MLS NEXT Pro Minnesota United FC 2

MNUFC2 Nearly Completes Comback, Loses 3-2 at Tacoma Defiance

Published on July 18, 2022 under MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Minnesota United FC 2 News Release


TUKWILA, Wash. -- MNUFC2 traveled to face the Tacoma Defiance for the very first time on Sunday night. What started as a closely contested match then opened up in favor of the Washington squad. But a late-game resurgence by the Loons created chaos, only to fall just short of an equalizer, with the full-time 3-2 score giving all three points to the Defiance.

Sunday night's contest was more even-keeled than it may have appeared. Statistically, both sides kept close to each other. Possession was split near 50-50 for the entirety of the contest, but leaned on the Loons' side 58%-41% in the end. MNUFC2 barely edged the Defiance in shots with 15 total (seven on target) compared to the home side's 14 (four on goal). The difference in the game was Tacoma's speed and finishing, notably breaking through the MNUFC2 back line to snag the 1-0 advantage when Defiance midfielder Juan Alvarez found the back of the net in the 10th minute. Then quickly in the second half, Tacoma doubled their lead 2-0 when defender Travian Sousa connected a pass and scored in the 46th minute. MNUFC2 conceded a penalty kick in the 62nd minute where midfielder Marlon Vargas converted, giving Tacoma the 3-0 lead.

Loons midfielder Aziel Jackson had one of the few strong scoring chances for MNUFC2 when he stepped up to take a PK attempt that he had drawn in the seventh minute, but the try was ultimately saved. Minnesota got a goal back when midfielder Sagir Arce scored in the 65th minute off a Tommy Williamson pass, just one minute after entering the contest. Nearly 10 minutes later, Williamson joined in on the scoring, finding the back of the net in the 73rd minute, tallying his fifth goal of the season. Though the Loons had two unanswered goals in the second half, their persistence fell just short, with the match ending at 3-2 in favor of Tacoma.

With the loss, MNUFC2 remains in the seventh position in the MLS Next Pro Western Conference standings (6-6-3, 24 points).

MNUFC2 continues its road trip next week as it faces Houston Dynamo 2 on July 24 at the AVEVA Stadium in Houston, Texas. Kick is set for 7:00 p.m. CT, and the contest will be streamed live at www.mlsnextpro.com.

GOALS

0-1 TAC - Juan Alvarez, Assist by Travian Sousa (10')

0-2 TAC - Travian Sousa, Assist by Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez (46')

0-3 TAC - Marlon Vargas, PK (62')

1-3 MIN - Sagir Arce, Assist by Tommy Williamson (65')

2-3 MIN - Tommy Williamson (73')

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

Yellow, TAC - Wallis Lapsley (7')

Yellow, TAC - Reed Baker-Whiting (14')

Yellow, MIN - Ignacia Gutierrez (33')

Yellow, MIN - Nick Mendonca (72')

Yellow, TAC - Alfred Gombe-Fei (83')

NOTABLE STATS

1 - Attacking midfielder Sagir Arce scored his first MNUFC2 and MLS Next Pro goal in the 65th minute, just one full minute after he entered the match against Tacoma

2 - Loons midfielder Aziel Jackson led the team in key passes with two against Tacoma. Jackson is second in the league in key passes made with 37

13 - Ignacio Gutierrez won 13 of his 18 duels against the Defiance, leading the team on the night

TEAM LEADERS (Updated through July 17)

Goals - Aziel Jackson (6)

Assists - Aziel Jackson (5)

Saves - Fred Emmings (33)

Wins - Fred Emmings (3)

Shutouts - Eric Dick (2)

MLS NEXT PRO STANDINGS, WESTERN CONFERENCE (Through July 17)

(W,L,D, points) SOW*

1. Tacoma Defiance (9-3-4, 34 points) 3

2. St. Louis CITY2 (10-3-2, 33 points) 1

3. Houston Dynamo 2 (9-4-3, 32 points) 2

4. North Texas SC (9-4-3, 31 points) 1

5. Whitecaps FC 2 (7-4-5, 28 points) 2

6. Earthquakes II (7-6-3, 25 points) 1

7. MNUFC2 (6-6-3, 24 points) 3

8. Sporting KC 2 (7-7-2, 23 points) 0

9. Colorado Rapids 2 (5-9-2, 18 points) 1

10. Real Monarch (2-12-2, 8 points) 0

11. Timbers2 (1-12-2, 7 points) 2

*Shoot Out Wins count as two points

MNUFC2 POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH CAMERON KNOWLES

On his side fighting until the last moments of the match...

"A lot of credit to the group. To go 3-0 down and then keep fighting and battling, giving us a chance at one point, potentially two points with a shoot out. So, the guys who came into the game made a difference and it was important. We had a number of good chances in the game and they [Tacoma Defiance] were able to execute and we weren't. It was, other than that, a pretty even game between two good teams."

On finishing chances and how that influences outcomes...

"It's and old cliché, of course, but goals change games. Whether you're scoring them or conceding them, they change games. For us to come into halftime 1-0 down with the way that we played in the first half, we felt good because we had a lot of good chances and controlled large portions of the game. But then to concede right away at the beginning of the second half, it makes much more difficult. We dug ourselves a bit of a hole, and that hole was a bit too deep for us to claw our way out of."

On positives to take away from the match...

"There are a lot of positives in the game. We had some really good moments in the game. When we reflect on it, we've said this many times, it's not just how the result may effect the standings, but how we're moving forward as individuals and how we're moving forward as a group, and I thought a lot of guys had a lot of good moments. Unfortunately, it didn't reflect in a win and three points, but I'm happy for Sagir [Arce] to get on the sore sheet. And Tommy [Williamson], that was a well taken chance and an opportunistic chance. We had a few others. Even AZ [Aziel Jackson] to draw the penalty is really good playing and he's really brave in that moment. So, I think there's a lot of positives to take from the game."

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