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MLS Minnesota United FC

MNUFC Defeats Detroit City FC 3-1, Advances in U.S. Open Cup

April 25, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


HAMTRAMCK, Mich. -- A tale of two halves defined Tuesday night's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round fixture between Minnesota United and Detroit City FC, where the Loons eventually scored three unanswered goals in the second half to advance past the Michigan side, 3-1.

Detroit City FC started the Third Round match off on the front, controlling possession early and pressing the Minnesota United defensive third. That quick and early pressure proved to be successful, as the home side took the 1-0 lead in the fifth minute when Yazeed Matthews was the beneficiary of three-consecutive passes atop Minnesota's box. Matthews then had space and his shot hit the far post that deflected into the opposite side of the net.

The remainder of the first 45 minutes saw close scoring chances for MNUFC, including two opportunities in the 38th minute: Kervin Arriaga connected a header from a Franco Fragapane corner kick, but the shot was saved and the rebound hit the side of the net. Then, the following corner service reached the far end of the six-yard box, where a second Loons' shot at close range missed just right of the post.

Minnesota's second half was far stronger than its first, and six quick minutes changed the course of the contest in favor of the Loons. In the 60th minute, Joseph Rosales sent a hard-struck ball inside the box that was caught by Cameron Dunbar, whose next shot was blocked, but rolled in front of Franco Fragapane, who then scored the equalizer. Three minutes later, Emmanuel Iwe found space atop the left corner of Detroit's 18-yard box, taking a shot that deflected off the marking defender and scoring overhead the DCFC goalkeeper, giving Minnesota the 2-1 lead. Finally, in the 66th minute Sang Bin Jeong delivered the ball into the box off a corner kick, where Amarilla gained possession off a failed Detroit clearance, netting the Loons' third goal of the night.

Though Detroit City fought back in the later moments of the match - including a close-range shot in the 85th minute that was saved by the fingertips of MNUFC's Clint Irwin - the home side could not catch up, and the Loons held firm to capture the 3-1 victory and advance to the Round of 32.

Notably, Emmanuel Iwe's goal tonight against DCFC was his first-ever first team goal, all while he made his first start for the senior squad. Devin Padelford additionally made his first-ever start during a first team match on Tuesday night.

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Clint Irwin; D Devin Padelford, Miguel Tapias, Brent Kallman (c), DJ Taylor; M Joseph Rosales, Kervin Arriaga, Franco Fragapane, Emmanuel Iwe; F Cameron Dunbar, Luis Amarilla

Bench: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Michael Boxall, Zarek Valentin; M Hassani Dotson; F Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Sang Bin Jeong, Tani Oluwaseyi

Detroit City FC XI: GK Nate Steinwascher; D Devon Amoo-Mensah, Stephen Carroll (c), Michael Bryant; M Abdoulaye Diop, Maxi Rodriguez, Adrian Billhardt, Connor Rutz, Oniel Fisher Jr.; F Ben Morris, Yazeed Matthews

Bench: GK Ryan Shellow; D Rhys Williams, Jalen Robinson; M Tommy McCabe, Cy Goddard, Richard Ballard; F Skage Simonsen

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC vs. FC DALLAS

Allianz Field | Saint Paul, Minnesota

04.30.2023 | MLS 2023 Regular Season | Matchday 10

8:00 pm CT (MLS Season Pass/FS1/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On what he felt the team showed scoring three unanswered goals against Detroit City FC...

"There's a couple of things I want to speak about beforehand. I know people think these games are easy; I know that. I just wanted to win the game this evening. I don't think people realize [the] hostile environment, the pitch is an Astroturf from maybe 20 years ago. This was a difficult game, and we knew it was going to be. For the lads to go in 1-0 down, I thought that after the first 10 minutes, we got a grip of the way they were going to play. Then, we started to get a bit of pressure on them. I thought it was only a matter of time - I said to them at halftime, if we keep the pressure on, keep moving the ball and have an extra pass in their half - I think things will open up for us. I tip my hat off to Detroit. A terrific atmosphere. There have a really good thing going here with the atmosphere they create and I'm just pleased to get through and onto the next round. Because having been in football a long time, and I've had the beauty of winning FA Cups and going to finals and on that run, going from the third round all the way through, there's always games where you think, 'how the hell did we get through?'. I don't think that was one of these tonight, but I'm just pleased to get through because I know how difficult it is."

On all three of MNUFC's goals being scored in a six-minute window...

"I thought, as the game wore on, that we would eventually... that extra fitness would take over, and thought that one we get a grip, we would play because they [Detroit City FC] do play a slightly different way from a lot of teams. I thought they did well, I have to be honest with you. I don't want to talk about their five minutes of madness, I'm just pleased that a couple of people got goals. [Emmanuel] Iwe got a goal, made a deflection. Luis [Amarilla] got a goal and Fraga [Franco Fragapane]. That will do their confidence [inaudible]. The only thing about these games is advance."

On forward Luis Amarilla's performance tonight...

"Good strikers, you have to be really careful with the more you talk about it, the more it accentuates the problem at times. I thought tonight might be a good night for Lu [Luis] and a goal might help him. Hopefully a goal now will give him a little bit of a lift, a bit of weight off of his shoulders. We'll see how he goes from here because we're obviously going to need our front players to contribute more than they are in terms of goals at this moment."

On the yellow card caution that was given to him in the first half...

"It's that he [the referee] ended up giving a foul to the opposition and I thought it was a foul to us. It was one of them things. I was just appealing to it. We've had him before and he gets a little be pedantic at times."

On the goal Minnesota conceded in the first half...

"I'll have to see it again. We're halfway in the other half and got a lot of bodies on that. Obviously, we turned it over twice: when we had the throw-in, we gave it away, then the ball comes to Luis [Amarilla] and we give it away and then at that time it was still where everybody from the opposition was playing, and it was a good strike on the inside of the post. It was a good strike and well-placed."

On defender Brent Kallman...

"Well, he's had a back spasm last week and the birth of his second child at the weekend. He wanted to be home for that, and Brent should be at home. Obviously, the emotion of that - having a second child, a little baby girl that he was hoping for - for Brent to play the way he has today speaks volumes for the way he is."

On midfielder Emmanuel Iwe's performance and goal tonight...

"He had a really frustrating year last year with his injury. But, the kid has some tools to work with. He's really, really quick, has a really nice left foot, he's a good deliverer of the ball and he can score a goal. He might have gotten a little fortune with the deflection, but he's in the right spot and he's had the courage to take the opportunity. So, he'll be pleased with that. He's buzzing in the changing room; he's got his first professional goal with the first team. That will be good."

On what the team needs to do to advance past the next round...

"Let's see where we are, what team we play. As I always say, contrary to popular belief, the opposition want to win. We'll treat it with the same respect that we did tonight. Although we made a few changes, I still thought these players were capable of winning the game, which is what we got."

On sticking with the same game plan heading into the second half...

"I thought we had to have a little more control and sort of take the Cup-tie atmosphere out of the game, because at the beginning, it was sort of end-to-end and there wasn't a lot of football played. Let's have a better composure, let's have the extra pass in there, and I thought we did that quite well in the second half. We had other opportunities as well."

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