Minnesota United will try to snap a five-match winless drought when they host a Vancouver Whitecaps side wrapping up a stretch of seven consecutive away matches on Saturday in Saint Paul, Minn.
Minnesota (6-6-4, 22 points) was winless in four matches going into the World Cup break, then returned to play on the wrong side of a 2-1 defeat at Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday evening.
The Loons have held the majority of possession and took the majority of shots in all five of those matches.
But they’ve struggled with the end product, particularly before halftime. Their only first-half goal during this slide was Kelvin Yeboah’s 26th-minute penalty in a 2-1 loss at New England back on May 16.
“When it’s not going your way, that’s when you have to have stability emotionally,” Minnesota manager Cameron Knowles said after Wednesday’s loss. “We’ve talked a lot with the guys about that and making sure that we’re collective and we’re together and trying to create and stay in the game.”
Yeboah still leads the team with eight goals, but he hasn’t scored a non-penalty tally since a brace in a 3-2 victory over Columbus on May 2.
Vancouver (10-3-2, 32 points) also lost in its return to play, a 4-3 defeat at FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night which dropped its record to 2-2-2 during this extended road trip.
But the Whitecaps saw the return of creative Scottish midfielder Ryan Gauld to the starting 11 for the first time in 501 days after extended knee injury struggles.
With regular captain Thomas Muller given the night off, Gauld scored a brace in his return to play while putting in a 63-minute shift.
The latter tally in the 58th minute closed Vancouver’s deficit to a single goal for a third time, but the Whitecaps were unable to find a late leveler.
“It was amazing to have him back, and it was great for everybody that he (was) on the scoring sheet,” Whitecaps manager Jesper Sorensen said. “We are all happy for him in that regard, and it’s definitely positive, but on the other hand, right now I just have so many thoughts about the game. I have to really evaluate it also in my head.”
–Field Level Media
