MNUFC Falls at Real Salt Lake 3-0
September 1, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Minnesota United FC News Release
SANDY, Utah — All streaks come to an end eventually. On Saturday night, MNUFC’s scoring streak – a club-record 13 straight MLS matches with a goal scored for – was broken as Real Salt Lake handed Minnesota a 3-0 defeat at Rio Tinto Stadium.
It was a difficult night on both ends of play for a rotated MNUFC squad. Real Salt Lake controlled much of the possession during the match and was able to bring numbers up their attacking half while also finding space to create dangerous chances. Because of that, MNUFC’s defense was unable to put pressure on RSL’s attacking front to produce offensive action. In the seventh minute, Loons defender Brent Kallman’s clearance from a cross-in didn’t make its way outside the box, giving Salt Lake’s Sergio Cordova the ball right in front of goal, resulting in the opening goal of the game. Later in the first half, the home side again capitalized on finding open space within Minnesota’s formation. Jefferson Savarino was the recipient of a ball into the keeper’s box that slipped past the Loons’ backline, resulting in a tap-in goal in the 23rd minute, doubling RSL’s lead to 2-0. At the beginning of the second half, goalkeeper Tyler Miller replaced Dayne St. Clair in the net following a hand injury and soreness. The Loons made five changes in their lineup during the second half, but MNUFC came up short offensively and in total only fired off four shots (zero on target). RSL sealed their victory on a breakaway moment when Andrew Body sent a through ball to Anderson Julio, who was one-on-one against Miller. Off his line, Miller was not able to stop Julio’s run, scoring in the 79th minute and eventually ending the match at 3-0.
Notably against RSL, midfielders Jonathan Gonzalez and Mender Garcia both made their first MLS and MNUFC starts. Additionally, MNUFC’s club-record of 13 straight MLS matches with at least one goal scored, which began at New England on June 19, came to an end Saturday night at Salt Lake.
Minnesota United has yet another quick turnaround when it returns to St. Paul this Saturday, September 3 to host FC Dallas at Allianz Field. Kick for Saturday’s contest is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on Univision, TUDN, Bally Sports North and The CW – Twin Cities and streamed on Twitter (English audio), with radio broadcast on 1500 ESPN.
BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: N/A
LINEUPS:
Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D DJ Taylor, Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Alan Benitez; M Joseph Rosales, Wil Trapp (c), Jonathan Gonzalez; F Abu Danladi, Mender Garcia, Bongokuhle Hlongwane
Bench: GK Tyler Miller, Fred Emmings; D Oniel Fisher; M Franco Fragapane, Niko Hansen, Robin Lod, Kervin Arriaga, Nabi Kibunguchy; F Luis Amarilla
Real Salt Lake XI: GK Zac McMath; D Andrew Brody, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera, Marcelo Silva (c); M Justin Meram, Scott Caldwell, Maikel Chang, Jasper Loffelsend; F Sergio Cordova, Jefferson Savarino
Bench: GK Tomas Gomez; D Bode Hidalgo, Johan Kappelhof, Bryan Oviedo; M Nick Besler, Diego Luna; F Anderson Julio, Rubio Rubin, Tate Schmitt
UP NEXT:
MINNESOTA UNITED FC vs. FC DALLAS
Allianz Field | St. Paul, Minnesota
09.03.2022 | MLS 2022 Regular Season | Week 28
2:30 pm CT (Univision/TUDN/Twitter (stream)/BSN/CW Twin Cities/1500 ESPN)
MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET
HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH
On where changes in the lineup came from and how those choices were made…
“Because we’ve got a huge game again on Saturday. We don’t get back this evening until three in the morning and I don’t think it’s ideal preparation. I didn’t want to put them players on the team in for maybe an hour tonight and then take a little bit of the sharpness off them. I wanted to give them a few minutes. And, because we haven’t trained much the last few days as well. So, that was behind the reasons for changes today.”
On his analysis of the match and his mood following it…
“What do you think my mood is, Jerry [Zgoda]? You know me well enough. There’s certain ways of losing games. I thought that all three goals we gave them [Real Salt Lake] tonight…were you to say “poor”, would be an under exaggeration. We didn’t do well enough to stop the crosses and then our marking inside the box was really, really poor. We had spoken about it before the game that they had to get more wide and make more crosses in the box and you have to be in certain spots and we were not in them certain spots and both goals in the first half had come from positions where we knew people would be. But, you can only do so much. We told them [MNUFC players], you hope that they take it onboard and generally they do. This evening, they have not.”
On what led to a lack of offense against RSL…
“Between both boxes, there was not an awful lot in the game. In fact, I thought we actually moved the ball around well at times. But, football’s about both boxes. Can you score in one and can you keep them out of the other. Tonight we haven’t done enough in one and we couldn’t keep them out of the other. You don’t win many games playing like that. I can’t remember Dayne [St. Clair] having to make a save and we’re suddenly 2-0 down. They [RSL] didn’t have to work hard enough. If somebody does a little bit of magic in the box and gets it down and beats somebody and bends it in the top corner, you have to take your hands off. I don’t expect people to be able to slide it in the goal in the six yard box when we’ve got three men back in our penalty area. Unacceptable.”
On Alan Benitez and Brent Kallman needing to be in better position during RSL’s first goal…
“Yes. We should have dealt with the first cross and then Boxy [Michael Boxall] and Alan should have dealt with the second one. The other guys had done an awful lot and I’d seen it put in the middle of the goal. Control. They [Real Salt Lake] moved it to the side and just rolled it in. And when you’ve got two players around them, you know… But, we’ll talk about it and we’ll go from there.”
On Dayne St. Clair’s injury…
“He dislocated a finger I think. But, they put it back in but it was sore, so we decided not to take any chances.”
On how he plans to use the result of this match going forward…
“We’ll analyze the game as we always do and see areas where we think we’ve done okay and areas where we think we can get better. Obviously we’re at this stage in the season, as I said we don’t get back until three o’clock in the morning. Tomorrow will be a rest day, then you’re back in on Friday for a game Saturday. So, you don’t have much time, but we’ll analyze it, see if there’s some stuff we can come up with and then we’ll obviously freshen the group back up and go with our usual group and see where that leaves us at the weekend.”
On Jonathan Gonzalez and Mender Garcia’s performances against RSL…
“They’re still getting to know the group and still getting to know the way we want to play. I couldn’t fault their efforts. I thought it was a tough evening for the both of them, the fact that you are two-nil down within 10 minutes or whatever it was. It will get better for them. It should.”
On if the heat or altitude played any role…
“No. It’s hot, [there’s] altitude. Same for both teams in it.”
On any changes or additions to be made with the roster…
“No. We’ll go with the group we’ve got.”
MNUFC MIDFIELDER WIL TRAPP
On the biggest difference in playing a 4-3-3 formation versus a 4-2-3-1…
“The biggest difference is really the space we occupy. For me the comfort was fine, it’s definitely a bit more clear where I can get the ball and where I can pick it up. I felt like tonight when we had sustained possession what were we really doing with it? Were we being dangerous, were there any teeth to our attack and we didn’t have enough of that tonight.”
On the first two goals conceded and it being due to position or lack thereof…
“Yeah. It’s positioning, it’s execution, it’s hunting the ball. Gaf [Adrian Heath] said it after the game and at halftime – it’s the determination to not let people easily into our box. I think both goals were moments where we just took our foot off the pedal that little bit and these guys put balls in dangerous areas and they finished.”
On the lack effective attack being due to a lack of playing time for this lineup being together…
“There’s no excuse for it, ultimately we just have to understand what our role is and how we can hurt the opponent. We got a little bit caught up in being behind early and forcing things without a high tempo of moving the ball and getting into dangerous positions. Ultimately when they are a team that counterattacks the fullbacks are always going to be a little bit hesitant to attack. That makes it easier for them in the wide positions for overloads. We hurt ourselves by conceding early and we got a little hesitant moving into the attack and opening ourselves up.”
On there being a benefit to playing a game in a few days…
“Yeah. There’s lessons to be learned and there is also the reality of a short turnaround. The boiled down and condensed version is we need to continue to work on box defending. And really harping on the positions we take up attacking-wise and how we generate chances. Against [FC] Dallas, an opponent right around us in the table, it’s a difficult game but it’s one at home and we need to win. We need to put our best foot forward.”
On the conditions…
“It was a warm day of course but there’s no excuse, both teams had to deal with it. We could been better managing the game. Maintaining possession and being proactive and not extending ourselves too far and losing the ball in poor areas. A game where they are used to the altitude and we are not, and the heat and it gets open like it was it makes it more difficult for ourselves.”
On playing with Jonathan Gonzalez…
“I really like ‘Jona’. His technical ability is there, he can read the game well, he looks to play progressively and break lines and he takes up good positions. Ultimately it was his first start and you see him working through that but he is definitely a piece for us that I think will be very important moving forward.”
On box defending and what is needed to improve…
“A lot of it is that they [Real Salt Lake] were running into the box with two strikers. Sometimes [Jefferson] Savarino was dropping deeper but when they are in crossing situations he is in the box. We really tried to focus on me being at the fullback spot and the two centerbacks trying to dea with runs behind them. It was the two moments where maybe there was a deflection on the second goal. But on the first one it was just about a desire to clear the ball. We get in a weird moment and I know if we go and look back at it we can correct it and do better. Those are just moments where we have to sharpen up.”
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