Minnesota United Falls, 4-2, at Home to San Diego FC

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MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Falls, 4-2, at Home to San Diego FC

June 14, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota United fell 4-2 at home against San Diego FC in a back-and-forth battle on Saturday night. Despite early goals from Kelvin Yeboah and an own goal by San Diego, the Loons were unable to hold the lead as San Diego responded with a pair of second-half finishes to claim all three points. Minnesota will look to bounce back when they return to Allianz Field on Tuesday, June 25, to host Houston Dynamo FC.

5' - San Diego FC had their first scoring opportunity through Alex Mighten. Anders Dreyer, positioned in the center of the field, played a long through ball to Mighten. Receiving the pass in the attacking third, Mighten took a shot from outside the 18-yard box, but Wessel Speel made the save, and Jefferson Diaz cleared the ball out of the penalty area.

8' (1-0) - MNUFC opened the scoring in the 8th minute. San Diego FC held possession when Christopher McVey attempted to play the ball back to CJ Dos Santos in goal, but the pass slipped past Dos Santos' foot and into the back of the net.

11' (1-1) - San Diego FC doubled the lead shortly after. Jeppe Tverskov played the ball to Dreyer in the middle third, where Dreyer took two touches before firing a long-range shot. He caught Wessel Speel off his line and scored from distance.

18' - Minnesota midfielder Joaquín Pereyra gained possession in the middle third and sent a through ball to Kelvin Yeboah on the left flank. Yeboah continued his run into the penalty area and, after taking a touch inside the box, fired a right-footed shot that ended up in Dos Santos' hands.

26' - San Diego's Anders Dreyer sent a long pass to Luca Bombino on the right side. Bombino settled the ball and attempted a shot, but Speel made a foot save, allowing Michael Boxall to apply pressure and eventually win a goal kick for MNUFC.

31' - Anthony Markanich took a one-touch shot inside the penalty area after Julian Gressel sent a long ball into the air that was redirected to him with a header by Nicolás Romero. Markanich's shot went wide of the right post.

38' (2-1) - Yeboah gave the Loons the lead after tapping in a rebound from a long-range shot by Joaquín Pereyra. Bongokuhle Hlongwane gained possession on the right flank in the attacking third and played a short pass to Pereyra, who took two touches before firing a long shot. After Dos Santos blocked the initial attempt, Yeboah reacted quickly to slot the rebound into the back of the net.

45' - Dreyer took a set piece on the right side of the 18-yard box. Speel was then able to redirect the ball but found its way to Tverskov on the left flank and found Onni Valakari unmarked inside the box but Romero was able to redirect the ball going out for a corner.

65' (2-2) - A handball was committed by Markanich inside the 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick. Dreyer stepped up to take the shot and placed it in the bottom left corner, sneaking it past Speel and into the back of the net.

75' (2-3) - Milan Iloski found the back of the net against Minnesota. Alejandro Alvarado made a run into the attacking third and connected with Dreyer on the right flank. Dreyer then sent a lofted ball into the box, where Iloski, positioned near the top of the six-yard box, redirected it with a header into the goal.

90' + 2' (2-4) - Off a counterattack, Iloski carried the ball from his defensive third all the way into the attacking third. Finding himself one-on-one with Speel, he took a shot from just outside the 18-yard box, finding the back of the net.

GOAL SUMMARY

1-0 MIN - Christopher McVey (own goal) - 8'

1-1 SDFC - Anders Dreyer (Ian Pilcher) - 11'

2-1 MIN - Kelvin Yeboah - 38'

2-2 SDFC - Anders Dreyer (penalty kick) - 65'

2-3 SDFC - Milan Iloski (Anders Dreyer) - 75'

2-4 SDFC - Milan Iloski (Jeppe Tverskov) 90'+2'

NOTABLE STATS

1 - Tonight marked the first MLS regular-season start for goalkeeper Wessel Speel.

1 - Tonight marked the first MLS match appearance for forward Darius Randell with Minnesota United, when he came on in the 89th minute as a substitute.

ATTENDANCE: 19,661

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Kelvin Yeboah

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Wessel Speel; D Anthony Markanich, Nicolás Romero, Jefferson Diaz, Michael Boxall ©, Julian Gressel (Darius Randell 89'); M Joaquín Pereyra, Owen Gene (Sang Bin Jeong 80'), Wil Trapp (Hoyeon Jung 89'), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Robin Lod 71'); F Kelvin Yeboah

Substitutes Not Used: GK Alex Smir; D Devin Padelford, DJ Taylor, Morris Duggan; M F Loïc Mesanvi

San Diego FC XI: GK CJ dos Santos; D Luca Bombino, Ian Pilcher, Christopher McVey, Oscar Verhoeven; M Jeppe Tverskov ©, Alejandro Alvarado, Marcus Ingvartsen (Milan Iloski 46'); F Alex Mighten (Emmanuel Boateng 67'), Onni Valakari, Anders Dreyer (Jasper Löffelsend 90'+6')

Substitutes not used: GK Pablo Sisniega, Jacob Jackson; D Franco Negri; M Heine Bruseth, Manu Duah; F Tomás Ángel

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC vs. HOUSTON DYNAMO FC

Allianz Field | Saint Paul, Minnesota

06.25.2025 | MLS 2025 Regular Season | Match 19

7:30 p.m. CT (MLS Season Pass/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ERIC RAMSAY

"I just wanted to start by publicly saying on behalf of our staff and the team how much we feel what's happened today [regarding he murder of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and the violent attack on Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette], and I think it wouldn't be right for me to stand up here and not acknowledge that here. It puts into perspective what's just happened for 90 minutes there, and our hearts are certainly going out to everyone involved there. I know the players each, to a man, would echo that. I wanted to make that clear from our perspective that that has been felt today."

On how he saw the game...

"It is in keeping with perhaps what you'd expect of that first game in June, when the internationals have gone away and there are two teams that are out of their rhythm. Us and certainly as well as them [San Diego FC] in the sense that you felt in the opening stages - and really well evidenced by the opening couple of goals - that there was some lack of connection between players on the team. There were players that were out of their rhythm, and I felt at halftime that we could well have capitalized on that, and I did feel at halftime that we had control of the game in our way of having control of the game. I felt like we had a really good chance in the second half of coming out and winning it. Obviously, that's not been the case, and the goals are really disappointing, the ones we've conceded, because I feel like in general play, we haven't given an awful lot away. Of course, we're going to look back at an element of individual error. But also the team, as a whole, will be really disappointed with how we've conceded those goals. Elements of the performance were really pleasing, and I think we did what we typically do out of possession. We were very tight, very disciplined, very hard to break down, and we showed some real quality on the ball, not least in the build-up to the second goal of ours, and that was backed up by a couple of other moments. So I felt like there was certainly enough for us to grab onto and take forward. But I think the chaotic manner of it was disappointing for us, and the fact that we've lost it certainly in the way in which we lost it toward the end, it was a tough one to swallow."

On the learning moments for Wessel Speel...

"This was always going to be a baptism of fire, and I think we've prepared Wessel as well as we possibly could have done from the perspective of softly integrated through the Second Team games and [U.S. Open] Cup games, and he had some good moments today, no question. He showed what he can be at his best. But of course, I don't think anyone would say that he was without fault, and I'm sure he'll be really disappointed in a couple of the moments. But, I think that's symptomatic of a goalkeeper being on this stage for the first time and playing against a good team that certainly hurts in a number of ways. So, it'll be one for him to really reflect on and get some support around from the staff. Fingers crossed he really learns from it because, as I said to you guys in the build-up to this, he's got some attributes for sure, and he's someone that we really want to look after and help nurture. Tonight is just a step toward that."

On how he views the team specifically in June...

"We're able to lose games. It hasn't happened often this year, but the world certainly won't be caving in because we've lost a game, and we've lost a game to a good team. We've lost a game to a team that's at the top of the table for a reason. So I'm certainly not going to 360 [degree] the way in which I view this season, or the way in which I view the group. I think we're in a really good place. I will look at it, of course, in a very balanced way, and I'll take forward what I've felt we did well, and I'll certainly take the seeds of what I think is an evolving picture with certain phases of our game. You've seen us do some things tonight that we haven't done well enough over the course of the first 17 games, so I will look at it as always in a very constructive way, and I'll certainly make sure the group stays level, and that was the closing message to them today. We go into five days off, really disappointed, and we will, as we do, as good professionals, really reflect and pick apart the details. But ultimately, we've had a really good first half of the year, and I know that there's a really good base for us to build on."

On if there are any similarities between the last two conceded goals...

"No. The very last goal comes as a consequence of us trying to force something on the top of the box and then not managing the transition well enough, not being ruthless enough in making contact in the opposition's half. I would say disappointed with how we closed that game out because I felt like where there was an extra pass to play, we didn't play the extra pass. We forced the ball into the middle far too often and didn't get the clean cut chances that we needed to finish the game. That was really disappointing. For sure, the third goal where [Anders] Dreyer cuts in onto his left foot it's a disappointing one for us to concede because if you watch San Diego over the course of 17 games, you know full well that's a chance they're inevitably going to create through the quality of player that he is. We've not defended that moment well enough in any way. So this is where I pick up on the point around being really disappointed with the nature of the goals because I think each of them are certainly not predictable in the case of the first two, but each of them in their own way, very avoidable which is of course disappointing because it's not normal of us to find ourselves in this position."

On what went wrong with defending San Diego's runs...

"I felt like in the first half, we did make some errors as to when we jumped at the back line and the decision making, particularly of the three center backs. They're placed in a position more often than not, where they have to make really good quality decisions as to when to step out, when to not, when to protect the space in behind, and there were a couple of moments where we suffered. In that sense, it's to be expected with the nature of the players that they've got they play in the middle of the pitch they're very good off one touch, very good off very little back lift in playing the ball over the top and it was something we talked about at halftime and I didn't think it repeated itself in the second half in exactly the same way. But certainly the third goal would be one that we'd look at as entirely avoidable and not very us in that sense. I think typically we defend the box really well with real discipline, and we've missed a runner, we've not dropped quick enough, and I know Jeff [Jefferson Diaz], Boxy [Michael Boxall] will be very disappointed for that one.

On there being a lack of communication in the backline and debut goalkeeper Wessel Speel...

"Quite possibly. That would have to come from the players as to how they felt there, but to sort of speak to the difficulty of that situation for Wessel [Speel] going into a game where, again, the nature of playing against San Diego, one of the top teams in the league, we are going to have to suffer a little bit. We're going to be under pressure, and I think that relationship was really magnified today. And obviously, if Dayne [St. Clair] is there and he's in the rhythm of playing with that backline over the course of a load of games up until this point, of course, it's going to be cleaner. And I think it would have been, quite frankly, miraculous had we come through that completely unscathed. Unfortunately, tonight it was magnified to the point where it became damaging for us. But, as I say, we will look at it really constructively, and I know full well that Wessel has the ingredients to be a really good goalkeeper, and we'll certainly support him around that."

On feeling frustrated for missing key opportunities when opponents have players missing...

"I think this one is different from the Vancouver one [game] in the sense that it's fairly even in terms of us also missing a number of players. I don't think it's quite as stark as the Vancouver game. And again, I'll reiterate, we're playing against a really good team. We cannot expect to be as comfortable as we've been over the course of the 17 games and feel like we're untouchable. We are going to lose games, and when we do, we've got to respond in the right way. I feel like, generally, we handle these situations really well. We're very level and balanced, and the players are the same. But of course, we are very disappointed with these two home games, because we wanted to make a big statement about how we could approach the second half of the year and what the realistic expectations are against both Vancouver and those guys [San Diego FC] today. We haven't been able to do so. But, having said that, we've done that away from home so far, which is obviously really pleasing. And that's why, if you take these 18 games as a whole, going into what feels like a bit of a midseason split now, we're really happy. So I'm not going to let this result let anyone's world cave in in any way."

On individual performances that stood out...

"I think there were shades up until the 70th minute of some real positives from most players. And I think the decision to take Bongi [Bongokuhle Hlongwane] off at that point for Rob [Robin Lod] wasn't an easy one, in the sense that everyone had a reasonable amount of momentum at that point. Everyone had a couple of good moments in transition, and I think we looked particularly dangerous at that point. So up until that point, I'd say everyone earned a reasonable amount of credit. You look at someone like Owen [Gene] as an example, I thought he was really strong, particularly in that stage of the game. He's really grown over the last three [matches] and is someone I look at for the second half of the season as being a big contributor. We were really pleased with him in that sense. I think for sure Kelvin [Yeboah] will be very satisfied with getting himself on the scoresheet, and I think physically, he took a step forward tonight, which is really pleasing. So those two, would be probably first of in terms of tangible step forward in some sense. As much as we're frustrated and disappointed with the nature of the game, I think when we look back at it, there will be stuff that we can really latch onto across all players and we'll certainly do that."

On how to keep Wessel Speel moving forward positively from this experience...

"We handle it in the way that you handle these situations with young players in general. You deal with it really constructively, and I think he [Wessel Speel] knows the level of confidence that the staff have in him. It's very obvious the raw ingredients that he has as a goalkeeper that can stand him in a good stead as he moves forward, and we have to hold the mirror up for sure because that's the nature of coaching, but you also have to really support the player in that sense. I think we've got a really good staff there and they will strike that balance between real challenge and real support for him as we move forward. And it's also a good environment when it comes to the other goalkeepers that are in that group, and I think that's also a really important thing. So it will be, being constructive, taking the positives, and moving on as we do with every player who finds himself in that situation, but with the team in general, too."

GOALKEEPER WESSEL SPEEL

On the game as a whole...

"First off, very happy with the debut. I think the result was very unfortunate. We had many chances where we could've put the game over the line. Especially if I'm a bit more lucky with the penalty, I think we're in a really good spot. At half time, it seemed like we were under control. I think we just conceded some unnecessary goals today and tough one. A really tough one."

On what happened from his perspective during San Diego FC's penalty kick goal...

"I knew he was going left, or at least most of his penalties were either going middle or left, so I set to go earlier and when I went early it sort of slipped under me. So it was a bit unfortunate."

On how he felt about Anders Dreyer's first goal from the halfway line...

"Yeah again [MLS is] a different level. Some small details I still have to get adjusted to; read body language better, and I think he [Anders Dreyer] just caught me a bit by surprise. Again, just unnecessary goals to concede."

On the challenges of communicating with a new backline in a debut MLS appearance...

"It's definitely challenging, I'd say. I think we had some good communication. I think we definitely had some situations where we could've done better. The language barrier doesn't help sometimes, but I think we need to really look at what we can improve there and how to better work together and communicate because it's such an important aspect."

On how he looks at his debut given he's only just started his professional career...

"I think you have to take all the positives, but definitely look at yourself in the mirror and see what you can improve and how you can improve the team, just game-by-game, sit with the coaches, train very hard, and just keep improving."

On the positive aspects he can take away from his debut...

"Just these learning moments. Communication-wise just to really now sit together, go over things, because now we have things to discuss and learn about. I think there's some positive actions personally and as a team that we really have to focus on and keep doing of course, but again certainly look yourself in the mirror and correct these small details."

MIDFIELDER WIL TRAPP

On the difference between the first and second half of the game...

"Look, we give them [San Diego FC] credit right, they're a good team. We can do better with stopping crosses and following runners on runs in behind. But also we were in a good position to start that half to win the game. We always defend deep, but defending deep and a little bit passive is different than defending deep and biting on guys and being a little bit more aggressive, so we lost somewhat of that. Obviously the penalty [kick] comes at maybe a tough time when we don't think it's a penalty and it keeps going and it is. But by in large, there's a lot to respect about what they did, there's a lot to look back on our side and be frustrated and a little bit upset about."

On the difficulties in stopping the runs inside the box...

"I think it's a little bit of aggressiveness, they're a team [San Diego FC] risks a ton in between the lines. Ultimately, when you think you might have coverage space, they're still risking to play between. There's times you're not going to cover those plays. Now I think it's all about then how recoveries look like and how were even chipping a runner as he runs through or dealing with cut back spaces or in between crosses, a big thing we talk about with that group is blocking crosses. And If you look at especially their goal, can we get out and maybe effect a little bit more, but ultimately good players make good plays. The Dreyer guy [Anders Dreyer] had himself a really good day and it's difficult to deal with that, they're overloading with so many numbers, the communication has to be so concise and clear and then just the quick actions to try and slow the plays down. But teams are going to try and find ways to through."

On any difficulties with communication on MNUFC's back line...

"There's always going to be a learning curve, right? It's his [Wessel Speel's] first [MLS] game and you're playing one of the best teams in the league; it's not easy. I think for him, getting up to speed and kind of weathering the storm. Obviously the first goal is one that you don't see very often. For him to try to come back from that and have the right mentality I think is good for a young player to see."

On what he said to Wessel Speel after conceding Anders Dreyer's first goal...

"Well he made a save right before that, and I said, 'you just made a great save there, don't worry about this one, you're fine'. Having been a young player, and having been on the other side of some tough goals, it's always helpful to have guys rally behind you."

On if he felt any similarities between this game and the game against Vancouver Whitecaps FC in April...

"I wouldn't necessarily say that. I think this one [the most recent match] we were in the game a little bit more and we were involved in the game. Whereas I felt like the Vancouver one [game] we were almost expecting to win. That's a different feeling. This one was... yeah just little moments. Little decisions that maybe didn't go our way or we could be cleaner on that affected the end result, but not the same.

On whether or not San Diego FC's penalty should have been awarded...

"I mean I think Rubiel [center referee Rubiel Vazquez] went over and looked at it. You trust it. He was able to make the right decision. I don't like it, but it is what it is."

On if he is able to explain the handball rule to those who are unfamiliar with the regulations...

"No I can't, I'm not even going to try, I'm not even going to try, but I think Ant [Anthony Markanich] tries to get his hand out of the way, he tries to make it look like it's his head, but ultimately I think his hand is in a position where it blocks the cross."

On Owen Gene's performance during the match and his progression throughout the season...

"He just continues to be a very calm and mature presence for his age. I think every game that he plays he's just going to get better and better."

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