Another home match ended in a stalemate for Minnesota United this weekend, as the Loons snatched a point at the end of their 1-1 draw with Toronto FC. Despite falling short of the win, there was plenty for the Black and Blue to be pleased with in this match, especially late in the second half. Head Coach Adrian Heath acknowledged his players’ efforts after the game.
“I thought it’d be a travesty if we didn't take anything out of it when you look at the quality of some of the chances we had,” he said. “Fraga [Franco Fragapane] had a great one early on. Ménder [Ménder García] had a good one. Couple of other really good opportunities. Sang Bin’s [Sang Bin Jeong] through one-on-one. I thought the first half they probably shaded it a little bit. And in the second half, I thought we did everything we could to get something from the game, which is what we deserve because of the effort the players have put in the last two games. As I said, it would’ve been a nightmare for them mentally if they hadn’t taken anything away from the game.”
Saturday’s match was a wide-open affair, with both sides showing their scoring threat and testing the opposing keepers on multiple occasions. The Loons always had a bit of an edge to them, but it really picked up with the return of Emanuel Reynoso in the 65th minute.
“He gave us a lift with his quality,” Heath said about his number 10. “You know, I’ve said this all along, at times I have to sort of hold my tongue a little bit because I listen to people talking about other teams that get an injury or something. We’ve done without Robin [Robin Lod]. We’ve done without Dibassy [Bakaye Dibassy]. You know we can’t afford to be without our better players. We can’t. That’s the harsh reality of it all. And Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] is one of our best players, and he showed that tonight. He gave everybody a lift. He gave the crowd a lift. His quality was great in the box. He’s still got that little drop of the shoulder to create space. The goal came from him doing that at the edge of the box, and I know that everybody talks about, showing him on his right foot. You can’t stop him; that’s why he’s so good. He’s still got a long way to go, but I think we saw glimpses of his quality tonight.”
The key that finally unlocked Toronto’s backline was in fact a cross from Rey that found the feet of Kervin Arriaga, who battled through defenders to get a low, driven shot off that left Sean Johnson with little chance of keeping the ball out. This link-up between the two second-half subs came in the 89th minute, turning a loss into a result and sending Allianz Field into a frenzy.
For Arriaga, the goal came as a welcome return to the early-season form that saw the Honduran earn TOTM honors in the first match of the year. When asked about how he’s managed to find his form again, the midfielder was honest about his game.
“I think one as a football player always has things to improve, to learn each day, right?” he said. “Trying to improve, to improve your level, to continue climbing. I think I’ve gotten a lot better. The thing that I need to change a bit is my temperament when I’m speaking or asking for a foul with a referee. I think that’s the only thing that is affecting me. We’re working on it; we’re being conscious that this is something we have to improve, and we’re working on it.”
While Rey and Kervin provided plenty of content for the headlines, they weren’t the only ones writing stories on Saturday. MNUFC defender Devin Padelford earned his MLS debut against the Reds, bringing a noticeable spark to his side when he came into the game in the 69th minute.
Dealing with Federico Bernardeschi is a handful for any defender, let alone a league debutant. Coach Heath was well aware of the challenge that the young fullback faced on the night.
“Well, welcome to the real world, Dev [Devin Padelford],” he said. “No, it’s a little baptism of fire for him. He’s playing against two of the best players in the league. I thought Bernardeschi [Federico Bernadeschi] went out there and had a run at him, and then he’s got Richie Laryea coming as well. Richie’s got unbelievable energy. I said to you guys before that I thought playing down that side was going to be an issue, and I thought we coped with it reasonably well.”
Padelford handled his defensive business professionally while adding another dimension to the Loons’ left side, firing in some crosses and winning some balls high up the pitch. It was clear that the opportunity meant a lot to the Homegrown signing.
“It’s been a long process, playing with [MNUFC2] a lot and getting some opportunities to play with the First Team, but not from an MLS standpoint; it was just electric,” he said. “Hearing the fans, I think it helped when Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] went in; the fans were already antsy and feeling excited. I kind of blacked out, but it was awesome. Especially because my whole family got to come. Growing up, I remember working in the concession stands here before I even played, and so to be on the field now and play in front of everyone is just a dream come true; nothing can describe it. It’s so amazing.”
The Black and Blue have just one more match before the international break: a road trip to take on Montreal at Stade Saputo at 6:30 p.m. CT this Saturday. This game will mark the end of a particularly busy stretch of the season, providing some welcome rest for everyone who isn’t on international duty.
