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MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United FC at St. Louis City SC Preview

March 31, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Hoping to secure their third-straight road victory and continue their unbeaten streak, Minnesota United will, for the first time, head to St. Louis CITY SC, the fresh yet fierce expansion club. Despite their recent entry into the league, CITY SC has been a powerhouse. St. Louis is a top the Supporters' Shield standings, currently leads the Western Conference with 15 points, 15 goals, and has yet to lose. MNUFC earned an encouraging result at the weekend after a 1-1 draw against Vancouver and are among four clubs in MLS that are still unbeaten during this opening stretch of the season. Minnesota nearly returns to full strength this week after losing seven players to international duty. The Black and Blue will need to be strong in the attacking third and generate multiple scoring opportunities this weekend to reign triumphant in Missouri.

ADRIAN HEATH ON WHAT'S MADE ST. LOUIS SO GOOD THIS SEASON

"I think they'd be the first to say that [Joao] Klauss has had four or five back passes that he's cut out and that was probably not something that they envisioned, but they've made the most of everything they've got. I've watched their last three games that they've played and they've got a good shape, well organized, obviously playing with a load of confidence now. They'll be full of it at this weekend and we're going to have it all on, but we proved when we went to Colorado and went to Dallas that if we get a unit behind the ball and break when we can, then we can be a problem for them also."

HASSANI DOTSON ON HOW THE TEAM PLAYED WHILE MISSING SEVEN PLAYERS

"I think all that guys that came in stepped up. A lot of the guys on the team are capable to start around the league, and it showed the quality that they had. At the end of the day, to be the makeshift lineup, a tie is an OK result for us."

CLINT IRWIN ON THE MATCH AGAINST VANCOUVER

"I thought we started a little slow but came into the game, and we had a lot of guys out there who were getting their debuts and showing how much depth we have in the team. I thought that we grinded a lot, maybe not our best effort with the ball but a lot of positives in terms of our resiliency and our togetherness. Unfortunately, we didn't get the result that maybe we deserved for all of the hard work, but there are a lot of positives."

STORYLINES PRESENTED BY BMW

While St. Louis CITY will undoubtedly be one of the toughest opponents MNUFC will face this season, the Loons won't have to do it without some of their most vital contributors as they did last Saturday against Vancouver.

The talented roster of St. Louis is headlined by Brazilian striker João Klauss. He's registered five goals so far this season, only trailing Seattle's Jordan Morris (7) as the leading goal scorer in MLS. He has at least one goal in all five matches this season and has contributed to a goal in each game. Together with forward Niko Gioacchini, they have been able to form a formidable partnership for the expansion team's attack. With their win last week, the pair have both scored a goal in the same match for the second straight game this season.

Along with that tandem, SLC is an opportunistic outfit. CITY is a squad filled with talented players that are ready to apply pressure at the right times. When they pounce, they create miscues from their opposition, and those miscues have led to scoring. To find success, MNUFC must put a focus on maintaining ball control and ensure accurate passing to avoid the pitfalls of clubs that have come before them.

The backline of the Loons will also have a tough task ahead of them when it comes to defending the highest-scoring team in MLS. With Michael Boxall back from his international duties, the boys will have their leader back to help make that a priority. He and Micky Tapias have worked well together in the center of the defense. Add Kemar Lawrence back into the mix, and the Loons should feel good about their chances of not only holding up against St. Louis CITY but also in their ability to make the runs and create the opportunities needed to wear down the CITY defense. Hopefully, finding the back of the net will be the payoff to those opportunities - and three points the payoff to the Loons efforts on both ends of the pitch on Saturday night.

PLAYER AVAILABILITY REPORT:

Minnesota United

OUT:

B. Dibassy - Thigh

R. Jiba - Knee

E. Reynoso - Suspended

QUESTIONABLE:

N/A

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ ST. LOUIS CITY SC

CITYPARK | ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

04.01.23 | MLS Regular Season | Matchday 6

7:30 p.m. CT (MLS Season Pass; MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN)

2023 Record

MIN: 2-0-2 (2-0-0 on the road)

STL: 5-0-0 (2-0-0 at home)

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from March 31, 2023


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