Minnesota United will try to snap an eight-match winless streak Wednesday night when the Loons host Eastern Conference cellar dweller Atlanta United in Saint Paul, Minn.
The contest will be part of a celebration of the 10th season for the ninth-place Loons (6-6-7, 25 points), who hold a one-point lead over Portland, Seattle and San Diego for the final playoff spot in a tightly bunched Western Conference. Atlanta United defeated the Loons 6-1 in the snow in their first match at the former TCF Bank Stadium in 2017.
Minnesota will honor its all-decade team, which includes current players Michael Boxall, Wil Trapp, Anthony Markanich, Joaquin Pereyra and Bongokuhle Hlongwane, at the game. Longtime coach Adrian Heath will also attend the contest.
“There’s a storied history of soccer in Minnesota,” Loons head coach Cameron Knowles said. “We have to represent that (on the field Wednesday). When you think about the success that the team has had in the past and the story that other players and coaches have written in that time, we have to continue to write ours.”
That story has been nightmarish at times over the past eight games for Minnesota, which is 0-3-5 during that span. The Loons and Atlanta United (4-12-3, 15 points) come into the contest tied for 27th out of 30 MLS teams in goals scored with just 21. Minnesota has won just twice (2-2-5) on its home field, tied with the LA Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City for fewest home wins in the league.
On the bright side, Minnesota rallied for a 1-1 draw at Real Salt Lake on Saturday with Pereyra scoring the tying goal in the 89th minute off a highlight-reel flick-on header from 21-year-old forward Marcus Caldeira. Goalie Drake Callender was outstanding in the match, making seven saves.
Atlanta, just 1-7-2 on the road, scored twice in a 13-minute span late in the second half to pull out a 2-1 victory over the visiting New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
The win snapped a seven-game winless streak (0-5-2) for Atlanta.
Tristan Muyumba scored in the 69th minute and Fafa Picault scored the game-winner on a header by the back post off a long crossing pass by Miguel Almiron. It was Almiron’s 41st career assist, tying Brooks Lennon’s team record across all competitions.
“We’ve been working well,” Atlanta coach Tata Martino said. “The boys deserved to win like this. We’re happy because we battled back.”
Atlanta United enters the contest in 15th place in the Eastern Conference, nine points behind ninth-place D.C. United for the final playoff spot.
–Field Level Media
