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 Minnesota United FC

Minnesota Lose 4-3 at Colorado

August 7, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Minnesota United saw a milestone moment on the pitch Saturday night, scoring its 300th goal in the MLS era and it went as quickly as it came. The Loons gave up three goals in the first half, and an eventual hat trick to Gyasi Zardes, for a 4-3 loss in Colorado.

Minnesota opened the scoring Saturday night when forward Abu Danladi netted MNUFC's 300th all-time goal across all competitions in the fourth minute. The goal was Danladi's second against Colorado this season, the first coming at Allianz Field on May 22. But three minutes later, Rapids forward Gyasi Zardes evened the match, finishing off a shot that bounced out of goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair's hands. Colorado then doubled their score in the 11th minute when forward Diego Rubio connected on a corner, heading the ball into the net. Zardes scored his second of the night in the 15th minute to give the Rapids the 3-1. In the 43rd minute, Loons defender Alan Benitez connected with forward Luis Amarilla, who scored from a tight angle on the right side of the net to cut the deficit to 3-2 at halftime. Following a weather delay that lasted 90 minutes, the game resumed. In the 61st minute, Zardes again scored off a rebound, extending the home side's lead to 4-2. Loons defender Brent Kallman brought Minnesota within one when he scored in the 81st minute, assisted by midfielder Joseph Rosales. MNUFC pressed in the final minutes of the match, but could not find the equalizer, falling to Colorado 4-3.

Notably, Benitez's assist was his first in Major League Soccer action. Additionally, with goals from Danladi and Amarilla, MNUFC has now scored in 10-straight MLS matches dating back to the New England Revolution contest (June 19).

Minnesota United next travels to the country music capital to face the Nashville SC on Sunday, August 14 at GEODIS Park. Kick for Sunday's contest is set for 7:00 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on FS1 and FOX Deportes, with radio broadcast on 1500 ESPN.

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Forward Luis Amarilla

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Kemar Lawrence, Bakaye Dibassy (c), Brent Kallman, Alan Benitez; M Franco Fragapane, Joseph Rosales, Nabilai Kibunguchy, Bongokuhle Hlongwane; F Abu Danladi, Luis Amarilla

Bench: GK Tyler Miller, Eric Dick; D Callum Montgomery, Oniel Fisher, DJ Taylor; M Niko Hansen, Justin McMaster

Colorado Rapids XI: GK William Yarbrough; D Keegan Rosen berry, Danny Wilson, Sam Nicholson, Gustavo Vallecilla, Lucas Esteves; M Jack Price (c), Bryan Acosta; F Diego Rubio, Michael Barrios, Gyasi Zardes

Bench: GK Clint Irwin; D Lalas Abubakar, Steven Beitashour; M Max, Felipe Gutierrez, Collen Warner; F JOnathan Lewis, Dantouma Toure, Darren Yapi

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ NASHVILLE SC

GEODIS Park | Nashville, Tennessee

08.14.2022 | MLS 2022 Regular Season | Week 25

8:00 pm CT (FS1/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On the four goals conceded sharing anything in common...

"Very, very poor goals to concede. Dayne [St. Clair] has had a lot of really good publicity, but he's had a bad night tonight. There's no getting away from that. I thought all four goals were our fault. So, that's eight goals in two games. Back four didn't defend well all evening. Kept coming. Not enough going tonight."

On the defensive side giving up four goals in back-to-back matches...

"Individually, not being good enough all across the back. Collectively, not being good enough... poor shape. I don't know where it's come from, but we've got the front four at the moment, I think, doing really well. I think we can score when we go forward. Unfortunately at the moment, the one thing that's been very stable for us over the last few years is not in particularly good form at this moment in time."

On the formation change and what didn't work from it...

"What didn't work out was I don't know if there was enough play with the ball at times. We score a goal, which should be a real bonus on the road, early goal from a set piece and then we gift them three goals. Then the whole momentum of the game changes. We saw it... that's how it plays last week against Portland. It's very, very fine margins and little instances can change the whole context and course of a game and that's what happened this evening. All four goals were down to the fact of our poor defending and they were all down toward... we're responsible. Dayne's [St. Clair] made a couple of big saves in the second half, but the four goals that we've conceded are all down to us. Not the opposition. Free header from three yards out, Dayne expels the first one. Don't get out to the ball. No, it's not been a good defensive performance for sure and we'll have a look at it and then we'll decided what we need to do for next week."

On a couple mishandles from Dayne St. Clair and possibly giving a look to Tyler Miller...

"This is not the time to speak about that. Obviously Dayne [St. Claire] is a serious guy. He knows when he's done well. He knows when he's done not so well and tonight's one of them he wishes he could start again. He wasn't on his own though. When I look at... free header from three yards out from a long throw, everybody is marked up and then suddenly there is two of them free. It's just lack of concentration and people not doing the job that's been assigned to them."

On the weather delay costing the team any momentum...

"No, not at all. Same for both teams."

On the attack scoring goals when Emanuel Reynoso doesn't play...

"We've scored I don't know how many goals the last few weeks, but when I look at it... the performance down in Houston, the four goals last week, the goals this evening. We've looked like we're going to score when we go forward. I thought Bongi [Bongokuhle Hlongwane] has the chance to make it four-all, but I thought he was outstanding again, the kid. As I say, as an attacking threat at this moment in time we look as though we've got goals in us. Unfortunately, knowing with that is the fact that we are leaking goals at the moment and that's something that we have to address and address it fast."

On missing five starters for the game...

"That's nothing to do with the goals we've conceded tonight. There were individual errors that [came] from, maybe players or people who would have been playing anyway, so no. Obviously would we have loved to have come in here with five starters? For sure. But that's not the reason we've conceded four goals this evening, the fact that they weren't here."

On the performances of Joseph Rosales and Nabilai Kibunguchy in midfield...

"Okay, okay. Just okay. I think there were a lot of careless balls in the first half, but in the second half they kept going. Joseph [Rosales] got better, I felt, as the game wore on. It's one of them, I'll have to have another look at it and see where I really thought of everybody's performance because when you get caught up in it, when you're watching it live, you've got so many things going on through your head and you're looking at so many different things. It's generally after the day when you get home and you have a chance to, in the cold light of day, reflect on what the game's been and you see a lot of things that you probably haven't noticed this evening."

On Alan Benitez getting forward and Kemar Lawerence not getting forward...

"The way that [Colorado] play, they play a little bit lopsided and Barrios' [Michael Barrios] strength is running forward, so he doesn't particularly like to do the other side of the game and he stays out there. In the first half he caused us problems and when that happens sometimes you can't afford for your fullback just to be going forward when it's not absolutely necessary. That was maybe one. Alan [Benitez] had a bit more room. I thought he used the ball going forward well."

On any updates for arrivals by Mender Garcia and Jonathan Gonzalez...

"Jonathan's [Gonzalez] in town. He trained a little bit this morning. Had half his medical done. He will finish that off tomorrow. And, as I say, it's day-to-day for Mender [Garcia]. We were hoping the back end of this week, so I'm hoping that early next week he will be in market."


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