Minnesota United played its 276th MLS match on Saturday, and lost its biggest lead since the club joined the league in 2017.
MNUFC was up 3-0 through 67 minutes but gave up three goals to winless Sporting Kansas City in a 3-3 draw at Children’s Mercy Park. Head coach Eric Ramsay called the collapse “sickening” on Saturday and again on Tuesday.
Minnesota’s most-infamous lost lead was two goals in a 3-2 loss to Seattle Sounders in the 2020 Western Conference Final. For as bad as Saturday was, that playoff defeat still stands alone as the club’s most heartbreaking loss.
Last weekend’s head-spinning draw had many culprits, and one was the Loons’ incomplete roster depth at right wing back. Behind Bongi Hlongwane, a converted attacker, United subbed on regular center back Jefferson Diaz in the second half, and the Colombian was the weak link in two of the three goals conceded in Kansas.
“We’ve gone through the logic behind the decision since the plane journey home almost relentlessly,” Ramsay said Tuesday. “It’s a point in the game where I would say (Kansas City) upgraded in terms of how threatening they are on that (left) side. … Obviously, Jeff has come in at right wing back for us in situations where we want to close the game out and move Bongi into a position (wide midfield in a 5-4-1 formation) where he’s very comfortable, very solid defensively.
“The ironic thing, I suppose, is we get weaker defensively on that side, where the intention is we would get stronger by the character and profile of the players.”
The absences of D.J. Taylor, who has been out all season with a hamstring injury, and Matus Kmet, a signing last summer who was loaned to Poland club Gornik Zabrze, have made the Loons shallow at that spot.
International conflict
MNUFC will again suffer more than opponents when playing during international windows.
On Saturday, the Loons will have five starters away with their respective national teams while the Los Angeles Galaxy will have no first-team players absent for the 3:30 p.m. game at Allianz Field. Only three of the 30 teams in MLS have more players away than Minnesota — Atlanta, New York City and Philadelphia.
The Loons will be particularly shorthanded defensively, without goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair (Canada) and center backs Michael Boxall (New Zealand) and Carlos Harvey (Panama). MNUFC is expected to start Alec Smir in net for the first time this season. He gave up six goals in his three league starts last year.
Center back Nicolas Romero, who has only subbed into the San Jose win, might receive his first MLS start. Diaz, who joined MNUFC last summer, and first-year starter Morris Duggan appear probable to feature in a three-man back line. Duggan is trying to shake off an own goal against Sporting.
That’s a lot of inexperience for the Loons defense, which will dodge a couple of bullets with the MLS Cup-winning Galaxy having threatening attackers Jeremy Paintsil and Riqui Puig out with injuries.
United left wing back Joseph Rosales trained in full Tuesday. If he gets through the week, he might return from a quad injury that has kept him out since the season-opening 1-0 loss to LAFC on Feb. 22.
Messi watch
Superstar Lionel Messi is scheduled to come to St. Paul in less than two months, but the chances he plays with Inter Miami on May 10 appear slim.
Messi, 37, has played in two of Miami’s four MLS games this season and was left of Argentina’s team this week, reportedly due to an injury. Messi has, however, played in three Concacaf Champions Cup matches for Miami, so managing his early season minutes also appears to have been a factor in his work load.
Briefly
Hassani Dotson was held out of Tuesday’s training session but Ramsay said it’s likely he returns to the field in Blaine later this week.
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