Two teams straddling the MLS Cup playoff line square off in a key cross-conference match Saturday night when Orlando City takes on Minnesota United in St. Paul, Minn.
Orlando City (7-11-3, 24 points), boosted by the summer arrival of forward Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid, enters the contest in ninth place and in the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Minnesota United (7-7-7, 28 points) is 10th in a very tight Western Conference race but is tied in points with three teams ahead of Minnesota in the standings.
Griezmann, a key member of France’s 2018 World Cup-winning team, scored his first brace for the Lions in a 2-1 comeback victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday and was named the MLS Player of Matchday 22 on Monday. Orlando, which had just 14 points in 15 matches before Griezmann’s arrival, is 3-2-1 (10 points) since then, as the team climbs the Eastern Conference standings.
This will be the Lions’ first trip to Minnesota since 2023, when they won 2-1 on a Duncan McGuire goal in the 88th minute.
“It’s a team from the other conference,” interim head coach Martin Perelman said. “We analyze them, we have a really good department of analysis, and they help us a lot. But focus first of all is on our team, because we respect every opponent. We need to take care of ourselves. And then of course the strategic preparation will be there.”
Minnesota United snapped a nine-game winless drought (0-4-5) with a convincing 5-1 victory at San Jose on Saturday. The Loons have won just twice in 10 home matches (2-3-5) with their last win at Allianz Field coming way back on April 18 against the Portland Timbers, 2-0.
Kelvin Yeboah had two goals in the victory over the Earthquakes to increase his team-leading total to 10 goals.
Loons head coach Cameron Knowles felt his team has been playing better than what its recent record would indicate.
“It was a long time coming for us a little bit in terms of a result,” Knowles said. “Like I’ve said, I felt like we’ve had performances that deserved more out of it. … Pleased for the guys because they’ve been working real hard to get it.”
–Field Level Media
