Minnesota United Settles for a 1-1 Draw with the Portland Timbers

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MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Settles for a 1-1 Draw with the Portland Timbers

July 20, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Minnesota United was moments away from securing three points at Providence Park, but a stoppage-time equalizer from Portland saw the match end in a 1-1 draw. Anthony Markanich gave the Loons the lead in the 77th minute before the Timbers leveled in second half stoppage time. Minnesota will now shift focus to its upcoming matchup against St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, July 26, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. at Energizer Park.

10' - The Portland Timbers created their first dangerous opportunity of the night through Felipe Mora. This opportunity came after Moreno gained possession of the ball in the attacking third and carried it to the top of the 18-yard box, before sending a cross into the air for Mora. However, Mora's header went just wide of the net.

24' - Minnesota United was awarded a free kick a few feet off the 18-yard line. Joaquín Pereyra stepped up to take it, curling a shot towards the top right, but Maxime Crépeau was able to swat the shot out to a corner kick.

43' - MNUFC continued to be threatening in the attack this time through Pereyra. Joseph Rosales sent a long ball down the left flank from the defensive third to find Bongokuhle Hlongwane in the attacking third. Hlongwane played a short pass for Pereyra, who drove the ball into the penalty area and fired a left-footed shot that sailed just over the crossbar.

54' - Wil Trapp gained possession of the ball in the middle third and played a long through ball to Tani Oluwaseyi. Oluwaseyi let the ball settle before taking a left-footed shot outside of the penalty area but went wide of the net.

66' - The Loons conceded a free kick near the top of the 18-yard box after a foul was committed by Pereyra. Moreno stepped up to take the kick, but the shot did not pose any danger for Dayne St.Clair.

77' (1-0) - Anthony Markanich opened the scoring for Minnesota United following a corner taken by Julian Gressel. The initial delivery was then deflected by a Portland defender but the ball was left loose for Owen Gene, who quickly passed to Gressel. Gressel then sent a cross into the penalty box, where Markanich headed the ball into the back of the net.

90' - After being awarded a free kick, the Timbers created another dangerous opportunity. Moreno's attempt was deflected by Jefferson Diaz but was left for Juan Mosquera, who then took a shot from the right flank. The shot hit the crossbar but was then sent out to a corner kick by Trapp.

90'+2' (1-1) - The Timbers were awarded a corner kick that was taken by Smith. The ball bounced into the penalty area before Diego Chara gained possession and connected with Mosquera on the right flank. Mosquera then sent a cross to find Omir Fernández, making a run into the six-yard box, where he finished a one-touch shot into the back of the net.

GOAL SUMMARY

1-0 MIN - Anthony Markanich (Julian Gressel) - 77'

1-1 POR - Omir Fernández (Juan Mosquera) - 90'+2'

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

MIN - Nicolás Romero (caution) - 39'

POR - Ariel Lassiter (caution) - 43'

MIN - Carlos Harvey (caution) - 45'

MIN - Joaquín Pereyra (caution) - 65'

ATTENDANCE: 23,507

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Anthony Markanich

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair ©; D Joseph Rosales (Owen Gene 74'), Nicolás Romero (Michael Boxall 46'), Jefferson Diaz, Morris Duggan, Julian Gressel; M Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Anthony Markanich 61'), Robin Lod, Carlos Harvey (Wil Trapp 46'), Joaquín Pereyra (Kelvin Yeboah 71'); F Tani Oluwaseyi

Substitutes Not Used: GK Alec Smir; D DJ Taylor; F Darius Randell, Loïc Mesanvi

Portland Timbers XI: GK Maxime Crépeau; D Jimer Fory, Finn Surman, Dario Zuparic, Juan Mosquera; M Cristhian Paredes (Omir Fernández 86'), Ariel Lassiter (Gage Guerra 56'), David Ayala (Diego Chara 74'); F Ian Smith, Felipe Mora © (Kevin Kelsy 74'), Santiago Moreno

Substitutes Not Used: GK James Pantemis; D Zac McGraw, Kamal Miller; M Eric Miller, Joao Ortiz

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ ST. LOUIS CITY SC

Energizer Stadium | St. Louis, City, Missouri

07.26.2025 | MLS 2025 Regular Season | Match 25

7:30 p.m. CT (MLS Season Pass/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ERIC RAMSAY

On what he told the team after the game...

"I've talked about the two sides to that coin with the team there. I can almost give it to you word for word. I think we have to be really critical of ourselves in those moments. We have to look at the details in terms of how we close the game out. We have to look at the very fine details in terms of defending the box, defending the second phase of the set play. We have to be really annoyed at ourselves because over the course of the last two games, we've probably shown pretty much where we are, and why we are in the table, in the position that we find ourselves currently, in that we are a team that is very, very close to being one of the best, one of the most competitive on a really consistent basis, but we just can't get over the line. We can get really close, we can dominate large periods of games against top teams, as we did against LA [LAFC] midweek. We can come to a place like Portland and be very difficult to beat and get very close to getting over the line, but we haven't been able to today, which is really frustrating. And the other side of that coin is that I would say, hands down, this is by far the most difficult place you could have possibly played in MLS today, given that it's the celebration of their 50th year, the atmosphere in the stadium was as good as I've seen since I've been here. We talked before the game about the inevitability of some of those moments that we had to contend with today, and certainly the period toward the end where there's a tangible sense of the ball being sucked into the back of the net by the crowd, and we have to weather a real storm. I think the fact that we've come away with a point in the grand scheme of things is no mean feat, but obviously to have got so close to the finish line and find ourselves with one point rather than three is disappointing and feels like a loss. We will do what we normally do, we will be very critical, we will make sure that we really learn from every moment and every phase of the game and we will get better as the week goes on and we will be better positioned as we move forward. But, I want to make it really clear that is a very difficult game for us today and I think we handled 95% of it really, really well. So I am proud of the way the players performed, the nature of the collective performance, the effort, discipline, the will, but unfortunately we have come up short. Where, on another day we come away with three points and it's arguably the result of the season."

On looking at the goal that was conceded at the end...

"There's a couple of phases to it. We're nowhere near aggressive enough in stopping the ball coming back into the box. And then, obviously, we switch off of the back post in a really crucial moment. So, I think there'll be a couple of players disappointed with themselves in that moment, and it's something that we will, of course, pick apart, and we'll endeavor to go and correct it, and make sure that we really push the players to be really precise and detailed in those moments where you're under a lot of pressure, fatigue sets in, every detail really counts, and particularly given the atmosphere, and the dynamic to the game at that point, we had to be perfect in those moments, and unfortunately, we weren't, and it feels very raw, I would say."

On addressing the team after a draw...

"For sure critical, because they need to feel criticism and pressure on the back of us not being able to get over the line, and I'm sure it's an inevitable narrative about us giving up points at the latter stages of games, but again, I'm very keen to stress that we're the team that has been in a losing position at least over the course of this entire season, so more often than any other team in MLS, we are in a position to lose points come end of games, typically, and I think that's a credit to the team in one sense, but in another, we have to be much more clinical and ruthless in closing games out, and contending tonight with an incredibly difficult atmosphere and a real sense of pressure and hostility, and we did that for, as I say 95% of the game, if not more, and I was really, really pleased with how we stuck to the task, how we responded to the game plan, and how we controlled the game in our own way, in a lot of senses. So as I say, two sides of the coin. We're critical, we're disappointed, we're upset, and it's raw, but we are also very realistic, and that is, probably in the cold light of the analysis as the days move on, a point well earned."

On Anthony Markanich continuing to find the right spots in set pieces...

"Obviously, there's a framework that we have in place, and there's some detail around that situation. But Anthony [Markanich] has a real desperation to score a real knack for timing. And I've talked about this loads and loads in the last couple of weeks. He is just one of those guys that has intuition, timing, athleticism, and then real quality when the ball arrives to him. Again, a big goal for us. I felt like it was always going to be a goal like that that was going to unlock the game because it was tense. And the fact that it's been decided by two set plays is,

is probably par for the course with a game like that."

On having ten goals conceded after the seventy sixth minute this year...

"Well, I think I've talked previously in these situations about detail and precision and conviction in defensive moments, but also making sure that we control the game with the ball, and we're not making very costly errors on the ball as the game goes on. And I think in the last stages, we did make a couple of very imprecise passes that lead to turnovers, that lead to set plays that obviously help the opposition gain momentum and gain pressure. So those moments were frustrating. I thought there was a period probably right around eighty-eight, eighty-nine minutes where we've got very comfortable possession in the opposition's half, and the ball turns over very easily on the right hand side. And then that leads to an inevitable period of pressure that leads to set plays, that leads to us very unnecessarily kicking the ball out for a corner. And then that ultimately leads to the moment that finds us at one. So there is work to do on both sides of the ball there. But, again, I'm very keen to steer the conversation toward what was for a really good performance and a really disciplined performance full of desperation to win. And I want to give the players enough credit for that because that is the hallmark of a good competitive, consistent team. And I would also say that the fact that we're still yet to lose consecutive games is a real credit to that ability to bounce back with real conviction and intent. We've done that tonight."

On why Minnesota was not awarded a penalty kick after having called for one...

"I think, without this being the referee's explanation, we could only conclude on the side that they felt that Morris [Duggan], there was a slight push on the play that ended up onboarding, but I'm not actually sure at this moment."

On Julian Gressel's performance so far this season ...

"Tonight was a really good example of that. Free kicks and corner delivery second phase corner deliveries. He was on point with a lot of that tonight, which was really important for us. And as I said, I think when you come to places like this, particularly on a day like this, for us, set play moments are going to be huge. And the fact that we were able to be such a threat across a lot of moments or certainly carry a level of threat that would have given Portland real problems and ultimately led to the goal that unlocks the game, that was again all credit to the players and the level of conviction they have in those moments."

On Joseph Rosales versatility tonight...

"We wanted Joe's [Joseph Rosales] quality in between the lines as the game went on. We felt like we turned the ball over a lot in those positions, and Joe is obviously a player that can do a lot of damage inside the opposition's shape. So, we felt like at that period in the game to bring on Anthony [Markanich] and his athleticism, physicality, competitiveness, it would help us sort of get a bit more of a foothold on that side and add Joe's quality to the middle of the game. You saw that in a couple of moments, but he felt something [in his hamstring]. I'm not actually sure of the detail behind that, but I think it was more precaution than anything but a frustrating moment given that we just made the change with Joaquin [Pereyra]. But, we felt given the run of the game and the nature of the way it was refereed, it was important to be really sensible with managing those yellow cards."

On the upcoming transfer window and keeping some continuity on the roster...

"Well, I think it's really important because we're obviously in a very good position in the table. We're in a position from which we can be really competitive across a number of the competitions, and we're onto a good thing here. We certainly can't afford to get weaker in any sense. We want to make sure that we only get significantly stronger and nothing sort of undoes the progress that we've made. I think it's a real credit to the players that have hit a certain level over the course of the last eighteen months or so that that has led to a lot of interest, a lot of talk around our players. And I think it would be a shame almost for us if that wasn't the case. I really like the fact that some guys have emerged as players that are very much wanted across some good competitions. I'm sure once the season ends there'll be some interesting conversations. But I think we're in such a good position with the end not quite in sight, but it's just around the corner. And I think where this window almost works against you in the sense of when you bring players in they have a limited time to really go make a mark on the team. It probably works for you in the sense that you're not a million miles away from another opportunity for players to start talking about their future. So, we really want to make sure that we do everything we can to keep the core of the group together and keep moving forward because we're in a good place."

On having three players in yellow card jeopardy and having two of them get booked tonight...

"I don't think it's ideal in any way for us given that we obviously go there [St. Louis CITY SC] next week with missing a couple of players that are on the move. And then to add Joaquín [Pereyra] and [Nicolás] Romero to that, obviously, weakens us. But I think without there being a midweek game, we've certainly got enough to look at that game next week and feel really happy with the 11 that we can put out and also the depth that we've got, but also the possibility of players playing ninety minutes almost across the board. So I think we're disappointed, but I'm sure we'll survive."

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