Minnesota United Clinch Fourth Straight Playoff Berth with 2-0 Win Over Vancouver
October 9, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Minnesota United FC News Release
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — With two goals, Minnesota United clinched their spot in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs for the fourth straight season in its ‘Decision Day’ matchup against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The Minnesota offense brought its best at Allianz Field on Sunday afternoon, outshooting and out-defending the Vancouver side that had won three games in-a-row entering the contest. In the 17th minute, Loons midfielder Franco Fragapane dribbled in space atop Vancouver’s 18-yard box before scoring the opening goal of the match and giving Minnesota the 1-0 lead. The goal was Fragapane’s seventh of the regular season. Assisted by midfielder Emanuel Reynoso, who notched his 11th assist in regular-season action this year. The second half saw the same heightened level of energy from MNUFC, and in the 78th minute, midfielder Jonathan Gonzalez scored the second and final goal of the game – his first MLS and MNUFC tally – to give the Loons the 2-0 lead and eventual victory over Vancouver. Fellow midfielder Joseph Rosales provided the assist on Gonzalez’s goal. The Loons defended the lead, securing the club’s first clean sheet since July. The shutout was MLS All-Star goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair’s fifth of the season, tying the all-time MNUFC record with 13.
With its fourth-consecutive berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs, MNUFC is now the lone Western Conference club with the longest active playoffs streak at four. The Loons additionally join the New York Red Bulls (13), NYCFC (7), Philadelphia Union (5) as one of the clubs with the top-four longest active playoffs streak. Minnesota Head Coach Adrian Heath also joins Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtain as one of two current MLS managers who have reached the playoffs in the last four seasons in-a-row.
Minnesota United finishes the regular season with a 14-14-6 record and holds the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings. The Loons will compete in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs as the No. 6 seed and is set to travel to face the No. 3 seed FC Dallas in Round One.
ATTENDANCE: 19,941
BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair
LINEUPS:
Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Kemar Lawrence, Brent Kallman, Michael Boxall, DJ Taylor; M Wil Trapp (c), Robin Lod, Franco Fragapane, Emanuel Reynoso, Mender Garcia; F Luis Amarilla
Bench: GK Tyler Miller, D Alan Benitez, Callum Montgomery, Oniel Fisher, Nabi Kibunguchy; M JOnathan Gonzalez, Joseph Rosales, Niko Hansen; F Abu Danladi
Vancouver Whitecaps XI: GK Thomas Hasal; D Ranko Veselinovic, Tristan Blackmon, Jake Nerwinski; M Luis Martins, Julian Gressel, Andres Cubas, Ryan Gauld, Russell Teibert (c), Pedro Vite; F Brian White
Bench: GK Cody Cropper; D Javain Brown, Marcus Godinho; M Sebastian Berhalter, Leonard Owusu, Ryan Raposo; F Lucas Cavallini, Cristian Dajome, Tosaint Ricketts
UP NEXT:
MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ FC DALLAS
Toyota Stadium | Frisco, Texas
10.17.2022 | 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, presented by Audi | Round One
8:30 p.m. CT (FS1 and FOX Deportes)
MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET
HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH
On the emotions after the past six games since August…
“Obviously relieved. We put ourselves in a corner where I couldn’t have faulted the players today for their energy, their effort, their determination to get us a win. It’s really pleasing because, as I said, the six games prior to today don’t define the season. The reason why we won today is what’s been going on since February and as much as anyone gets doom and gloom, I can’t let that affect the way I try and do my job and that we’ve tried to accentuate the positives of what the group has done this year. I’m just so pleased for the players because I think at times people think players don’t care. They do and I thought they showed that today. And you know our support today was unbelievable and it was, and I knew they’d turn up, I just wanted to make sure we did, and I thought that we did.”
On the club’s nature at the moment and his role as the coach…
“Well, I said it the other day and I wasn’t being flippant when I said that people think that making the playoffs is, its not. Look at the teams that have not made the playoffs this year. Toronto, Seattle [Sounders], Portland [Timbers], Atlanta [United] you keep going. These are storied franchises that spend fortunes of money. It’s not easy, and we shouldn’t take it for granted but the players can, you know, a lot of pride in what we’ve done. Four years on the trot like I said it’s only a couple of teams that have done it.”
On being one of the two teams with active consecutive playoff appearances…
“Yeah, so that’s a test that means all the hard work that everybody’s done. Coaching staff, players, front office, ownership, everybody. And the supporters. Supporters deserve to make the playoffs because they turn up every single week regardless of what’s going on and get behind the group, and tonight’s for them.”
On his satisfaction this year compared to the last three…
“I think this one’s been a lot more challenging. I really do, with the injuries we’ve had and the amount of people we’ve missed. Even with the consistency of trying to get a, we had that run and if you look at it, the front four was virtually the same and all of a sudden you start to lose players. Our discipline has been really poor this year, and that is something that we will address next year, we’re not gonna go through yellow cards for nothing, which has cost us dearly. And obviously the injuries that we’ve had with the likes of Hasani [Dotson] Romain [Metanire], Jacori [Hayes], you know, Robin’s [Lod] missed a period of time, Rey’s [Emmanuel Reynoso] missed a period, Fraga [Franco Fragapagne] has. So when you’re losing your best players, and even Bongi [Bongokuhle Hlongwane], Bongi’s not been available for the last month or so and he’s been terrific before that. So it’s been a challenge but everybody’s stepped up and I thought the subs actually, today, did really well when they went on the field. All of the subs did really well.”
On the record crowd’s impact vs other games…
“Well they always get behind us, it does seem a little bit louder from our point of view, so, I don’t know what we’ve done, let’s see if we can keep doing that then. Its nice, that energy does help the players, certainly, when it gets a little bit tough.”
On feeling high on this team all season…
“I do. I just said the on the TV that we’ve been to [LAFC] and won, we’ve been to the Galaxy and won, we’ve been to Dallas [FC], we’ve been to Nashville. This group can win games anywhere, and we’ve proven that in the past. Now, is it gonna be easy in Dallas? No, it’s not. But do I think we can go down there and win? For sure I do, and anything’s possible!”
On the suspension, and discipline issues players face, and how it affects lineups…
“That’s what management is and looking where we’re gonna fill in and you know, a couple of times we’ve had to leave Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] out because he’s one booking away from a big game at home. We can’t go through that. If players get booked for a late tackle because they’re genuinely going for the ball or you know. What I can’t stand is for stuff that’s not going to change. Referees don’t change their mind. If you have a foul, leave it, get on with it. Frustration? I know, nobody knows more than me when I played. But we can’t have it when it’s been a lot of our really important players this year.”
On what this win means to him personally…
“I said after the first couple of years, ‘we’ll see where we are now.’ I honestly believe that we can be a playoff team consistently, that has to be the aim. Hopefully you were trying to get that fourth spot and a couple of games at home because here with the atmosphere and the crowd we’ve got, I feel that we can beat anybody. Obviously, on the road is not as easy as you would like. Are we capable of winning? For sure we are.”
On how scoring the first goal against Vancouver changed the shape of the game…
“It goes in and you don’t have to chase the game as much. It was a little bit difficult because they play in their little 3-4-3 and they make it difficult for you and they’re really good on the counterattack. I thought the first goal – and I spoke to the players about it – was going to be huge. And I would have been a little bit worried had they [Vancouver] got the first goal because they are really good on the counter, and the more desperate we would have became to get a goal, then it would have left us a little bit vulnerable. But, overall, really pleased with everybody.”
On the high-press tactic that led to the first goal…
“You always talk about pressure, putting people out of their comfort zone, making them play quicker than they would like, making them do things they don’t necessarily want to do. Because if it wasn’t, I’d still be playing. No, seriously. If there was no pressure, I’d still be really good. But I can’t run anymore and it’s too quick for me and they’d knock me off the ball. But it’s all still there. Rey’s [Emanuel Reynoso] going to press people, we win the ball back, and then next minute it’s back in the net. Game changing moments. And that’s how important it is to have everybody engaged, even the front guys, to press from the front.”
On if Franco Fragapane was instructed to shoot whenever he had the chance or not…
“It might be something to do with the fact that he passed it from about eight yards last week at San Jose and we did let him know I don’t want that happening again. Be positive and back your judgment and your own ability and that’s what he did. It was a great finish.
On the clean sheet and why it happened…
“The back four were excellent. The back four were excellent winning the first ball.”
On players stepping up in the absence of other starters…
“Robin’s [Lod] had a stretch there and he got tired and he’s not been doing an awful lot for three or four weeks and to put a shift in on there and gives us that little bit of composure and that little bit of physical presence in the middle of the pitch. Joseph [Rosales] and Jonathan Gonzalez, I thought all the subs that came in did a really good job and did what was asked of them. Because sometimes when you go in as a sub, you want to try and prove something and show people what you can do. They listened to what we told them to do and did fantastically well.”
On how fired up he is following the match…
“I’m always fired up; I love this job I’ve got. I love working here and today was really important for me. I wanted to keep this run going. And as I’ve said, I would love this to be my last job, and the only way it’s going to be my last job is if we keep being successful. Today’s another step in that direction.”
On the referee stopping quick re-starts during the match today and his thoughts on that…
“I think depending on when and where. I think that if the ball’s moving then the first pass is past their midfield, then you have to bring it back. But if it’s from the back, it’s just needless to stop the game. But the rules the rules, Jeff [Reuter] aren’t they.”
On what Jonathan Gonzalez has done to earn his trust…
“Certainly he’s got my trust. I wouldn’t hesitate to start him if I thought that was necessary. It’s been difficult for him with the people in front of him because Robin Lod, no matter where he plays, is always going to start for me here. I thought today that he gave us a real bit of composure and little bit of solidity in there and when the ball goes to him, you never think the ball’s going to turn over. Jonathan’s done great. He’s a great kid and we’ve loved having him here. We’ll have to see what happens at the end of the year, but we wouldn’t be adverse to having him back.”
On how he is celebrating today…
“I’ll probably be in bed by 10 o’clock. No, we’ve got a lot of friends here today so I’ll have a few drinks, a few glasses of wine.”
On Bongokhule Hlongwane’s status and if he can play against FC Dallas next week…
“He’s certainly upped his work this week and is virtually running at full speed now. Twisting and turning over the next couple of days, we’ll see where that leaves him. But, I didn’t think he would play this year and now I think he has a chance.”
On how close he thinks the game against Dallas will be next week after a 3-0 loss at home against them…
“If you look at the game, we had a mad five, six minutes. You look at the 90 minutes as a whole, there was nothing in the game. In fact, we probably had the better chances and probably had more of the possession and were the better team on the day. But goals change games, you know how we say it. We conceded three in five and a half minutes. If we do that again, we won’t be going very far.”
MIDFIELDER JONATHAN GONZALEZ
On making an impact as a sub, scoring his first goal with MNUFC…
“I’m glad. I’m glad I could come on and help the team. Really excited for the playoffs. The team did a great job and we’re looking forward to the playoffs.”
On what he hoped to bring to the group as a sub…
“Be dynamic on the field. Help the team. Win balls back, keep the ball. Go froward and that’s what happened so I’m really glad for that.”
On being a first choice sub off the bench…
“I’m glad. I came here to a team in any way possible. I’m really happy that I’m being taken into consideration and taking advantage of those opportunities.”
On gaining the trust of a new team…
“Just be me. I’ve had a lot of teammates and these guys are incredible guys. On and off the field, they’ve helped me in any possible way. They made it much easier for me.”
On playing in big moments…
“I’m just ready. This was an important match for us. We knew it was important to get a win and we did.”
On the team’s psyche following the last six games…
“It was tough. We don’t have a win but we knew it was now or never. We really focused on everybody being on, being really sharp and that’s how it was today.”
On looking at the body of work throughout the season…
“We knew that. We had a short period of time where we didn’t perform as we should. We knew that today was really important for us. We’re just ready for what’s to come.”
On the benefits of prior playoff experience in Liga MX…
“It’s going to be really important, it’s one match, we’ll be playing a match over there. It’s gonna be tough. You’ll just have to be aware for 90 minutes.”
On making the playoffs four years in a row…
[SPA] “Si, se ha hecho un buen trabajo. Sabiamos que veniamos de seis partidos consecutivos que estabamos callendo un poco. Estamos muy felices en estar en los playoffs y hay que aprovechar el momento. El equipo, lo veo muy bien y ha seguir asi.
[ENG] “The club has done a good job. We knew we were had six games where we were falling a little bit. We’re happy to be in the playoffs and we have to take advantage of the moment. The team, I see it’s very good and we have to keep going.”
On the last game vs FC Dallas…
“It wasn’t great, the last game but like how I say everyone just be on spot, be ready to go. We’re gonna work really good this week to prepare for the game over there in Dallas. We’ll be ready.”
On The personal messages he’s received post game…
“It’s good, just a lot of family really happy for them and for the fans. They’ve really helped me out.”
On celebrating his goal…
“Honestly I just didn’t really know how to celebrate, I didn’t know what to do. I was just in shock. Just really happy.”
On the support from the Wonderwall…
“It’s great, I’ve never seen something like it. It’s great to experience.”
On the atmosphere provided by the fans this evening…
“Being on the field we can feel the good energy and the good vibes from them. We’re just really glad that they’ve been supporting us and we’re giving our all for them on the field.”
MIDFIELDER WIL TRAPP
On what it means to make the playoffs…
“For all of us, the relief of clinching the playoffs in front of our fans was huge. The difference tonight was simply that we were more intense, we were more disciplined and we had the energy and that’s what wins games. You see the comprehensive performance and to win in front of our fans was as important as it gets.”
On how important scoring the first goal was…
“When we score the first goal good things happen to us. Tonight it was a great play by Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] to press the ball, win it and play to Franco [Fragapane], who does a great job of putting it between his legs and scoring. You see the difference when goals happen. Adrian [Heath] talks about it all the time, goals change games. You score early, now they get a little bit of ‘oh we have to score now’. Before that they’re thinking ‘all we need is one and then hold on’. When we scored first it really changed the complexity of the game.”
On a record crowd…
“Our crowd always is excellent, but tonight with what was on the line and what was at stake they really fed us and tried everything they possibly could to help feed them and scoring the goal early really allowed that to just build.”
On the last six weeks…
“Thankful that it’s over first of all. It’s a fresh start. At the end of the day the playoffs are a new season and for us going to a place that we have won before is a huge confidence factor. A team that – and yes, we lost to them here – but in terms of what that game actually looked like outside of that five to seven minutes, it was pretty comprehensive for us in a good way. It’s not going to be easy of course, playoff games are difficult, but having a game at home where everything was on the line and to keep the clean sheet was huge. So, going into this next week we can take a lot of confidence. Understanding where that confidence comes from – it comes from energy and intensity and positivity moving forward.”
On how important the entirety of the season was…
“Someone told me this, but remember who you are. We are a team that when we put together performances where everyone is contributing and everyone is playing together and are positive, it’s a different team. It’s funny it’s like the ‘Lion King’ quote from Rafiki “remember who are you”. Legitimately we just needed to remember that and understand this is who we are. And for us you saw that tonight, you saw the comprehensive work of every single guy putting in a shift. The back line did an amazing job of moving the line up and back. Never allowing Brian White or Lucas Cavallini or any of these guys to be comfortable.”
On the team just needing to know that the backs were against the wall to win…
“When your back is against the wall it’s do or die. And we are a team that understood that, that into this week it’s all we focused on. It’s one game, forget about what’s past, just understand who we are and put forth our best effort.”
On the first half yellow and its impact in the play the rest of the match…
“How they play with the three players up top and picking up in awkward spaces for just two midfielders, it boded well for us. For me, it’s understanding if the foul happens, if the yellow card happens here is the plays maybe you can’t make versus the plays maybe you can make. Adrian [Heath] made a very smart call in putting in an extra midfielder, it helps find the weakside pocket in the attack too. I think about Jonathan [Gonzalez] first couple passes he had he plays Robin [Lod] in a great position and he did a great job of finishing on the goal as well. It shows versatility, it shows the dynamism of this group.”
On how you and Robin [Lod] tried to neutralize Vancouver’s playmakers…
“So much of what we focused on this week was that they are a very opportunistic team. What they like to do is win the ball, play [Ryan] Gauld and then run in behind. So how can we get in position to neutralize those types of positions. And Robin [Lod] did a great job, especially in his first game back, of trying to understand that we need to get closer to those guys so we can slow down the play and it worked.”
On making the playoffs four years in a row and the potential lack of respect…
“Disrespect not so much. I think “afterthought” is certainly in our lexicon. But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. If you can win games and move forward – its four games to win MLS Cup, let go ahead and do it. I think we have the quality, the group of players that can do that.”
On the first clean sheet in three months…
“It was those three things I touched on: energy, intensity and focus. This is something we really harped on the past couple of weeks and especially this week. The minute the ball goes backwards, move the back line forward. Condense the space as much as we can. You saw that tonight and the difference was that our front four was incredible in terms of their defensive pressure. And even more so the compactness of the team was really excellent.”
On winning in all phases of the game…
“In terms of set pieces, with the ball, without the ball, counterattacking, the four phases of the game. Set pieces we defended very well, we had every guy defending the play. I remember a couple where ‘Fraga’ [Franco Fragapane] was in a great position to clear the ball where otherwise that could potentially be a goal. We were blocking shots and we were doing what we needed to do in that phase of the game. In playing with the ball we were doing a great job of trying to pull players out of position and then trying to exploit those weaknesses. You are always going to have an advantage with a guy like [Emanuel] Reynoso because of his quality, but then the complimentary pieces around him to play the third and the first or second pass around the corner. Ultimately like I touched on earlier, the defensive shape was very good. We were compact and we were making the play predictable. We were winning the ball in good spots and we were able to generate attacks from there.”
On the reaction after Vancouver hit the bar…
“It’s always a little bit of scramble mode when that happens. It’s just trying to focus yourself in the moment and make a play.”
GOALKEEPER DAYNE ST. CLAIR
On consistently making the playoffs…
“My first year we had Ozzie [Osvaldo Alonso] and I think he’s made the playoffs every year. Being around a guy like that my first year is definitely something I wanted to aspire to do. Four years I’m four and O. I’m looking to obviously keep building on that when the time comes. But like you said it’s a big achievement for us to make the playoffs but based on where we’ve been in the past making the playoffs isn’t good enough for us. Now we need to go make a run here as well.”
On settling into the rhythm of today’s match…
“For me personally if you can make a big save early on, it gives you that confidence to keep boasting and I think as the game slowed down we were able to show our quality and hit them on the counter when they lost balls in critical areas.”
On collecting the clean sheet today…
“It’s definitely been a long time. I think having five clean sheets for the season for someone of our standards isn’t good enough and something we’re gonna need to build on going into next year. But to have this moment in this game when it mattered shows that defense is gonna be important going into these playoff games.”
On the psyche of the team over the last couple weeks…
“I said going into this game we have five playoff games because we knew we needed to win this one. Being able to have that confidence and come off this win. I think we can go on and build the confidence from this game and move on to Dallas. Somewhere where we’ve won before this year.”
On being able to keep playing and training ahead of the World Cup…
“Leading up to the World Cup, you definitely want to play as many games as possible. Obviously being in MLS that’s a little bit tougher vs the European schedule but it is what it is and that’s our reality. So I’m looking to make a deep run in the playoffs for myself personally but more importantly for the team as well.”
On being directly in the way of Lucas [Cavallini]’s goal that would help him make the Canada roster…
“We definitely had some friendly banter going into the game and it was a game we talked about leading into camp. I was telling him we’re hoping to clinch before that, but of course that wasn’t the case but to knock them out of the playoffs is always a good feeling, to knock anyone out of the playoffs and have that chip on him.”
On how much he looked back at the work all season leading up to today…
“It’s tough, for me I was away with the national team so I was kinda busy with that and kinda focusing on that moment to solidify myself in the World Cup roster and then to fly straight from Vienna straight to California, it wasn’t really much time to think, it was more so about doing. In that moment I thought I had a decent game but the result doesn’t always show that sometimes.”
On if he planned his blackout outfit…
“Yeah! I mean if the fans are gonna wear it we can as well and I think for us, I’ve wanted to put Vancouver away and have a funeral for them so that’s the way I look at it.”
On being a part of the draft class that made the qualifying team…
“Thinking about it sometimes, looking around the locker room, still being kinda one of the younger guys, but being one of the guys that’s been here the longest is kind of crazy to think about. I mean four years, I’ve had my fair share of lows, and ups & downs so being able to look back at it this year has been impressive and I know that they’re supporting me as well.”
On how the champagne tasted…
“I didn’t really have any, unfortunately not. But, when we win the next few games and make it through the playoffs, that champagne will taste a lot better than the one now.”
• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
