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MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Battles with New York Red Bulls to a 1-1 Home Opener Draw

March 11, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- A snow-covered pitch was the backdrop for Minnesota United's 2023 Home Opener, where the Loons battled a desperate-to-score New York Red Bulls squad to a 1-1 draw in front of a sold-out crowd at Allianz Field on Saturday night.

The New York Red Bulls started the match off quickly, seeing consistent possession in the Loons' defending third. But Minnesota fought back, earning a corner kick after a Red Bulls defender slipped in their own goalkeeper's box, thus losing the ball. MNUFC midfielder Franco Fragapane took the corner kick in the 18th minute, sending the ball into the box where defender Miguel Tapias made an attempt at goal with a header that was saved; but the rebound landed in front of forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane and he took the opportunity, scoring the goal and giving the Loons an early 1-0 lead.

Shortly after the start of the second half, the Red Bulls won a corner kick in the 49th minute. Capitalizing off the delivery into the box, New York defender Andres Reyes' header found the back of the net by the far post, equalizing the game at 1-1. The latter part of the match saw increased scoring opportunities on both ends, including a 90+3rd minute shot by midfielder Robin Lod just feet away from goal, only to be saved by RBNY goalkeeper Carlos Coronel. In total, both teams were in the double digits in shots taken: New York Red Bulls had 15 while Minnesota shot 11.

Notably, Robin Lod made his 100th-career game appearance with MNUFC across all competitions. The Finnish international now has 91 combined regular-season and MLS Cup Playoffs appearances since joining the Loons in July of 2019.

With the draw, Minnesota United holds a 1-0-1 (W-L-D) record and four points in 2023 regular-season action.

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Kemar Lawrence, Miguel Tapias, Michael Boxall, Zarek Valentin; M Kervin Arriaga, Wil Trapp (c), Franco Fragapane, Robin Lod, Bongokuhle Hlongwane; F Mender Garcia

Bench: GK Clint Irwin; D DJ Taylor; M Joseph Rosales, Hassani Dotson; F Luis Amarilla, Patrick Weah, Cameron Dunbar, Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi

New York Red Bulls XI: GK Carlos Coronel; D Andres Reyes, Kyle Duncan, Sean Nealis, John Tolkin; M Frankie Amaya, Lewis Morgan, Cristian Casseres Jr., Daniel Edelman; F Cory Burke, Luquinhas

Bench: GK Ryan Meara; D Dylan Nealis, Hassan Ndam; M Omir Fernandez, Peter Stroud; F Tom Barlow, Elias Manoel, Dante Vanzeir

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ COLORADO RAPIDS

Dick's Sporting Goods Park | Commerce City, Colorado

03.18.2023 | MLS 2023 Regular Season | Matchday 4

8:30 pm CT (MLS Season Pass; MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On the draw with the New York Red Bulls...

"We had a lot of momentum when we've gotten most of the snow sort of dispersed. We started to get two or three passes in there off of the field, which we couldn't do in the first half. I thought they played the conditions the first 10-15 minutes better than we did. We were still trying to play and it wasn't on to play; instead of getting it forward and turning people around. Because it was going to be, and I said this to the players at half time, I felt as though the game was going to be won or lost by the team that made the least mistakes in their own half."

On the Bongokuhle Hlongwane goal on the first corner of the season...

"It was a good ball. We had been talking for a couple of days that the near post area, that was a little vulnerable. It was a good ball in and obviously Micky [Miguel Tapias] got on it. It was a good goal. At the end of the day the team had some good set pieces."

On the field conditions...

"I was disappointed that there was so much snow on the field."

On the set piece between Franco Fragapane and Miguel Tapias...

"Well, we thought that the near post hole, that six-yard little hole for them, was a bit vulnerable and we tried to work on that and maybe get a look at a second ball. It worked today. It looked dangerous most of the afternoon, actually."

On defending set pieces...

"I thought it was a poor goal from us. A poor goal to concede. What is he [Andres Reyes] six-foot-two, six-foot-three? One of the biggest guys on the field and he gets a free header in the six-yard box. We'll have another look at it and see where we were and see who wasn't blocked or who didn't attack the ball in their zone. Obviously, it's disappointing to concede from a set piece. We normally defend set pieces pretty good."

On defender Miguel Tapias' performance...

"I thought he and Boxy [Michael Boxall] defended well because they had to. They get the ball forward very early. They've got good pace up there with Burke [Cory Burke] and then after Manoel [Elias Manoel] comes on and he's a handful as well. Micky [Miguel Tapias] is going to be fine in this league. Trust me."

On what he felt worked during the last 15-20 minutes of the match...

"Well I thought we started to get a few more passes down. Before that with the conditions of the field, it was a case of playing forward, turning them [New York Red Bulls] around. As I said, I thought it was going to be mistakes in your own final third that were going to determine the game. Whereas the conditions got better and there was less snow on the field we suddenly then started to get a little bit more possession in their half of the field. Started to get some crosses in. Hassani [Hassani Dotson] come on, I thought he did excellent. I thought Kervy [Kervin Arriaga] was outstanding all evening. I thought there was a lot of positives tonight. Before the season started would we have settled for 4 points? Probably. Away from home on the opening day at Dallas [FC Dallas] so it's been a good start."

On midfielder Kervin Arriagas' start of the season...

"I think he's fit and healthy. He started like this last year and then he had that high ankle sprain and he never really got over it. He was missing three or four days a week, but getting through the game at the week's end. So it looks like he's back to his old self again and when he's like that and he's running around the field the way he does. Anything in the air, he wins in the midfield and he's got good feet, he's a good passer of the ball, he can close the ball down well. So he's had a good start.

On getting midfielder Robin Lod more involved in the offense...

"I thought last week it wasn't great, I thought this week, obviously the conditions were difficult for both teams. They used the weather conditions and the snow better in the first half than we did. We suddenly got a foothold after 15 to 20 minutes. It was difficult, you have to play long, you have to play straight, anybody who had to play too intricate with the ball, invariably it got turned over. For sure, we are always at our best when Robin [Lod] is at his best."

On Lewis Morgan's impact against the Loons defense...

"He's a good player. Then you've got [Cory] Burke up there as well. Six-foot-three, six-foot-four, he wins his fair share of headers. Lewis [Morgan] is smart and he's always on the second ball. Yeah, he's a good player."

On if he liked the way the team started the second half...

"No. Kickoff was poor again. The first two chances they [New York] had in the first couple of minutes in the second half started from our poor kickoff and poor decision making."

On what needs to change following kickoffs...

"I've never been one of them who wants to draw every single play up. You want people to express themselves. But if we're going to play long and we're going to play early, we've got to put the ball in the right area and get people in the right area. And I don't think we're doing that well enough."

On midfielder Wil Trapp's rib injury and how it affected him playing tonight...

"I think the pain level for him, as time's gone on, it's gotten a little bit less. We felt it was okay for him to go."

FORWARD BONGOKUHLE HLONGWANE

On his set piece goal...

"I've been working on it. Ian [Assistant Coach Ian Fuller] puts me there every time, each and every game. Sometimes we usually fight in the corners. So today after I scored, at half time he came to me and said 'This is where I want you. You got your first goal in that position.'"

On the celebration..

"I did it because a lot of people here like it. So the other time I went and watched the second team [MNUFC2] last year, so I met these two small boys, so they saw me. So they told me that they did it and took a picture and I posted it on my Whatsapp. Then they were happy and so that's why I did it."

On a name for the celebration..

"No, I don't have a name. I just do it because I like it."

On both goals coming from the rebound, and being ready for rebound...

"Yeah we have to be ready, because that's where we score. It's where we score the goals. If the ball is around the posts and for us as forwards, we have to be out on the box. So we have to ready for rebounds, cutbacks, and everything."

On if he has played in weather conditions like this...

"No, it's my first time. I wasn't happy, but I played. It's my job, so I have to respect it whenever I have to."

On if he felt prepared playing in the snowy conditions...

"I thought I was up until I saw the field. Because D.J. [Taylor] had been telling me 'It's going to snow,' even Fraga [Franco Fragapane] said that to me 'Did you check the weather?' and I was like 'No, I didn't.' It had been snowing so I was like 'Oh, okay.' Then I came and I was like 'No,' but we did it."

On what it means to score a goal so soon in the year...

"It means a lot to me because I feel happy because I was able to score in front of the Loons fans, on our first game of the season at home. So yeah, I feel happy."

On how he feels about the result...

"I feel like, with the result, I'm not happy, but we gave it [our] all. Even the coach [Adrian Heath] told us we can't control the result, but the only thing we can control is to go there and fight. That's what we did, but with the result, no, we're not happy, but still I'll take the point."

On if playing became easier in the second half with less snow...

"Yeah, we tried to play because the first half we couldn't play. It was like 'Which one? Which one is?'"

On an aspect of performance the team can improve upon...

"Yeah, I think if we try to keep the ball more, but the field didn't allow us to keep the ball. Hopefully on our next game, we're going to be able to keep the ball like we did in Dallas [where] we played well. Hopefully."

HEAD COACH GERHARD STRUBER

Opening statement...

"I speak now with my boys, and I think that in the end, 55 percent of points expected a win from our side. I think 2.25 expected goals against 1.14 tell us more than a thousand words. In the end, we didn't use our best chances today, and this will make our situation a little bit easier in this game. In the end, one time not super sexy in a set piece moment. We lost the focus in this moment, and then the boys showed me a mentality and this is what I like today, and also what I expect to change this result in a positive way. In the end, I am happy with the mentality, with the power to change that, but also we can see today that Minnesota is a very good team with a very good quality and in some moments was not easy. I think especially our mentality in any defending moment to block something and give them no chance for another goal shows me again how our structure, our defensive structure, our behavior, is working at the moment on a very high level. But of course, we have enough chances to win here but we didn't use our best chances, and it's the situation that we don't deserve in the end to win."

On how his team handled the weather and field conditions....

"Super, especially the first 20 minutes. I think this was exactly the picture of what we want with exactly the moment to play through, back, through. These were moments where we played very simple but very quick behind the last line. From my understanding, from [the] MLS league, on this level we have circumstances like that [with the amount of snow] I absolutely have no understanding. This is like the under-18 team, and the moment where I was so surprised when I got outside and I cannot see any green. Whatever the reason for that, this is very unprofessional, and I have a completely different expectation [on] how we should play in this league, on this level. I think, sorry for this, I absolutely have no regrets, but my boys made it great, especially the first 20-25 minutes. We have three very good moments in how we handled the barrier with the snow. In the end, what I say it's a little bit [of] a disappointing feeling when you have so many top chances and you have only one point in the end."

On if the game should've been postponed...

"No, absolutely not, only that everyone here has the responsibility to keep the snow away. This was not the half meter or meter and this was only that, and this would be possible to keep the snow away. When I look to Austria, I am an Austrian man, and we know how we handle snow, and we sometimes have much more snow, and we can handle that. I absolutely have no understanding that we played today in these circumstances in an MLS professional game. I think both teams don't deserve that, and this was not a big promotion for the league."

On the set-piece goal...

"Yes, I think we trained this sort of thing two times in the week exactly how is our target. I think the service was great in this moment, and it blocked also Andres [Reyes] free this moment. This was, in the end, what we trained. We do it in the game, but we also have a clear understanding in how we defend our set pieces, and at this moment, we were not on the same page and we struggled. Also, how we create for Minnesota the corner kick and this was also a little bit slapstick and was not necessary, but this was depending on the special condition of the field today."

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