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MLS Minnesota United FC

MNUFC Draw RSL at Home

September 27, 2020 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SAINT PAUL, Minn. - On a rainy night in Saint Paul, Minnesota United squared off against visiting Real Salt Lake, intent on making the most of what amounts to a homestead of two back-to-back games in the continuing oddness of this season. Despite dominating possession for the entire game and ending up with more of the shots on goal and on target after the Loons began turning possession into opportunities in the second half, MNUFC were unable to find the back of the net in this one. The Loons would take the point, moving up in the Western Conference to sixth and looking ahead to another game at Allianz Field against FC Cincinnati next Saturday.

The game opened with the home side on the front foot. Minnesota's first shot came in the third minute, when midfielder Robin Lod laid the ball off to defender Romain Metanire, who fired in a right-footed shot that RSL goalkeeper Andrew Putna deflected, keeping it in. Throughout the first half, the Loons pressed the issue, keeping the majority of possession and not giving the Claret-and-Cobalt much of an opportunity to play with the ball at their feet.

Much of the game was played in Real Salt Lake's half, but the visitors also racked up more shots than the home team, putting up three shots to Minnesota's one in the first 30 minutes. It was a symptom of a Minnesota side that was aggressive defensively and did good work moving the ball through the midfield, but couldn't connect on the final ball. Chalk it up to the still-growing chemistry between forward Kei Kamara, midfielder Emanuel Reynoso and the rest of the team, or chalk it up yet again to a tremendously strange season, but a lack of timely connection was much in evidence.

Reynoso, for his part, kept his work rate up all over the field, making himself indispensable all over the field, both in attack and defensively, where he didn't shy away from challenging his opposite numbers and winning the ball back. His comfort level within the game has certainly grown since his arrival and tonight's performance augurs good things for the Argentine.

By the end of the first half, MNUFC were without a corner kick and their handful of free kicks had not threatened the goal. Without set pieces or an effective counterattack - which they couldn't spring with so much of the ball - the Loons simply lacked for edge and bite for the first 45 as the teams headed into the tunnel deadlocked and scoreless.

The second half began much more promisingly as the game loosened up considerably right from the get-go. In the 50th minute, a savvy headed pass from the right wing by Metanire put the ball directly into the path of Reynoso, who slipped it around a defender before slotting a shot that Putna turned away. The midfielder would get an even better effort off on goal five minutes later, but would also be denied from short range.

For their part, Real Salt Lake took advantage of Minnesota's forward energy to put more of theirs into countering. The result was a wealth of chances for RSL but little actual finishing for the visitors.

One of Minnesota's best opportunities came in the 58th minute when Kamara settled a long pass from midfielder Jan Gregus and sent it across the box to Lod, who took the ball onto his favored left foot and aimed a shot for the far post. Unfortunately, his effort went just wide.

Chance after chance seemed to come Minnesota's way, with the home side being denied time again by luck or errant feet, including a tantalizing opportunity to snatch a full three points late as defender Bakaye Dibassy's 87th minute header off a corner kick from the right side bounced into the ground and hit the far post before bouncing harmlessly out of bounds.

With just three minutes of stoppage time, MNUFC didn't have much time to make something of the scoreless draw, including a terrific effort by late sub Marlon Hairston to get up and get a head on a long cross that resulted in a collision with an RSL defender that left them both on the ground. Hairston would shake it off and return to the fray, but by that point, it was all over but the shouting. The ref blew the whistle and the teams split the points, RSL likely happy with a road point and MNUFC disappointed not to have come away with more from a game they largely dominated.

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Midfielder Emanuel Reynoso

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Chase Gasper, Michael Boxall, Bakaye Dibassy, Romain Metanire; M Hassani Dotson, Jacori Hayes, Jan Gregus, Emanuel Reynoso, Robin Lod; F Kei Kamara

Real Salt Lake: GK Andrew Putna; D Aaron Herrera, Marcelo Silva, Nedum Onuoha, Justen Glad; M Pablo Ruiz, Damir Kreilach, Maikel Chang, Albert Rusnak, Justin Meram; F Douglas Martínez

UP NEXT

Minnesota United vs. FC Cincinnati

Allianz Field | Saint Paul, Minnesota

10.3.20 | MLS Week No. 14 | MLS Game 15

7:00 p.m. CT (FOX Sports North, FOX Sports GO, MNUFC Radio on SKOR North)

MINNESOTA UNITED QUOTE SHEET

MINNESOTA UNITED HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On how he felt about his team's performance tonight overall ...

"I thought the first half, in the middle of the field, we were very good. Not enough threat in the final third. I thought we rectified that. We tweaked the shape a wee bit at halftime and I would settle for a game like that every week where we get, you know, not many opportunities conceded, but, how many did we have? I could think of maybe five really, really good opportunities. So, a lot of positives there. Disappointment, obviously, I thought we did more than enough to win the game. And, if we play like that and create them chances, invariably, we will win the games."

On not being able to take the chances and how many you could have scored...

"I'll have to watch it again, because obviously your mind is racing when you're watching it. But, I can think of a couple for [Emanuel Reynoso], Kei [Kamara], Robin [Lod], Hassani [Dotson]. Golden chances. Normally, you would score. Normally, we would score a goal tonight. And, I think one would have been enough. But, it wasn't to be. I thought the performance was, at times, really, really good in the second half. And, if we can play like that here, we will win games."

On Minnesota United being winless in four and if it feels like a bit of a skid ...

"Maybe to you, not to me. No."

On only using one substitution tonight even though he had players available ...

"Well, I keep saying this. There's a fascination with substitutions in America. I don't understand it at times. When you're creating the chances that we are, in the second half, and are completely dominant, why would we upset the rhythm in the team? I could understand it if we aren't creating chances, we don't look as though we're on the front foot, something isn't right, but, the way we were playing in the second half, I think all I would have done was disrupt the rhythm of the game. And, maybe upset what we were doing. There's nothing wrong with the way we were playing. There was nothing wrong with the shape that we had. We just couldn't get the breakthrough. We were one quick finish away from probably winning the game, like we did last time."

On Emanuel Reynoso's performance tonight ...

"I thought at times he was outstanding in the second half. All the things that we know. He created two unbelievable chances for himself. He'll be disappointed he didn't score. We're really happy with [Emanuel] Reynoso. We know what we've got. We're still getting to know him. We're still getting to find out where he likes to work on the field. And, that will come. I'm delighted with him. Love his work rate. Love his energy. Love his vision. Love his passing ability. So, he's going to be fine."

On an update on Kevin Molino's status ...

"He trained. As I said, he trained on Friday really well, and then on Saturday he woke up and he just felt as though if he really opened himself up, he would cause more damage. He just didn't feel 100 percent comfortable with his hamstring. He's trained again today. So, obviously, we think he'll be available for next weekend."

On if he's looking forward to a full week at home to train, then FC Cincinnati at home on the weekend ...

"I'm looking forward more to having a full week's training and getting some of the lads who are carrying knocks... there's two or three of the guys who, ideally, they would not be playing if we had people who were available in their spots. But we don't. So, for certain players it's going be two or three really resting days, and for others, we can get some work done. And, for others, we can start to do some patterns of play and some combination play and some phases of play that we think might help us next week."

On if he's still looking to add anyone to the roster during the rest of Phase 2 ...

"I think as long as there's always time, you always think about it. Obviously, we have got players who are injured. If we had everybody fit and healthy, I don't think we would be looking. But, you know, you never know in this game. Certain teams may be a little bit more, shall we say, ready to change things, and sometimes things come your way that you think, that might be a good opportunity. But, as of this minute, probably not. But, as I'm saying that, you know, there's still time to go within this transfer window."

On who the players would be to have rest if given the opportunity ...

"Well, I don't want to put that out there. That being fair. But, trust me, we have four or five guys who could do with a rest, I think. Or at least three or four days to freshen up, but, they have not had that opportunity. Sometimes doing nothing is the best treatment ever. Get them away from the facility. Get their mind, and, mentally, get themselves ready as much as physically. Certainly, I know we've got a full week's training now. Some players will not be training a full week, for sure."

On what he thought of the threat that Kei Kamara presented tonight ...

"We still, you know, we still got work to do in terms of where we play him in the box. Where we play him the ball in the box. Yeah, you know. He's working really, really hard for us tonight. He's had his opportunity. He did great with the one he set up for Robin [Lod]. He gave us a presence. So, he'll get better. As we all get to know him better and he gets to know this group better. I'm just really looking forward to maybe getting three or four of the guys rested and some of the guys with a full week's work, because, the one thing, not just for us, for Salt Lake, for all these other teams, I don't think enough has been made of the schedule that we have. It's bordering on being ridiculous, the amount of travel and games we're having. Every four days. And, you're expecting the same group of guys to keep running around. Virtually impossible at times. But, you know, such is the nature of football players. They want to play every game. And, hopefully, we can freshen them up this week."

MINNESOTA UNITED MIDFIELDER JACORI HAYES

On the last few games for MNUFC...

"Thinking about tonight, I think we played well, it's just unfortunate we didn't put the ball in the back of the net. We'd be having a completely different conversation right now, but we were able to get a point and hopefully we can go forward and review what happened and score some goals next week."

On the game being a point earned or two points dropped...

"It's difficult to say, we have high expectations, especially at home. Even though there are no fans we want to keep that same atmosphere and keep it a fortress, so we always come in to these games expecting three points. So we are little disappointed, but it's still a point and everything is super tight in the West and we will take points where we can get them and hopefully we can build on this and get the win next weekend."

On not being able to take the chances and how many you could have scored...

"You want to say you can score four [goals] again, but soccer is funny like that. You struggle just to get the one sometimes. The game last time was a bit crazy and still tight even into the second half with the onslaught at the end. Soccer is funny and it can flip just like that."

On rotating formations...

"I haven't drawn any conclusions or found any correlations myself [to the formation switches and results]. It's good that we have some flexibility and we keep trying different formations and have different tools in our pocket. Come playoff time we can bust something out and we can be a versatile team. We just keep working on both formations and so towards the end of the season nobody knows what we are doing."

MINNESOTA UNITED DEFENDER MICHAEL BOXALL

On four straight games without a win...

"I thought we created a lot changes in the Houston game, but then aside from that...just in that final third, things aren't quite clicking as they should or as they have in games where, like, the last time Salt Lake came here. So, it's always difficult when you're switching up the combinations, between injury and availability, and what not. It's just we haven't gotten things clicking quite how we'd like them too."

On the inconsistency of the final third and how it changes his defending)...

"No, I don't try to slow it down. I think we have to speed things up - I think when we look to a little bit dangerous times, when we were attacked down Romain [Metanire'] s side and then quickly moved to the other side where Chase [Gasper] had a lot of space. He had a lot of space to work with in the first half - four or five times he gets into dangerous areas. I think, yeah, we really need to speed things up from the back just so that people like [Emanuel] Reynoso, and our top two guys on the ball, have more time when they are in that final third."

On how many goals he thinks the team should've had...

"I think we had some great looks. I see [Emanuel] Reynoso got in there a couple of times, Kei [Kamara] as well - he must've had fourteen touches on the ball that one time when he went into the box in the second half. Even Romain [Metanire], what two minutes on the clock he came and keeper pulls out a great save. So, I mean we're creating chances, it's just frustrating we can't get one past the keeper tonight."

On pulling off a clean sheet on defense...

"Obviously, Chase [Gasper] and Romain [Metanire] have been so reliable and solid for the last eighteen months, twenty months, whatever it is. And then [Bakaye] Dibassy is obviously still getting comfortable, but he looks uncomfortable there - just getting used to the combination - I think I'm going to have to take French lessons soon (between those two guys). Nah, I think, even though Chase [Gasper] is young, we're all pretty experienced and managed to control pretty all of Salt Lake's threats tonight."

On changing his approach to playing with Jose Aja to Bakaye Dibassy...

"The language barrier is not an issue, I actually think he speaks better English than Romain [Metanire]. It is a bit particular playing out...I think I do feel a bit more comfortable on that right side. Although I do get used to playing on the left and I think it just gives us a few more options playing forward then we can play past the midfield when we are getting pressed and to bounce it off Kei or find Reynoso in those holes."

On if a point at home hurts or if a point's a point...

"I'll tell you in about six or seven games I think. I think for us, it does hurt. I think especially how we dealt with them when they came here the first time. Plus, we've (it seems like) a massive stretch of games not at Allianz and when we now how many points we've picked up here last year and how very few teams got anything from us when they came here. We have expected the same here tonight, and the performance wasn't far off, it's just the one or two percent in that final third that kind of let us down."

On how to get back to the performance they had in Florida...

"I mean, it'd be nice to get a few points back. I think this is the longest stretch in between games that we've had in a long-long time. So, hopefully we get some healthy bodies back and use that time on the pitch well just to get things forming properly. I don't really think that Kei and Reynoso have had a proper training session. It's always been recoveries or match-day prep or it'll be good to get some actual reps up in Blaine altogether."

On his sweatshirt message...

"That's the last question? That's what you've come up with? No, its not it's just a very-very comfy hoodie. With the weather turning as it's about to now it keeps me warm. When my wife's not stealing it."

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