Minnesota United Fight to Earn a Point in 1-1 Draw

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MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Fight to Earn a Point in 1-1 Draw

May 24, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota United earned a point in a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Austin FC Saturday night at Allianz Field, with Michael Boxall opening the scoring in the first half before the visitors pulled level through Zan Kolmanic. Despite several late chances, the Loons were unable to find a game-winner and settled for a share of the points. Up next, the Loons hit the road to face Western Conference rivals Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Wednesday, May 28. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CT.

4' - MNUFC goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made a diving save early to keep the game scoreless after Austin FC forward Brandon Vazquez took a shot from atop the MNUFC 18-yard box.

6'- Minnesota United created their first scoring opportunity when Carlos Harvey gained possession in the attacking third. Robin Lod followed the play, making a run into the 18-yard box. Harvey then played a through ball to Lod, who continued his run and took on a defender before attempting a shot that was saved by Stuver.

16' (1-0) - The Loons opened the scoring from a set piece off a corner kick. Joaquín Pereyra delivered the corner to the top of the penalty area, where it reached Nicolás Romero. Romero then played a pass to an unmarked Michael Boxall near the six-yard box, and Boxall headed the ball off the left post and into the net.

27' (1-1) - Austin equalized in the 27th minute off a counterattack. Osman Bukari gained possession in the middle third and carried the ball into the attacking third. He then switched it to the top of the 18-yard box, finding Myrto Uzuni, who took two touches before playing a square pass to Zan Kolmanic making a run into the penalty area. Kolmanic one-timed his shot into the bottom left corner past St. Clair.

43' - Austin continued to pose a threat. After a defensive miscue on an attempted header clearance from the penalty area, Uzuni gained possession, brought the ball down with his chest, and volleyed it, but the shot went wide of the net.

64' - Off a throw-in taken by New Zealander Boxall on the right flank, the ball made its way into the 18-yard box and was partially cleared by Los Verdes. However, it landed on the left side of the box at the feet of Pereyra. Receiving the ball at thigh height, Pereyra attempted a one-touch volley, but Austin's captain, Brendan Hines-Ike, made a crucial block to send it out for a Loons corner kick.

75' - On a counterattack, Minnesota's striker Yeboah gained possession on the left side of the middle third and brought the ball down with his chest before passing to Tani Oluwaseyi. Oluwaseyi then played a long switch to Bongokuhle Hlongwane, who made a run down the right flank. Hlongwane carried the ball forward and fired a shot toward goal, but it narrowly sailed over the crossbar.

82' - MNUFC continued to have scoring opportunities with Harvey spotted Oluwaseyi positioned near the top of the 18-yard box and attempted a pass, but the ball deflected and fell to Yeboah. Yeboah carried it forward and spotted Jefferson Diaz unmarked. He initially looked to pass to Diaz, but realizing Diaz was in an offside position, Yeboah quickly adjusted and took the shot himself. His effort was saved by goalkeeper Brad Stuver.

GOAL SUMMARY

1-0 MIN - Michael Boxall (Nicolás Romero) - 16'

1-1 ATX - Zan Kolmanic (Myrto Uzuni, Osman Bukari) - 27'

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

MIN - Anthony Markanich (caution) - 34'

MIN - Joaquín Pereyra (caution) - 86'

ATX - Jon Gallagher (caution) - 88'

ATX - Jader Obrian (caution) - 89'

NOTABLE STATS

0 - Minnesota United FC has not lost a match across all competitions in 2025 when scoring first.

3 - With his goal tonight against Austin FC, defender Michael Boxall has now scored at least one goal (regular-season and playoffs) for the third-consecutive MLS campaign.

3 - Nicolás Romero has assisted on goals in his last three MLS home games at Allianz Field, recording three assists.

ATTENDANCE: 19,240

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Michael Boxall

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Anthony Markanich (Joseph Rosales 46'), Nicolás Romero, Michael Boxall ©, Jefferson Diaz, Julian Gressel (Bongokuhle Hlongwane 61'); M Robin Lod, Wil Trapp (Kelvin Yeboah 61'), Carlos Harvey, Joaquín Pereyra; F Tani Oluwaseyi

Substitutes Not Used: GK Alec Smir; D Devin Padelford, Morris Duggan, DJ Taylor; F Sang Bin Jeong, Owen Gene

Austin FC XI: GK Brad Stuver; D Zan Kolmanic (Mikkel Desler 85'), Brendan Hines-Ike ©, Guilherme Biro, Oleksandr Svatok, Jon Gallagher; M Myrto Uzuni, Besard Sabovic, Nicolas Dubersarsky (Ilie Sanchez 60'), Osman Bukari (Jader Obrian 71'); F Brandon Vazquez (Owen Wolff 71')

Substitutes Not Used: GK Stefan Cleveland; D Julio Cascante, Riley Dean; M CJ Fodrey; F Diego Rubio

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

BC Place | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

05.28.2025 | MLS 2025 Regular Season | Match 16

X:XX p.m. CT (MLS Season Pass/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ERIC RAMSAY

On his overall thoughts on the match...

"I can give you the thoughts I've just given to the players. We don't always speak after the games, but I feel like when we draw the games, in particular, it's important to speak because I feel like draws can be good draws, they can be bad draws and everyone will go away with a different take on whether that was a step forward, or not, for us. The players, I feel like, need to be on the same page, and the consensus for us as a coaching staff was that that was a step forward. The performance was very good. We were for sure undeniably the dominant team. The team that I felt had the foot on the opponent's neck for large portions of the game. I think in terms of the completeness of the performance, it's a step forward, and we've been wanting to look like that more often at home. I felt like tonight we gave it a really good go. I was really pleased with lots of elements of the performance, the relentlessness that we attacked with, the variety that we were able to cause them problems with, and ultimately the players' will to win. I like the sense of frustration at the end because it solidifies where we are as a team and a club at the moment that we're showing signs of being one of the top ones, and teams are approaching games against us, certainly at home, in a way that reflects that. So, an answer to my own question, good draw or bad draw. I feel like in many senses a good draw is momentum, and it's a good performance. But I'm sure there will be points that we look back at and will be frustrated."

On whether there were missed opportunities in the second half...

"I think we had lots of half chances in the second half, and we attacked with a real relentlessness. We got to the top of the box often. We got in front of goal often enough, but I wouldn't say there was anything that clean cut that we should have done better with. We were obviously, as was the case of the entire game, a real threat on the second phase of set plays, and we had a very good chance off of Bongi's [Bongokuhle Hlongwane] delivery that was inch-perfect, and perhaps we would've read that situation better in other circumstances. But generally, I feel like it was less about the clear-cut opportunities that we didn't take and more about not quite doing enough to make them in the first place."

On Michael Boxall's performance...

"That [Austin FC] is a hard front line to play against, and I think that it's really important to remember that and underline that that is $13 million worth of forwards across that front line. Albeit they haven't yet gotten to the point where they're firing on all cylinders as a club or a team, there's some very good players at the top of the pitch. We had to deal with that first and foremost, and we did restrict them to very little, and what we did end up giving them was our own making, our own doing off of our own set play. Then, a couple of moments toward the end of the game where that sense of us attacking with real urgency leads to open spaces that wouldn't have been there up until that point. [Michael] Boxall was great, dealt with [Brandon] Vasquez really well. But the back line also played its part in that, as did they.

On noticing any tiredness from any players due to quick turnarounds...

"No, in the sense that we handled that [rotating players in these quick turnarounds] very intelligently and started this match with fresh legs, especially compared to them [Austin FC], that shouldn't be an excuse. There are more problems with certain phases of the performance, but overall I'm happy with the performance and the players gave their all."

On if there were any defensive issues on Austin FC's equalizing goal and overall thoughts on Minnesota United FC's defenders...

"We've left a very big open space on that second phase of the throw-in and we do take a risk in that sense and ultimately that falls on me. But we, over the course of the season, and obviously everyone that watches us knows that those situations give us more good than bad more often than not and it's certainly the exception that we find ourselves in that position. So for me, it's a trade-off that we make, but that doesn't excuse us from not dealing with that situation well enough. We have two players that have an advantage on [Osman] Bakari as he starts to attack, and were not as well-positioned on the far side of the ball as we should've been, and it's a really manageable situation. So, that was really frustrating in a sense that we didn't open up often, and that was a rare occasion that we did, and you know full well that those types of players they have there are ruthless in those moments. Particularly [Osman] Bakari, he's electric, he's one of the most dynamic wingers you have in the league, and I can assure you that we knew well in advance that that was the case. To not have dealt with him while in that situation was frustrating, and I know the players will feel that as well."

On addressing the team following a draw...

"I don't always speak, I probably speak more often than I don't, but I feel in situations like this where everyone walks off the pitch with a real sense of frustration, sometimes the players don't know how to react in this situation, it's my job to make sure that we move forward with a sense of consensus. We have an opportunity to analyze the game in more detail than the players live. We've got data, we've got the opportunity to look back at moments on replays on the bench, and I have a much fuller picture than they do, and we were really pleased with big parts of that performance, and it was the way in which we want the team to look at home. I've always been this way with them. We're looking across a far bigger perspective than we are just today's game. In the grand context of the coming weeks and months, that was a really good performance, and there's a lot of that that I know will come tomorrow, Monday, I'll be able to pick up on and really push in front of the players as the benchmark in some sense. We've got some really good things that we'll take forward to Vancouver for sure."

On moving forward looking at the upcoming match...

"Well, for us, it's being able to do that away from home as well, and I feel like what we did on the ball today was how I want the team to look. I've stressed repeatedly here, we are a team that wants to attack quickly. We're a team that wants to use the pace that we have on the last line. We want to have lots of sequences of short passes, but we want to be attacking with a really good rhythm. We want the players to want to make things happen and to look forward and to be dynamic, and I feel like when we do that at home, particularly in the second half, the crowd responds really well. What we don't have in the next couple of games is a crowd to react to what we're doing. So I feel like we're going to have to play those games sensibly, but we want to be able to try and create that spark amongst ourselves, which is so important. And you guys know full well that being in this league, this is a league where the difference between being home and away is most exaggerated, and we have to make sure that we handle those away games really well."

On facing Vancouver Whitecaps FC and San Diego FC, two teams that are competing with MNUFC to be at the top of the table...

"For us, it's just about focusing on the upcoming game and trying to be very detailed in how we prepare and prepare, and having a short-term perspective. For us, it's about taking a lot of pride in our approach to work each week, and usually when we prepare well enough, the performances follow. I'm going to approach games against Vancouver or San Diego in no different way. And we showed that against [Inter] Miami recently."

On using Nicolás Romero for set pieces...

"Well first and foremost, I think we're a very difficult team to deal with on set plays. We've got multiple threats, we've got players that have had the capacity to catch the opposition by surprise. Obviously that's not going to be the case from this point onwards with players like Anthony [Markanich], but you've got players like Bongi [Bongokuhle Hlongwane], you've got players like Julian [Gressel] and Rob [Robin Lod] that can also be threats on set plays. But I think players like Nico [Nicolás Romero], Carlos [Harvey], Boxy [Michael Boxall], they have that real desperation to win the ball. They approach those situations like they're life and death and that's, in Nico's case, so impressive. But we're fortunate in the sense that I can stand up here and talk openly about that, in the sense that I'm not giving any secrets away. It's not just those three guys. We've got, on top of that, we've got Tani [Oluwaseyi], we've got Kelvin [Yeboah], we've got Anthony Markanich, we've got Diaz [Jefferson Diaz], we've got players that can really make their mark in those situations and it's no surprise that I think we're right toward the top of the league in that sense and we put a lot of work into it, a lot of effort into it. But ultimately, it's the players' desperation to score in those situations that's making the difference."

On Joaquín Pereyra's yellow card and the overall performance from the referee crew...

"I'm not going to complain about that. It's rolled up in the frustration that was the last 10 or 15 minutes. Obviously you've got a team that are, and I'm not saying this in a disrespectful way in any way, but they're [Austin FC] much more oriented towards winning a point as opposed to the three points that we were definitely going for at that stage, as would be expected of the home team. When you add the constant stoppages to the interruptions for yellow cards, I think it just builds the frustration in the stadium and I haven't been able to see Joaquín's card back. I don't know whether it was a yellow card or not. It felt like there was one or two that were soft, but I think it was that being wrapped up in how the game felt in general toward the end so no real complaints there."

On the closing stages of the match and how the MLS style of play has impacted his adjustments tactically...

"We could've approached the end of the game with more balance and more caution, but I felt like as the home team it was our responsibility to move players further forward, to take risks, to have less balance than we would early on in the game and I don't think I would've done myself justice or the players would've done themselves justice had we taken a too cautious approach to those last five to 10 minutes. We looked more open, it felt more open, for sure they [Austin FC] had a couple of good opportunities on account of the space that we left, but I felt like we did the crowd justice there. We wanted to make sure that we tried to create and we showed that real energy and intent to win a home game."

DEFENDER MICHAEL BOXALL

On his overall thoughts on the match...

"Disappointing. We spoke about it earlier in the year, at home we want to take advantage of those games. I think we did a good job of not giving Dayne [St. Clair] a whole lot of great shots to save, so we have to do a little bit better with the ball again. I think we've given up the goal off our own attack and throw-in, they've [Austin FC] gone 80-yards and scored, we have to do better with that."

On the issue behind the goal that was conceded...

"I need to watch it back, but we need to have... outside the box, to be where they're [Austin FC] at, how their position going too high, and then when the ball came out on the near side, we need to decide whether we're going to press or just drop off and kind of concede position there. I think we were kind of caught in between, and they punished us."

On what led up to his goal...

"We've got pretty dangerous targets between myself, Anthony [Markanich], Nico [Nicolás Romero], and Jeff [Jefferson Diaz], who kind of tackle the ball pretty well. Obviously Joaquín has been serving-in good balls, so we just know that someone's going to keep it alive and just stay on their toes. Nico's got a good eye to put the ball in the right areas and it's pretty tough to miss from there."

On what the X-factor is that sets this team apart from others in the League...

"I don't know exactly what the X-factor is. I think it's just those two things: We know how dangerous we can be, and we kind of fabricate those situations probably more than most with the long throws, with the deeper free kicks into the box. The pressure kind of compounds and opposing teams, they kind of start to believe whatever narrative may be written that we can be pretty dangerous in those, so we just have to keep building on that."

On his impressive tackle in the 90th minute...

"I was drained after the first one in our own half and then the long ball came in and I tried to be a bit too clever and flick it to Jeff [Jefferson Diaz] and kind of put us in the sh*t a little bit. So, it was up to me to kind of redeem myself, so I would have been pretty mad if we'd lost on my mistake there. If you never give up, you kind of always give yourself a chance. You just have to put your head down and maybe if the striker hesitates and gives you half that chance, maybe you don't get there, but it puts the guy under pressure and maybe he doesn't have as high of quality shots. Just let your presence be felt and I was lucky enough that I could get there."

On the putter in his celebration...

"I enjoy my golf. I try to get out a lot when the weather allows and my wife always gives me sh*t about how I don't score a lot and she's always been telling me, 'oh, what's your celebration going to be', so I kind of had something in the locker for a little while. But, I don't know if I'll have to think of a second one. I just enjoy my golf, for sure."

On the next upcoming matches against Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Seattle Sounders FC...

"Obviously Vancouver [Whitecaps] have been playing really well this year. I think we really sold ourselves short in the home game against them. For one reason or another we weren't doing our jobs to the level that we consistently have this year. It's just like any other game, it's three points. We know if we do our jobs we can put ourselves in a good chance to win that, that's what we're trying to do."

On how he feels about having a coach sharing his direct thoughts on the match...

"Yeah, I mean it's great having someone who's level headed, who's been watching the whole thing from the side and can kind of take away the positives from those. At home, you want to be winning those games, so it's just a big frustration. It's good to hear a different perspective. So yeah, cliché, you never know how important that point's going to be down the stretch, so we've just got to freshen up and get ready for Wednesday."

MIDFIELDER JOAQUÍN PEREYRA

Thoughts on today's match...

"A draw that we didn't like, it doesn't do us any good. We expected to win; we're coming off a good stretch of matches. Honestly today, the referee's work also made it a bit difficult. The referee made the game very choppy. We basically never had any continuous minutes of play because the referee called every friction, every contact between players, so it became complicated, and I think that led us to get frustrated as well and to start pushing a little bit more to find the victory, which we ultimately couldn't achieve."

On if Ramsay being positive removed any anger or annoyance from the rest of the team...

"We're coming off a good game, very good, especially in attack, in the final stretch. But from my point of view, we weren't precise in attack, we weren't sharp. We know what we can do in attack, to create a lot. Today, we created, but it was more about our desire to push the team a little to get back. But that's my point of view. Obviously, the coach is focused on something else. Maybe when I see the game, I'll change my mind but right now, that's what I think. But as I was saying, we're coming off great games. Today, we had the expectation of winning again to stay at the top, but now we have two tough away games that we're obviously going to try to win."

On getting a yellow card...

"I think the refereeing today was truly bad. I deserved the yellow card because I kept complaining to him. But the referee didn't know how to handle the game at any point during the entire game. And the truth is, if the league wants to raise the level of its games, they are going to have to talk a little about the refereeing issue because from the 90 minutes of the game, we played 50. There were 10 substitutions, there was time wasted of players on the ground, and only three minutes were added, so it became difficult, honestly. And like I was saying, it frustrates you with the game. We started to get into that frustration with the referee, and in the end, we didn't end up doing what we had to do."

On having many options, like the defense, to send balls into the penalty area as a playmaker...

"Obviously, for me that's very good, having people in the area who win aerial balls, who win headers. For me, the more options I have, as I also have with our forwards, the better, because I also know who to look for in the box, like with the help of Nico [Nicolás Romero], who contributed in today's match with an assist, he helped score the goal for us today. We are a team that doesn't depend on just one player, but the good thing about this team is that many players can score goals, assist, and that also has a very good effect on everyone's performance."

On playing Vancouver FC and obtaining a rematch...

"Yes, obviously, we're going to try to win. We recently played them here at home and we didn't perform very well. We have to watch that match a bit and try to match their strengths, try to do better ourselves in that sense as well. It's going to be a tough match against them, who are playing very well, who are a great team, but, obviously we're going to try to win, to try to play our game. We're coming off good matches, as I said, with a lot of confidence, and we're going to go in and fight as equals to try, as I said, to win those three points that will bring us closer to the top."

On if there is anything that the team needs to improve on to beat Vancouver...

"Based on what happened in the last match against them [Whitecaps], I think we gave them a lot of space. They have good players, especially on the flanks, and I think in that match, here at home, we gave them a lot of space. We're trying to reduce that margin for error, try to put more pressure on them, and be a little more aggressive. Obviously, we have to be aggressive, we have to be direct in the attack, and be as aggressive as we always are with our forwards. I think that's going to be the foundation of trying to improve on what we couldn't do here when we went against them, which was to close down their spaces because, as I said, they're a team that plays well, that knows each other well, and that has players with good footwork."

On if he's thought about making it to the MLS All-Stars Game...

"No, the truth is I hadn't thought about it. I think a lot more about the present. I try to think about that [the present], to stay focused on what I have to do here, but obviously I know it's a great opportunity that I think every MLS player wants to be in. If it comes, I'll welcome it, because, as I said, you always work for that to be in the best places. But I'm going to continue here, as I've been doing step by step, trying to continue doing things well here. And when the time comes, we'll see if it's my turn to be there or not, but it's not up to me, so nothing. Like I was saying, it's great to be here, but I have to keep working here at the club."

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