the Loons had thrilling wins against Austin FC and Orlando City, as well as a tie against reigning champs Columbus Crew. A shutout win against MLS powerhouse Los Angeles FC leaving me feeling overjoyed with the success the team was having. United continued the success in April with wins against Sporting KC and Charlotte FC, as well as a tie against Real Salt Lake. United suffered two losses to the Philadelphia Union and the Houston Dynamo but were seen as nothing to worry about. At the end of April, an inspiring 5-2-2 record was next to Minnesota’s name in the league standings. The quality of soccer being played was more consistent than most teams in the league.
In May, United began to lose the attractive brand of soccer they were previously playing. While the Loons found some wins early on, they drew against tough opponents in the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Colorado Rapids. Los Angeles FC, a team they dominated earlier in the year, forced a rough loss on Minnesota. The poor results caused United’s record to slip to 7-3-4 on the season, still enough to stay high in the rankings, but also enough to make fans like myself start to question the team’s performance.
United was hit hard in June. Their lone win came against Kansas City, followed by a tie against FC Dallas. A slew of losses hit the team, disrupting the impressive run they were on. The Seattle Sounders, FC Dallas, Austin FC and the Portland Timbers all got the best of Minnesota, beginning a three-game losing streak. Notably, United was forced to play with as many as nine players absent due to the international window. They were left without star players such as Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, Finnish midfielder Robin Lod and Puerto Rican center-back Zarek Valentin. A league-leading amount of call-ups was certainly no help for Minnesota, but I don’t believe it provides any excuse for the team’s performance either.
July felt like a continuation of June in the sense of on-field product. While the Loons slowly gained players back from their international competitions, they were struck with more losses against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Los Angeles FC and DC United, pushing their losing streak to six games. United was able to scrape out a win versus the league-worst San Jose Earthquakes. The Loons’ effort-lacking brand of soccer was deservingly awarded with a 2-8-2 record between the two months, putting first-year coach Eric Ramsey on the hot seat. I personally began to lose my belief in the team.
In a short August, United suffered a more respectable loss to the Seattle Sounders and once again beat the San Jose Earthquakes. In September, Minnesota began to look like the team we saw earlier this season. Wins against St. Louis FC, Sporting Kansas City and Colorado Rapids reminded fans of the team they had been missing since earlier this season. The Loons had an unfortunate loss to FC Cincinnati, but there was no doubt that better effort was being shown by the team. In October, United capped the season off with a win against the Vancouver Whitecaps and an emphatic victory against St. Louis SC. The team finished the regular season with a 15-12-7 record, enough to earn them the sixth seed in the playoffs.
Throughout the season, United saw lots of bright sparks. The team’s lone MLS All-Star, Robin Lod, led an impressive campaign filling the hole left by former star man Emanuel Reynoso. The midfielder led the team in assists (15), which tied for fifth most in the MLS. Bongokuhle Hlongwane was an offensive highlight reel this year leading the team in goals (11), shots (49) and shots on goal (26). Newcomer Tani Oluwaseyi rose to the occasion many times scoring seven goals and assisting six more in a year that saw him earn a call up to the Canadian national team. The Loons also added young star Kelvin Yeboah in the transfer window. In just nine games, the Ghanaian-Italian striker scored an impressive seven goals. It took a while for the Loons to find the right starting 11, it seems to me like they found the right guys just in time.
Following chaos on decision day, where 28 MLS teams played all at once, the Loons got matched up against third-seeded Real Salt Lake who went 16-11-7 on the season. In the past three meetings, the two teams have tied all three times, creating a very equal matchup for both teams. Minnesota is no one-man show, as a multitude of players are capable of taking the game into their own hands, or feet per se. While United is capable of victory, they’re also capable of losing control and burning up. A a fan, I’ve seen many games where United has been in control and lost the focus they had. I’ve also seen games where United plays poorly but still find ways to equalize or even pull off a victory. Real Salt Lake should provide a good matchup for United, giving them a tough but beatable opponent. The best-of-three opening to the playoffs will provide a great challenge for both teams. As an avid supporter, a team like Salt Lake, however, the Loons, having faced great adversity this season, should be playing with a competitive edge.
All of this draws the question, does this team have what it takes? The answer is yes. The team has plenty of hard-working athletes, such as Joseph Rosales and Captain Micheal Boxall, that can be the backbone of the team and provide reliable performances. Additionally, the team has a well-filled bench, with substitutes Jeong Sang-Bin and Teemu Pukki finding ways to create big impacts in just a short amount of time. The team has seen the celebratory highs and the painful lows of the season. All the teams in the playoffs are teams who have found great success this season but I see no reason as to why Minnesota does not belong with them, and the team must believe that too.
The first match is at 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at American First Field in Salt Lake City. Regardless of the result, the Loons will play a very important game on Nov. 2. at 8 p.m. at Allianz Stadium in St. Paul. If a third game is necessary, it will occur at American First Field in Salt Lake City on a later to be confirmed date.
