April 18, and nothing since
Minnesota United have not won at home since April 18, a 2-0 win over Portland. Eight matches have gone by at Allianz Field without three points. FC Dallas arrive on Wednesday night, and the Loons are somehow still one point off the last playoff place in the West.
The scoring has come back. Minnesota (7-8-8, 29 points) have put 12 goals on the board in three matches. They have taken four points from those three, because they shipped nine at the other end.
Saturday in Portland was the whole problem inside ninety minutes. Three down after 26 minutes, level 24 minutes later through a Marcus Caldeira brace and an Anthony Markanich strike, then beaten 5-4 once Portland scored twice more and Tomas Chancalay’s 92nd-minute goal arrived too late to matter.
Cameron Knowles knows where the leak is. “What we need to do is get back to tightening up the defending,” the Minnesota coach said. “We need to understand we need to drop off and get behind the ball. It’s not a moment to press. Our guys are really good at being aggressive, but when we get it wrong, it can leave guys in really difficult situations at the back.”
Try it for $0.99.
Dallas refuse to lose
FC Dallas (10-6-7, 37 points) sit fourth, six points off Vancouver, and travel better than most sides in this conference at 6-4-3 on the road.
Sporting Kansas City led them 2-0 after 19 minutes on Saturday. Dallas won 4-3, Petar Musa converting a penalty in the 97th minute. Musa now has 18 goals in 18 starts, level with Lionel Messi at the top of the MLS scoring chart.
“They keep proving themselves again and again that they’re never going to turn over and die,” coach Eric Quill said. “They’re going to roll up their sleeves and find a way.”
The first meeting says little
Minnesota won that one 1-0 in Frisco on April 22, Markanich scoring in the first half and Drake Callender making three saves. Both sides look different now. Dallas have learned to win from any scoreline. Minnesota have found goals and mislaid a defence.
Discover the rest of our football news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply