Dayne St. Clair did everything he could to will undermanned Minnesota United into the knockout rounds of the Leagues Cup at Allianz Field on Tuesday.
The Loons goalkeeper’s hands were battered as he made 16 saves as 10-men Minnesota beat Necaxa 1-0. After facing a deluge of 21 corner kicks, the final whistle allowed teammates to mob the clear man of the match.
St. Clair broke a club record for most saves in a match in all competitions, besting Vito Mannone’s 11 saves in an MLS match in 2019. St. Clair set a Leagues Cup record and would have tied the MLS’ top total.
The Loons had a must-win scenario Tuesday to stay alive in West Group 6 after its 2-0 loss to Seattle on Friday. Necaxa will play at Seattle in the final group match on Sunday.
Loons head coach Eric Ramsay has been willing to go “experimental” with starting lineups in Leagues Cup. Part of that is lack of ingredients (players) at his disposal, but the concoction he came up with in the lab blew up Tuesday.
Ramsay started two rookie center backs — Hugo Bacharach and Morris Duggan — and Bacharach was beat in a race in on goal by Necaxa attacker Monreal Ricardo in the 20th minute. A desperate Bacharach took out the legs of Ricardo and was issued a red card just outside the 18-yard box.
When the Loons went down to 10 men, they were fortunate to be up 1-0 thanks to a penalty kick goal from Robin Lod in the 10th minute.
To earn the PK, Loic Mesanvi was sideswiped by Necaxa’s Arce Fernando in the penalty area. Bongi Hlongwane’s back-heel pass helped spring Mesanvi into a threatening space.
Ramsay quickly adjusted to the red card, bringing on central midfielder Alejandro Bran for attacker Bongi Hlongwane and shifting Carlos Harvey back to the center back role he has played in recent weeks.
Necaxa had the better chances after the red card with four shots on goal to close out the first half, but goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair denied all of them. He lunged to his right for a sprawling save in the 41st minute and was springy enough to react to a deflection and make a save in the 46th minute.
The Loons had an argument to make that Necaxa deserved a red card before Bacharach was sent off when Cambindo Diber took out St. Clair’s legs when playing out of the back in the 16th minute.
The noise level at Allianz Field, outside of reaction to play on the field, was subdued compared to MLS games. Supporters groups in the Wonderwall on the south end were not leading chants, banging drums or waiving flags — a clear statement to how MLS has diminished U.S. Open Cup in favor of Leagues Cup.
Briefly
Loons forward Tani Oluwaseyi appeared to injure his right leg during the 55th minute. … New Zealand men’s soccer team was knocked out of the Summer Olympics on Tuesday, meaning Kiwi center back Michael Boxall will leave France and soon rejoin MNUFC. … Midfielder Hassani Dotson, who was suspended for Tuesday’s match for the red card he received in Seattle on Friday, received an additional one-match suspension by Leagues Cup.
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