Sports stats



MLS Minnesota United FC

MNUFC Take 3 Points in Season Opener in Portland

March 2, 2020 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - In the opening game of the 2020 MLS season, Minnesota United needed a little time to settle down and grow into the game against the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. After a first half where the Loons overcame some early nerves to put up a strong fight, the second half opened with a great deal more action and a 1-1 scoreline after the first 10 or so minutes. But Minnesota would pull ahead late with two goals nearly back-to-back that Portland could not find an answer for. Luis Amarilla opened his MLS account with the go-ahead goal while Kevin Molino bagged a brace and Ethan Finlay figured in all three, ending up with two assists on the night.

The opening 15 minutes of the game saw the Loons working to put defensive pressure on the Timbers, but also turning the ball over and playing a bit nervy. The result was an overall advantage for the home side, who got the first decent chance of the game in the fourth minute when midfielder Sebastian Blanco served up a cross to Cristhian Paredes low to the ground that went begging. Minnesota, meanwhile, struggled to turn the ball upfield as aggressively as Head Coach Adrian Heath would have liked and the result was a 4-0 advantage in shots for the home side through the first 15.

But as MNUFC grew into the game, the pace and possession leveled out some and the visitors started to show some teeth, earning the first corner kick of the night in the 25th minute. The action got a chippy as well with two yellow cards getting handed out to Osvaldo Alonso and Romain Metanire for rugged challenges and one to Paredes for the same on Alonso. MNUFC ended the half with a flurry of balls into the box without finding a finisher, but in all, the Loons built confidence over the course of the half and the teams headed into the tunnel deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half began with much the same tenor as the first ended, with both teams pressing to regain possession before looking to break off deep runs on the counterattack. The Loons were the first to draw blood with this approach when Ethan Finlay got out ahead on the break down the right wing in the 51st minute. He sent the ball across to Robin Lod who challenged goalkeeper Steve Clark high in the box. Although Lod couldn't escape Clark with the ball at his feet, Clark couldn't secure the ball and rolled out to a waiting Kevin Molino who skipped ahead and tapped it in gently to put Minnesota up 1-0.

Barely three minutes later, though, Portland's Felipe Mora would find himself working the ball through the box before holding it up in the top right corner. Challenged by Ike Opara, Mora went down and drew the penalty, which Diego Valeri calmly finished going right when Tyler Miller guessed left. But in the 76th minute, Finlay would once again find himself with space on the right wing after Portland had pushed deep into Minnesota's half. Charging forward, he picked out Luis Amarilla floating off the far post and pinged a picture-perfect pass onto the Paraguayan's forehead. Amarilla nodded the ball into the ground and just under Clark for his first MLS goal and a 2-1 lead.

Moments later, a wild sequence of passes in Portland's box found Amarilla tapping a long pass from Miller back to Molino, who tapped it forward to Finlay, who flicked the ball over his head to find Molino wide open. Molino drilled the volley past Clark for his second goal of the night and a 3-1 lead.

At the death, it appeared that Portland might have snatched one back when Mora nudged in front of defender Michael Boxall for a goal but the flag went up and the Timbers were denied the consolation goal, leaving on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline that gives Minnesota United its first win of the 2020 MLS season and its first-ever win at Providence Park.

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Midfielder Kevin Molino

BREAKDOWN

51' | Ethan Finlay breaks off of the attack by POR and sends it to Robin Lod in the middle, who challenges Steve Clark. Clark can't secure the ball and it's loose to Molino who finishes it with a tap. 1-0

56' | After Minnesota concedes a penalty when Ike Opara takes down Felipe Mora in the corner of the box, Diego Valeri goes right from the spot while Tyler Miller goes left. 1-1

76' | Finlay gets out on the break again down the right wing and crosses it high across the box and finds Amarilla on the far post, who nods it past Clark easily. 2-1

78' | Miller clears it to Amarilla, who taps it back to Molino, who taps it up to Finlay who flicks it over his head and Molino drills it into the back of the net with the volley. 3-1

LINEUPS

Minnesota United: GK Tyler Miller; D Romain Metanire, Ike Opara, Michael Boxall, Chase Gasper; M Ozzie Alonso, Jan Gregus, Robin Lod, Kevin Molino, Ethan Finlay; F Luis Amarilla

Portland Timbers: GK Steve Clark; D Jorge Moreira, Larrys Mabiala, Dario Zuparic, Jorge Villafana; M Christhian Paredes, Diego Chara, Yimmi Chara, Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco; F Felipe Mora

UP NEXT

Minnesota United at San Jose Earthquakes

Earthquakes Stadium | San Jose, California

03.07.2020 | MLS Week No. 1 | MLS Game No. 2

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

General thoughts on the match...

"I thought we started a little bit slow. Our ball retention wasn't the best first 10-15 minutes and we weathered a couple of opportunities from them. But after I thought, once we weathered the storm, I thought we were more than capable of catching them on the break, on the counter-attack, and I did say to them if we don't concede any more, we can win this game."

On his expectations of Kevin Molino and Ethan Finlay...

"It was a great ball from Ethan, a really good header down, you know heading it down makes it difficult for the keeper. Pleased for Kev [Kevin Molino] because he's worked real hard in preseason, trying to get him back into thinking about scoring goals. Trust me, it's never an easy place to come and play football, especially on the opening day when everybody's full of everything because it's the opening day of the season. So, delighted for the players, all the hard work they put in preseason actually showed with our defensive shape at times. I thought they were excellent."

On his first win here at Providence Park in four years...

"I think it is, is it? Just as I said, I'm pleased for about, what do you have, a couple of hundred people up in the corner there of Minnesota fans so it was great to give them something to cheer. I thank them for the support and now we dust ourselves down, go again on Monday and let's see where we are next week at San Jose."

On Ethan Finlay's performance...

"His energy levels were terrific but that's what we know we got with Ethan. He's put a bit of quality in for a great bit of movement from Luis [Amarilla], he looks to run in near post, balls off the back shoulder, all the stuff that we were talking about, his movement, and as I say, pleased for him, pleased for Kev [Kevin Molino] and no I'm just pleased for the group."

On Luis Amarilla's missed opportunity in the first half...

"He'll be disappointed with the one from the corner in the first half. And if you look we had two or three really other good opportunities as well. Keeper made a great save from Robin Lod, which would've took us to 2-1 back up again. But overall, delighted with everything. Delighted with the application of the guys to stick to the game plan and work really hard. So a good start."

On coming back from Portland's equalizer...

"The shape was really good all night you know, they got really quality players, they spent an awful lot of money putting together this group of players together, Portland. So we knew we were going to have to withstand 10-15 at a time of defending in our box and when we did, when we needed it, Boxy [Michael Boxall], Ike [Opara], Romain [Metanire] and Chase [Gaspar], they stood up and I thought we were worthy winners in the end actually."

On Tyler Miller's performance...

"Great presence coming in between bodies to come and take crosses. As I say, delighted for everyone."

MINNESOTA UNITED MIDFIELDER ETHAN FINLAY

General thoughts on the match...

"Great team win tonight. We were able to weather the storm the first 15 minutes, settle down I think and we knew what this game was going to be about. It's early in the season, things aren't always the prettiest sometimes and I think we had some sloppy moments maybe in the first half and then we kind of figured it out and started to really settle in and really took advantage on the counter-attack and we're very clinical so really happy with the start from all phases."

On if this is what Adrian Heath expects from he and Kevin Molino...

"I mean yeah, two and two, two assists for me and two goals for him, a great start to our 2020 campaign. So yeah we're just getting going. Luis [Amarilla] one of 25 in the books here so a really nice night for all the guys along the front line."

MINNESOTA UNITED MIDFIELDER KEVIN MOLINO

On the team's second-half performance...

"After a difficult first half, all credit to them, I think we fought hard and stuck together as a team. You know Portland is a very good team at home, they have a lot of quality, the fans get involved in the game and of course [it was] difficult the first 15 minutes but we weathered the storm and we got a goal and we rallied together as a team."

On if this is what Adrian Heath wants from him and Ethan Finlay...

"I felt good all preseason, I put in a lot of work and now it's the result of the work that I put in through preseason and you know all credit to the team, not just me and Ethan, it was a team performance defensively, midfield and attacking and we're happy for the win."

On his first goal...

"It was anticipation thinking that the ball was going to come back to me and I followed up and take my time and scored for the team."

On his second goal of the match...

"Good combination with the team and I take my time and score a goal."

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from March 2, 2020


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.

OurSports Central