MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United FC vs. Atlanta United Preview

Published on May 28, 2019 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Minnesota United heads south to sunny Georgia to visit its fellow expansion side from 2017, Atlanta United FC, for a midweek game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on May 29. The reigning MLS champion started 2019 with a swoon, beginning 2-4-2 before going on a run of five clean-sheet wins before dropping its two most recent games. Meanwhile, MNUFC made the best of a season-opening road trip and remains unbeaten at home. The net result, though, is two teams with similar records through a third of the season and their eyes on the postseason.

The game kicks off at 6:00 p.m. CT with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30 p.m. on FOX Sports North, streaming on FOX Sports GO and on MNUFC Radio on SKOR North.

Minnesota is fresh off back-to-back 1-0 wins at Allianz Field and ready to head back out on the road with a full helping of defensive confidence, but a little trepidation about the attack.

"It was a really disciplined, professional performance," said Head Coach Adrian Heath. "I thought our defensive shape, as a collective ten, outfield players, was very good. Thought we had some moments of quality but not enough sustained pressure and quality possession on their half of the field."

Thanks to yellow card accumulation, the Loons will be without one of their best players, Romain Metanire. An absolute wrecking ball down the right side of the park, the full back notched the lone goal in the most recent win over Houston when his cross deflected off defender Boniek Garcia's shin and arced high into the goal on the far post. It will be difficult to replace his production on both side of the ball, but the defense will at least be buoyed by the impressively solid play of rookie Hassani Dotson - who got his first start last Saturday - and the recent body of work by defender Michael Boxall. Boxall found himself dropped from the starting XI following an acutely poor showing against Toronto in late April, but made his way back to the lineup and has been all the better for it.

"It does give you the opportunity to go and see and work on the things you need to work on," he said. "It just shows where the squad is at this year - if you have an off game, nothing is guaranteed the next week. I think it's great when you have that pressure of great players on the squad."

Another challenge to the squad's depth comes in the form of a compressed schedule: Including a friendly against Hertha Berlin on May 22, the Loons are in the middle of a stretch of five games in fifteen days. That includes last Saturday against Houston, Wednesday against Atlanta and Sunday back home against Philadelphia Union.

"It's very difficult playing three games in one week but we just need to focus on resting when we can and concentrate on our next match," said goalkeeper Vito Mannone. "Today is Tuesday, so we don't have many days to rest but that's how it goes in football. We have to train well today, then travel and tomorrow have the day to rest before a big game tomorrow night."

Atlanta is certainly going to test Minnesota with a strong attack featuring last year's MVP, forward Josef Martinez, and the likes of midfielders Justin Meram, Hector Villalba and Julian Gressel. Add to that a defense that's let in a league-best 11 goals (tied with LAFC) and it will be a stern task for MNUFC. It's worth noting, though, that the home team has yet to win in three games between these two sides. And Heath feels like his team's recent defensive strength has come from a very distinct - and hopefully resilient - place.

"Good mentality from the front," he said. "Starting to defend from the front, not people taking time off. This is a full collective group defending, group attacking and we've stopped the individual, silly errors which have cost us dearly. Nearly every time someone has made a bad mistake, it's ended up in the back of the net and we've stopped that the last few weeks. We're in a good little run of form, we know it's going to be difficult tomorrow but also, I know we've been there and won in the past, we can go there and cause them problems."

Minnesota United's next game is the annual Pride Game on Sunday, June 29 against Philadelphia Union. That game kicks off at 3:00 p.m. CT with pregame coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. on FOX Sports North+, streaming on FOX Sports GO and on MNUFC Radio on SKOR North.

Links to MNUFC training soundbytes, match notes and media guide are listed below, plus noteworthy first touches and an updated injury report:

Head Coach Adrian Heath on an Atlanta team that started off rocky but then pulled out five shutouts in a row..."Well if anybody that doesn't know MLS doesn't think they've got arguably one of the best attacks in the game. These are the defending champions, got arguably the best strikers in the league, they've added in a $20 million player in Pity Martinez, South American player of the Year, [Hector Daniel] Villalba, [Julian] Gressel. No matter what they play, it's been [Ezequiel] Barco in the past, I know it won't be this week but, they've got really good attacking pieces and we know we're going to have to a really good defensive shape in and everybody buying to what we're doing."

Goalkeeper Vito Mannone on missing Romain on the offensive and defensive, side against Atlanta..."Both. Romain is a very important player for us. Defensively and offensively, he works a lot, and puts in a lot of work for the team. But we have a good team with great players, and with that I think we can come out with three points."

Defender Michael Boxall on getting results on the road vs. getting results at home..."It's probably about doing more of [clean sheets] at a higher level, obviously. When we don't have our crowd and the Wonderwall behind us, we have to up our intensity a lot, like we did in New York. So I think we have to go back to that mindset and everyone just needs to step up all over the field."

FIRST TOUCHES:

Michael Parkhurst and Ethan Finlay were teammates on Columbus Crew SC from 2014 through 2016

Justin Meram and Finlay played together for Crew SC from 2012 to 2017.

Brek Shea and Kevin Molino were teammates on Orlando City SC in 2015 and 2016.

Brendan Moore, Romario Williams and Mikey Ambrose played for Orlando City SC's U23 team in 2012, 2014 and 2016 respectively when Kevin Molino was on the first team. Ambrose also appeared five times for the first team in 2016.

Jeff Larentowicz and Bobby Shuttleworth were teammates on the New England Revolution in 2009.

Atlanta Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra and Minnesota Director of Player Personnel Amos Magee were teammates on the Chicago Fire in 2001 and 2002.

Brad Guzan and Vito Mannone were both loaned to Hull City in 2011.

Alec Kann, Ike Opara and Lawrence Olum were teammates on Sporting Kansas City in 2016.

Darlington Nagbe and Lawrence Olum played for the Portland Timbers in 2017.

Gordon Wild and Dayne St. Clair were teammates at the University of Maryland in 2016 and 2017.

Romain Metanire scored his first MLS goals last weekend against Houston Dynamo.

Metanire will miss this game due to a yellow card accumulation suspension.

Jan Gregus assisted Metanire's game-winner against Houston. He now has four on the year, one behind Metanire for the team lead.

Vito Mannone posted consecutive shutouts for the second time this season. He broke his own club record for longest time without conceding a goal at 236 minutes.

Mannone also tied the club record for most clean sheets in a season with five. Bobby Shuttleworth set the record back in 2017.

Abu Danladi and Miles Robinson were taken first and second overall in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft.

The home team has not won in the all-time series between these teams.

Kevin Molino leads MNUFC with two career goals against Atlanta.

This will be the fourth of five games in 15 days for the Loons, and the only road game in that stretch.

Atlanta won its first MLS Cup last year, defeating the Portland Timbers 2-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Minnesota teams in multiple sports are undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Both the Loons and the Vikings have claimed victory in their trips to Atlanta.

Four different Atlanta goalkeepers have faced the Loons in three meetings. Brad Guzan and Alec Kann both played their games to completion, while Alex Tambakis took over net-minding duties after Kyle Reynish was ejected from the October 3, 2017 game.

Osvaldo Alonso, Jan Gregus, Miguel Ibarra, Vito Mannone, Romain Metanire, Ike Opara, Angelo Rodriguez and Darwin Quintero were all included on the 2019 MLS All-Star ballot.

A player has been ejected in both of the last two meetings between these teams.

Atlanta's Josef Martinez won the 2018 Landon Donovan Most Valuable Player Award.

INJURY REPORT:

Minnesota United

OUT:

G - Bobby Shuttleworth (knee)

D - Chase Gasper (leg)

D - Carter Manley (leg)

M - Kevin Molino (leg)

QUESTIONABLE:

N/A

Atlanta United

OUT:

D - George Bello (right adducter)

F - Brandon Vazquez (knee)

F - Hector Villalba ((knee)

QUESTIONABLE:

N/A

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 28, 2019


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