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MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United FC vs. Sporting Kansas City Preview

July 12, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Saturday night's game was another late one with late goals that pushed the Loons over the Whitecaps. Kemar Lawrence, Luis Amarilla and Franco Fragapane all found the back of the net in the final 20 minutes of the game to secure the Loons' third three-goal win in a row. For their next game, MNUFC will be back in St. Paul for the latest edition of the Nicest Rivalry in Sports. The Loons are coming into this game hot and sitting seven spots above their "nice" rivals from Kansas City. The 2022 season has been a difficult one for SKC as the team has already lost more games than they did in the entirety of the 2021 season and they have failed to win more than one league game at a time. However, the Nicest Rivalry has proven to be a tough matchup. To make sure this game goes their way and their win streak stays in-tact, Minnesota will need continue scoring in the same manner that they have over their last three games.

ADRIAN HEATH ON WHAT HE SEE FROM SPORTING KANSAS CITY

"We watched their game [against Montreal]. One of the beauties of playing before them is you get a good chance to watch their game against Montreal, which is a big win for them. Montreal has been particularly good this year at home. But we know what's coming. Incredibly well organized. Got a great amount of respect for Peter [Vermes] and his staff. Got really good pieces with the likes of Johnny Russell and Roger [Espinoza] got a great goal, although he might be suspended, I don't know, [Daniel] Salloi. But, hey, it is what it is. They're going to come and be organized and be competitive. Can we continue in the rich vein of form that we've started and if we do, we're more than a match for anybody."

MICHAEL BOXALL ON THE FOCUS FOR SKC

"It doesn't matter where they are on the table. Whenever we play them it's always pretty tight. I think we just have to keep doing what we're doing. Keep the boys...put the ball in the front half and keep making runs off Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] and let him do his thing and just, again, tidy things up on the back. We've played recently at home pretty well, so we can keep that going. I think we need to keep climbing the table. Three points would be massive."

STORYLINES PRESENTED BY BMW

BALANCED ATTACK: As Minnesota's attack has found its groove in the last two weeks, contributions have come from all over the pitch. Of the eleven players who started Friday's win over Vancouver, only centerbacks Michael Boxall and Bakaye Dibassy and midfielder Wil Trapp are without either a goal or assist in Minnesota's winning streak. That's correct: eight of the eleven starters have registered either a goal or assist in the last three games, and that's with Robin Lod playing in a position he's never played in for Minnesota in two of those three games due to absences in the center of midfield. It will be interesting to see if, should Joseph Rosales or Kervin Arriaga be available, Adrian Heath chooses to return Lod to his spot further up the field and adjust the balance of a team that appears in the best scoring form of any team in MLS.

FIRST TOUCHES

Peter Vermes and Manny Lagos were teammates on the New York/New Jersey MetroStars for the inaugural MLS season in 1996. Lagos played the 1997 season on the MetroStars with current Sporting KC Assistant Coach Kerry Zavagnin.

PLAYER AVAILABILITY REPORT:

Minnesota United

OUT:

K. Arriaga - Ankle

H. Dotson - Knee (out for the season)

N. Hansen - Thigh

R. Metanire - Thigh

T. Oluwaseyi - Thigh

P. Weah - Knee

QUESTIONABLE:

N/A

MINNESOTA UNITED FC vs. SPORTING KANSAS CITY

ALLIANZ FIELD | SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA

07.13.22 | MLS Regular Season | Week 20

7:00 p.m. CT (ESPN; Radio on 1500 ESPN)

2022 Record

MIN: 8-8-3 (4-3-2 at home)

SKC: 5-11-4 (2-7-2 on the road)

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from July 12, 2022


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