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MLS Minnesota United FC

Loons Fall 2-0 to League-Leaders LAFC

May 2, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


LOS ANGELES, Calif. - In a big-time matchup that featured the fifth-place Loons visiting the Supporters' Shield leaders, it was no surprise to see an LAFC squad holding firm in first place. Taking down a giant on the road is a tall order for any club, but for some reason, this match felt like it could be different. It was an opportunity to prove that the Loons could hang with the upper echelon of the league's elite.

Unfortunately, the Hollywood ending was not in the cards for the Loons on this West Coast swing. And the 2-0 loss stung just a little bit more with the fact that the effort given by the squad was valiant. Specifically, and in a losing effort no less, keeper Dayne St. Clair stood on his head for most of the match.

From the opening kick, the Loons aggressive defensive pursuits and energetic attack created a frenetic pace of play that moved up and down the pitch. This match would even qualify as somewhat straining to one's neck , with both offensive attacks striking and counter-striking for the majority of the tilt.

That's not to say that opportunity never knocked for either squads' attack. One of Robin Lod's oh-so-close attempts on the goal came in the 42nd minute of the first half, controlling the ball and spinning to face the goal and shoot a laser that nearly tagged the bottom corner of the net.

Ultimately, the maximum effort and physicality that was given on both sides led to a 0-0 halftime score. That same in-your-face peskiness shown by the Loons didn't waver after the break, and the second half whistle started off another highly-energetic pace for MNUFC.

In keeping LAFC on their toes for a majority of the game, the Loons hoped to finally wear down the home side and finally convert one of LAFC's costly turnovers into paydirt. And once again in the 55th minute, Robin Lod came very close to flipping the script on the Loon's success out west, but ultimately couldn't put best opportunities to the side of the goal.

Eventually, the homestretch of the second half of action left the Loons starting to tire. Fighting for nearly every ball, sprinting to every spot and imposing their physical will on the home squad ultimately began to take its toll.

While the offensive onslaught of LAFC was present throughout the match, its attack would prove to have more endurance than the Loons tight defensive unit could bear to withstand. Then, in the 82nd minute of play, the levee that had been building was finally broken by defender Ryan Hollingshead's right foot, one-timing the ball off a deflected corner kick and turning into either squad's first lead of the evening.

It was clear the Loons were worthy opponents that wouldn't allow LAFC to close out the game without a fight. Unfortunately, even when the door was still open for a potential equalizer from Minnesota United, José Cifuentes played the part of "Debbie Downer" in the 90th minute and kicked the door shut on any sort of comeback hope when his left-footed shot from the center of the box banged into the bottom right corner of the net.

In spite of Dayne St Clair's best outstretched efforts and an aggressive, physical style of play that was taken to the conference leaders, in the end, it proved to not be enough. The Loons will need to move past a heartbreaking loss at Banc of California and look to reestablish the momentum of a now-snapped three game winning streak.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Kemar Lawrence, Bakaye Dibassy, Michael Boxall (c), Oniel Fisher; M Kervin Arriaga, Joseph Rosales, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Emanuel Reynoso, Abu Danladi; F Robin Lod

Los Angeles FC: GK Maxime Crepeau; D Franco Escobar, Jesus Murillo, Mamadou Fall, Diego Palacios; M Ilie Sanchez, Latif Blessing, Kellyn Acosta; F Cristian Arango, Carlos Vela (c), Kwadwo Opoku

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC vs. FC CINCINNATI

Allianz Field | Saint Paul, Minnesota

05.07.2022 | MLS Week No. 10 | MLS Game No. 10

7:00 pm CT (BSN, The CW Twin Cities, SKOR North)

MINNESOTA UNITED QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On LAFC's pressure towards the end of the game and how he tried to change that...

"I thought we made poor choices with the ball, to be honest with you Andy, most of the evening. I thought, in the first half, we had four or five glorious opportunities if we would've picked the right pass and we didn't. In the second half, we did the same. I know they're small margins but Robin [Lod] has this great chance for us to go 1-0 up and then you would've thought that they would press even more and then more opportunities would come our way. Unfortunately, we didn't take it. It's the oldest saying in football, "goals change games," and then the longer you're doing it...I just thought we made too many poor choices with the ball and that has been our biggest problem tonight."

On coming out of LA with a 2-0 loss after creating so many good chances...

"It was a good chance, but he doesn't mean to miss it. At the end of the day, when you come to a place like this, you have to take them opportunities when they arise. You can't squander opportunities. We've had a couple of good results here in the past but we've scored when them opportunities and them moments have come our way. Tonight, we didn't. We were having a good little spell when Robin [Lod] had the chance. I felt, and I said to the boys at halftime, if we don't concede anything silly by beating ourselves, we will get opportunities to go and win the game. But we made too many poor choices in their half of the field most of the evening."

On the reason for the poor choices made in the attacking half...

"I thought we did a really good job at breaking their press. We had so many, really good opportunities on the counter-attack, even in the first half. We didn't have enough cutting edge in the final third, the final ball wasn't good enough. I kept saying to the staff on the side, if we don't give anything away, we can take something from this game. But as I've just said to the players, we cannot go to teams that are going to be towards the top of the table and turn the ball over as much as we did in their half of the field when we're in very good, controlled possession. That was the biggest issue for us tonight. The first half and the second half, four or five glorious opportunities, two-on-two or three-on-two, and we picked the wrong pass. You can't do it at places like this because you know they're going to have chances because of the way they play."

On the lineup change to the front four...

"I have to say, I thought the first half, we restricted them well. I don't think Dayne [St. Clair] had anything to save that he shouldn't save, a couple of long-range efforts and I was pleased with that in the first half, where we restricted a very, very good attacking team to a few long-range efforts. Obviously, Bongi [Bongokuhle Hlongwane] and Abu [Danladi] got in a couple of times down the side, on the break and picked the wrong pass a couple of times. As I've just said to the guys, against the better teams, we can't make them mistakes in their half of the field."

On bringing in Franco Fragapane and Luis Amarilla in the second half...

"[LAFC] were on the front foot at that stage and it was still nil-nil and we were still having them little, isolated breakaways. I just thought that maybe with Robin [Lod] in there, we might get a bit more quality and get Luis [Amarilla] in the box but no. They are relentless here. They keep you on the back foot. They press. They take chances with their press because they try and steal the ball as high and as often as they can in your half of the field and they're good at it. Teams have come here all year and struggled with the press but I thought we did a good job at managing that."

On Kervin Arriaga and Joseph Rosales as the midfield duo...

"Yeah, I thought they did some really good stuff. They're both talented boys. They've both got a lot of energy. We like the pair of them. We think it's two really good players there. I thought they coped really well considering [LAFC is] a team that plays with three in the middle of the park. Their energy levels, they covered a lot of ground, made a lot of tackles, and a lot of interceptions. There was good stuff from them two."

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