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MLS Minnesota United FC

Match Preview | MNUFC vs. Chicago Fire

March 16, 2018 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- Riding high after its first win (and road win) of the 2018 season - a 2-1 victory over Orlando City SC - Minnesota United returns to the Twin Cities this week for its home opener against Chicago Fire. Although the team will have to find a way to compensate for the loss of midfielder Kevin Molino to a left ACL tear that is expected to keep him out for the rest of the season, the Loons will be hoping their strong showing on both sides of the ball against the Lions will help them build momentum heading into a matchup against a Chicago team they beat for their first road win last year. For their part, the Fire came back from 2-0 against Sporting Kansas City last week to lead 3-2 in the 82nd minute, only to fall 4-3 after giving up two late goals. The match kicks off at TCF Bank Stadium at 1:00 p.m. CT, with pre-match coverage beginning on FOX Sports North and MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN at 12:30 p.m.

While it might have been midfielder Ethan Finlay's two-goal performance that (quite rightly) got top-billing after he put Minnesota ahead for good in the 79th minute, the team's defensive performance might have been even more impressive, as the field players turned away 10 shots on the night.

"A lot of things that we've been working on were pretty evident on the game," said Head Coach Adrian Heath. "I thought the back four and the two central midfielders defended the box really, really well. Didn't really have a lot of great chances apart from maybe the corner that Ibson cleared off the line. A couple of things that Matt [Lampson] should have saved, which he did. But apart from that, there wasn't too many real, clear-cut chances. And we always looked dangerous on the night. I thought that every time we broke on the counterattack in that little transition period, I thought we were very good."

"When everyone is tuned in and when everyone is committed and throwing themselves in front of shots, then we're a tough team to break down," added defender Michael Boxall. "The challenge is up to us to bring that every week."

With Molino out for the year, that challenge only gets tougher. The 27-year-old was looking good before he went down, scoring a pair of goals in the Loons' season opener against San Jose and adding an assist on Finlay's first goal before leaving the match early in the second half. Heath has often said his expectation for Molino was double digits in both goals and assists, and now the team will have to figure out a way to compensate, so expect changes in the starting XI this week. With forward Abu Danladi still out with a left hamstring issue and midfielder Sam Nicholson questionable with the same, Heath will have some decisions to make.

"The lads are bitterly disappointed for [Molino]," said Heath. "You know, it's an occupational hazard, if you like, for players. The way that the game is now and the speed that it's played, it can happen to anybody at any time. The unfortunate thing is that he came back from one of these a couple of years ago. Normally you have one, you don't normally get two. But I witnessed what he did in Orlando for the nine, 10 months he was out. His dedication to getting fit was incredible. So I have no doubt that he'll be exactly the same. Once the disappointment has worn off, he will get himself in that mode."

Chicago Fire will bring starpower in midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and scoring prowess in Nemanja Nikoli?, who captured MLS' Golden Boot last year with 24 regular-season goals. But as demonstrated in the shootout that the team's first match became last week, there will be opportunities for MNUFC if they can find the seams.

"They've got enough quality," said Heath of the Fire. "Good players in midfield. Nemanja Nikoli?, looks like he's a goal threat, always got good movement in the box. So it's not going to be easy - it never is in the MLS these days. We go in the game full of confidence, and I want us to make sure that we play on the front foot and try and get them on the back foot. And get the crowd into the game, and start with a win."

Last year, Minnesota United had to wait until its fifth match of the season for its first win and all the way until August for its first road win, but now the team comes into TCF Bank Stadium for its third match with more points than it accrued in four matches in 2017. After two matches last season, the Loons' goal differential was a staggering -9 but in 2018, it stands at zero after losing by one and winning by one. In all, it's been a much stronger start to the season, a trend the team hopes to continue on St. Patrick's Day - and the players probably won't mind if the home opener isn't in the middle of a blizzard.

"I think when I came here, I saw all the pictures and I struggled to understand how a game of football can happen with that much snow going on," said Boxall, who joined the team in mid-July. "Happy to hear that we're going to be able to see the green on the field this weekend. I'm excited, very excited to get back in front of the fans. They were absolutely fantastic when I was here last year, so I can't wait to play in front of them again."

The Loons hit the road next week to face New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. That match will kick off at 6:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 24, with pre-match coverage beginning at 5:30 p.m. on FOX Sports GO and MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN.

INJURY REPORT

Minnesota United

OUT:

M - Sam Cronin (head)

M - Kevin Molino (torn left ACL - out for season)

F - Abu Danladi (left hamstring strain)

Chicago Fire

OUT:

M - Djordje Mihailovic (right ACL surgery 11/2/17, out 6-8 months)

F - Michael de Leeuw (left ACL surgery 11/9/17, out 6-8 months)

D - Jonathan Campbell (facial fracture 2/21, out 6 weeks)

D - Grant Lillard (knee injury)

QUESTIONABLE:

M - Daniel Johnson (right ankle injury)

D - Rafael Ramos (right thigh injury)

GK - Richard Sanchez (left elbow injury)

F - Luis Solignac (left hip injury)

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

-none-

FIRST TOUCHES

MNUFC Sporting Director Manny Lagos and Director of Player Personnel Amos Magee both played for Chicago Fire during their careers. Lagos was taken by the Fire in the 1997 MLS Expansion Draft, while Magee was loaned to the club from the Minnesota Thunder.

Matt Lampson played for Chicago Fire in 2016 and 2017, starting a career-high 24 of 24 matches, earning eight shutouts, 58 saves and a record of 12 victories, seven defeats and five draws in 2017.

Ethan Finlay played for Chicago Fire Premier during the 2010 PDL season.

Tony Tchani and Finlay shared the pitch many times for Columbus Crew SC, where they were teammates from 2012 to 2017.

Patrick McLain was on MNUFC during the 2017 season.

MNUFC earned its first win of the 2018 MLS season with a 2-1 result at Orlando City SC. The win snapped a three-match losing streak for MNUFC, dating back to October 15, 2017.

With his brace at Orlando, Finlay was named to the MLS Team of the Week for Week 2. This is Finlay's first time in the Team of the Week since joining MNUFC in August 2017.

Finlay has scored on two of the three shots he has taken this season.

Six MNUFC players - Miguel Ibarra, Kevin Molino, Christian Ramirez, Rasmus Schuller, Jerome Thiesson and Mason Toye - have one assist so far this season.

Toye made his professional debut at Orlando, coming on as a substitute for Ramirez in the 72nd minute. It took just seven minutes for him to get on the scoresheet, as he was credited with an assist on Finlay's match-winning goal.

Toye set two age-related records for MNUFC last match. At 19 years and 145 days old, he became the youngest MNUFC player to play in a match and the youngest to record an assist. Both records were previously held by Abu Danladi.

Minnesota has scored two goals in each of its past three matches.

Lampson became the youngest goalkeeper to record a win for MNUFC since joining MLS at 28 years old and 185 days (against Orlando).

Lampson's eight saves this year have him tied for the fourth-best total in the league. He sits four behind MLS leader Tyler Miller of LAFC.

MNUFC is tied for the fourth-most goals in MLS through Week 2.

Marc Burch (1A), Sam Cronin (1A), Danladi (2G), Finlay (3G/5A), Molino (1A) and Thiesson (1A) all have career points against the Fire. Finlay got two of those assists in Minnesota's last meeting with Chicago.

Two of Minnesota's goalkeepers have successful records against Chicago. Bobby Shuttleworth is 6-4-1, with four clean sheets. Lampson recorded a clean sheet victory during his time with Columbus Crew SC.

Nemanja Nikoli? was named to the 2017 MLS Best XI.

CF Bank Stadium | Minneapolis, Minnesota

3.17.18 | MLS Week #3 | MLS Game #3

1:00 p.m. CT (FOX Sports North, MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN)

2018 Records:

MIN: 1-1-0; 0-0-0 at home

CHI: 0-1-0; 0-0-0 on the road

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