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MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Falls to Inter Miami CF 2-1

June 25, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Both Minnesota United and Inter Miami CF came into this match hovering just below the playoff line and looking for a crucial win. With the shared need to gain momentum for the rest of the season, it was apparent that this game would be a dogfight. For a while it looked like Minnesota come away with the victory, but two late goals by Miami substitution Indiana Vassilev changed the tides and Miami secured the 2-1 win.

Much of the first half was a continuation of back and forth action on both sides with chances falling flat, but ultimately the net eluded both sides of the pitch. The score at half would remain 0-0.

The second half kicked off with just as much tenacity as the first, but this time Minnesota didn't need a warm-up period. The 49th minute showed a promising attack by Minnesota when a dangerous cross was sent into the box and Emanuel Reynoso made a dummy run to let the ball slip by into better positioning in front of Luis Amarilla. Amarilla got a solid shot off but the ball hit a Miami defender and was cleared away.

Minnesota continued to create opportunities but continued to run just shy of them. In the 55-57th minutes, there were a few great passes and ricocheted shot attempts that went right across the 6-yard box. However, they fell just out of striking reach.

Miami had a very similarly dangerous play in the 57th minute, where a shot attempt rolled out near the six, but the Herons couldn't get a foot on the rebound. Rebound's win games, and while that normally applies to basketball it was absolutely the case in today's match.

In the 65th minute, Minnesota opened the scoring. Reynoso crossed the ball to Franco Fragapane who scissor-kicked the ball in. This time, Amarilla was there to bury it in the net. Things were looking great for MNUFC for a while, and it seemed as if the road-game curse was finally lifted. That is until Indiana Vassilev subbed in for Miami.

Vassilev was the ingredient that Miami was missing. Securing two late-game goals for the Herons, he pushed Miami forward and added to the road-match struggle of Minnesota. In the 86th minute, Vassilev received a through ball around the penalty spot from Bryce Duke and tied the game.

In the 89th minute, a free kick was awarded to Miami. The ball bounced around in the Minnesota box until it found Vassilev's feet, who threaded a solid strike into the net.

There were five minutes of injury time added to the game and Minnesota fought hard to tie it up, but their effort would go unrewarded and the final score rested at 2-1. Minnesota heads to the last of their 5-game road stretch on Wednesday. It's time to capitalize and gain momentum moving into the second half of the season, and the Loons will attempt to drum it up against LA Galaxy this week.

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Luis Amarilla

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Bakaye Dibassy, Michael Boxall (c), Kemar Lawrence; M Franco Fragapane, Joseph Rosales, Emanuel Reynoso, Robin Lod, DJ Taylor, Kervin Arriaga, F Luis Amarilla

Bench: GK Tyler Miller, Eric Dick; D Brent Kallman, Oniel Fisher, Nabi Kibunguchy; M Jacori Hayes, Justin McMaster, Bongokuhle Hlongwane; F Abu Danladi

Inter Miami CF XI: GK Drake Callender; D DeAndre Yedlin, Christopher McVey, Damion Lowe, Ryan Sailor; M Victor Ulloa, Bryce Duke, Gregore Silva (c); F Leo Campana, Ariel Lassiter, Robert Taylor

Bench: GK Clement Diop; D Kieran Gibbs, Aime Mabika, Jairo Quinteros; M Abel Caputo, Emerson Rodriguez; F Indiana Vassilev

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ LA GALAXY

Dignity Health Sports Park | Carson, California

06.29.2022 | MLS 2022 Regular Season | Week 17

9:30 pm CT (BSN EXTRA/CW Twin Cities/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On the result being representative of how the team played...

"No, not at all. We put ourselves in a great spot. Put ourselves in a really good position and we haven't been able to see it through and we've got too many of that. Just explained to the players at the minute we're not doing enough. It doesn't look as though it's urgent enough to concede goals and to lose games. That's something that we have to address."

On some missed chances in the first half...

"It summed the game up a little bit because every time we broke in the first half for any little moments of quality, we look back, we could get in and cause them problems and create opportunities, but we didn't take them. Second half, on the break, we've had three goals cross the goal line and they had unbelievable opportunities to kill the game. We're not good enough at one end and we're not doing enough at the other. That's not a good recipe. We've got to get more and more determination to get on the things in the box and we've certainly, got to defend the goal better and make it difficult for people to get efforts off on goal."

On what he saw on Miami's two goals...

"We turned it over cheaply for the first one at the halfway line and we had people running forward to try and win the game, but then it leaves us a little bit vulnerable behind the ball when you lose it and turn it over, which we did. Then we're a little bit short on numbers certainly in and around the edge of the box where they fed the first one. Then the second one from where they scored the goal from. I'll have to have a little bit of a closer look, but certainly there's disappointment today. Last week we played against a really good, in-form team at home in the Revs [New England Revolution]. Tonight if we had played the way we can and took more care with the ball in their half, shown a little bit more desire to defend the goal in ours, this game would have been there for the taking."

DEFENDER MICHAEL BOXALL

On what he saw on Inter Miami CF's two goals...

"First one, we just gave the ball away a little bit too easy and then, I mean they moved the ball okay, and then just moved our center-backs a little bit and then a half-cut run, had fresh legs coming off the bench, we just need space to finish that. Then, the second one was a second phase from a corner. It's just one of those moments where there's times in the game where you need to do whatever you can to just beat your man and clear the ball. We're probably going to I think you honestly probably going to want their backs maybe just a bit softer than... again, just have to get the spaces and force them and that's the game right there after what I thought was a good performance for 80 or so minutes. Just a bit taken away by that.

On improving upon this match towards playing a strong 90 minutes...

"That's something we've been looking for at least a month or two where we need to have complete performances, especially after last week. I think the first 45 [minutes] was excellent and then the whole second half just wasn't at that level. And then tonight, we did take a step forward for 75, 80 odd minutes to put in, what I thought was a pretty good performance by everyone, and then obviously, the momentum swings a little bit when you make changes. You want your subs to be the spark, which unfortunately was the Miami substitute who made the difference tonight."

On preparation ahead of the LA Galaxy match Wednesday...

"Good thing is, it is a quick turnaround, so we've got no other choice but to bounce back. [We're] not looking quite ahead to LA yet, we still need to process this game and figure out what we need to address, because that should be three points we should be taking home tonight. But then, it just puts a bit more pressure on the midweek game. I think my boys will come back and we need to come back strong."

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Major League Soccer Stories from June 25, 2022


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