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MNUFC Match Preview | News and Notes Ahead of Sporting Kansas City

August 24, 2018 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- For the third time this season, Minnesota United renews acquaintances with Sporting Kansas City this weekend in the third game of the Loons' current five-game road trip. Sporting KC - the Western Conference's No. 2 team - is coming off of a 3-0 home win over Portland Timbers, boasts a three-game winning streak and has not conceded a goal over that stretch.

FIRST TOUCHES:

Adrian Heath: "It will be no different - a 4-3-3 and a full press. They are very good at home, as Portland [Timbers] found out this weekend. It is a really difficult place to go. Peter [Vermes] has done a great job there. They have a system they believe in and they buy players for the system. They have done really well. It is going to be difficult for us this weekend, but we have to go there with as much confidence as we can."

Eric Miller: "90 minutes of focus and discipline. You have to make sure that if you have goals, they are really good goals. We have had a bad proclivity to give up some soft goals in the past. Moving forward, we showed in Dallas that we can keep our lines tight together and make teams play wide. Hopefully we take some of those lessons - like giving up a set-piece goal and giving up a goal without enough pressure - and take that moving forward and learn from it."

MNUFC announced on Tuesday, August 21 the signing of Brazilian defensive midfielder Fernando Bob. Full release in English and Spanish.

Francisco Calvo and Collen Warner return to the squad for the trip to Sporting Kansas City after serving one-game suspensions for a red card and yellow-card accumulation, respectively.

In the five-game MLS series between MNUFC and Sporting KC, the away team has never won.

Darwin Quintero scored the equalizing goal for MNUFC when Sporting KC last visited TCF Bank Stadium on May 20.

Five different Loons have scored the team's five goals against Sporting KC. Quintero, Abu Danladi, Brent Kallman and Tyrone Mears are the scorers currently on the roster.

Danladi and Miguel Ibarra each have two assists against Sporting KC. Ibarra got both of his on May 7, 2017 - a 2-0 win for the Loons.

Since joining MNUFC, Bobby Shuttleworth has made 30 saves against Sporting KC.

Shuttleworth and Tim Melia have one clean sheet apiece in this series.

Shuttleworth set the club single-game saves record against Sporting KC on May 20, 2018. He made nine saves to preserve a 1-1 draw at home.

Diego Rubio is the only player with multiple goals (2) in the all-time series between these two teams in MLS.

This is the sixth regular-season meeting between these two teams. MNUFC has faced Sporting KC more than any MLS opponent.

This is the Loons' third and final game against Sporting KC during the 2018 regular season. MNUFC has gone 0-1-1 (two goals for, five against).

INJURY REPORT:

Minnesota United

OUT:

M - Sam Cronin (head)

M - Ethan Finlay (R ACL tear - out for season)

M - Kevin Molino (L ACL tear - out for season)

QUESTIONABLE:

F - Darwin Quintero (R lower leg)

Sporting Kansas City

OUT:

D - Jimmy Medranda (Knee)

D/M - Brad Evans (Calf)

M - Cristian Lobato (Quad)

F - Khiry Shelton (R MCL)

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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