Minnesota United FC vs. Portland Timbers
TCF Bank Stadium | Minneapolis, Minnesota
06.21.17 | MLS Week #17 | MLS Game #16
7:00 p.m. CT (My29, MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN)

2017 Records
MIN: 4-9-2; 4-3-0 at home
POR: 7-6-3; 2-5-1 on the road

Back on March 3, opening day of the 2017 MLS Season, the Timbers gave Minnesota United a humbling welcome to the league. A quintessentially Portland evening saw the home team put five goals past the expansion side, setting the tone for a less than perfect month of March for Minnesota. It was the start of a steep learning curve for the Loons and Head Coach Adrian Heath. Now, the Loons are ready to dish out some payback to a Timbers team that lost two matches on the road last week.

Wednesday night’s match is set to kick off at 7:00 p.m. CT from TCF Bank Stadium, with pre-match coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. on My29 and MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN.

The Timbers aren’t the only ones who have been struggling on the road. Minnesota also had a rough stretch last week with an Open Cup loss and a 1-0 heartbreaker in Salt Lake. A return home to TCF Bank Stadium could be a welcome jump start for the Loons, who have fed off the energy of the home crowd to earn each of its four wins this season.

“There’s always motivation coming home,” said Heath. “Obviously, if you look at this league, most of the teams get most of their points at home. Playing away from home and getting results on the road is really difficult for a lot of the teams, not only ourselves. So it's been nice to get back. Our last three or four performances have been really, really telling. We’ve been beaten in Kansas City, who are top of the league. Then we have a terrific performance against the Galaxy, didn’t get the result. And then we beat Orlando. So we’ve had a couple of good performances. Hopefully we can turn that around and get back to our winning ways at home.”

The players are especially appreciative of the home-field advantage.

“It’s very important,” said forward Christian Ramirez. “[The fans] have been huge all season so far. Getting louder each game. Just make sure that me and the team build on that, and give them something to be loud about. We know from the start we have to get them involved.”

The Loon faithful have been the catalyst MNUFC has needed after tough road stints this year. The offense comes alive at home, and following a pair of scoreless league matches, the friendly confines of TCF Bank Stadium will be a welcome environment for the Loons. Creating offensive chances has been a major point in training this week for the Loons as they look to end their drought.

“I don’t think we’ve been working their goalkeeper enough, and our goalkeeper has been too busy,” said Heath. “That’s something that I’ve been talking to the players about and we’re working on it.”

It's a frustrating trend for the squad, particularly when the team has been controlling the possession battle. The Loons have had the majority of time on the ball in three of the last five matches. However, each of those three matches have seen MNUFC on the wrong end of the score line. With just four shots on goal in the last three matches, the players have been working to make the most of each opportunity.  

“[I’m] just making sure that I’m in a good spot when the three guys behind me get the ball,” said Ramirez when asked about finding scoring chances. “I know that Kevin [Molino], Miguel [Ibarra] and Abu [Danladi] can be very dangerous once they get turned and facing the goal. Just making sure I’m always ready even when opportunities aren’t really coming.”

The top four of Minnesota have been deadly when they get in a groove together, and they will have a little extra motivation on Wednesday night as they look to set the record straight against Portland.

A very different side will be stepping out for the Loons than the one on opening night at Providence Park. The team has come together and formed a cohesive unit that, over the past few months, has developed a style of play that has been getting results. The tweaks throughout the season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, have made the previous meeting mostly irrelevant in the eyes of Heath.

“A lot has changed there. We’ve got eight or nine different players on the field from that game against Portland, and we’re better now than when we played them. I still think, to this day, that that score line didn’t reflect the game. 82 minutes gone, we were 2-1 down. So hey, it is what it is, that’s gone now. We’ve got a lot better since then. I expect a big performance from us tomorrow.”

The loss of defender Marc Burch to a groin injury, though, will force Heath to make further adjustments to a defensive combination that has kept the Loons in many matches. Justin Davis was the go-to option prior to Burch’s arrival. Jermaine Taylor and Kevin Venegas have also had opportunities to fill in the full back positions, along with mainstay Jerome Thiesson. Service from the wings has been a big factor in success for MNUFC, with much of the responsibility falling on defenders coming forward to play the ball into the opponent’s. Each of the aforementioned players have shown they are more than capable in the role, making it a tough decision for the gaffer.

Even though a lot has changed, there is still a point of emphasis on this match for the club. It will be a chance to show how far the Loons have come in such a short time, and to prove the opening match was just minor growing pains.

“I know some guys have had this marked on their calendars, because it was the first game,” Ramirez continued. “For us, we need to continue to get back to what has made us competitive, and do well at home. So we have to watch the tempo and play hard defensively, and create a lot of chances and get three points at home.”

Three points would be huge for the Loons, and move them within range of jumping above the red line and into playoff position. Wednesday night will be the first of two clashes with Cascadia opponents this week, as MNUFC will welcome Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, June 24. Kickoff for that match is set for 7:00 p.m. CT at TCF Bank Stadium.

INJURY REPORT

Minnesota United
OUT: M Bernardo Anor (Left Lower Leg)
OUT: M Thomas de Villardi (Left Achilles)
OUT: D Vadim Demidov (Left Knee)
OUT: D Joe Greenspan (Concussion)
OUT: D Marc Burch (Groin)

Portland Timbers
OUT: D Gbenga Arokoyo (Achilles tear)
OUT: M Jack Barmby (ankle injury)
OUT: D Liam Ridgewell (quad injury)
OUT: D Chance Myers (hamstring injury)
OUT: F Darren Mattocks (adductor injury)

DISCIPLINARY REPORT

Suspended: NONE
Suspended after next caution: Chara, Miller, Andriuskevicius (POR)

FIRST TOUCHES

• Miguel Ibarra was drafted by the Timbers in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft, but was not signed by the club. 
• Jeff Attinella was selected by Minnesota from Real Salt Lake in the 2016 MLS Expansion Draft and was later traded to Portland. He also played against Minnesota during his time in the NASL. 
• Jermaine Taylor played for the Timbers in 2016. 
• Lawrence Olum played in Minnesota for the Thunder during the 2009 season, scoring five goals in 28 appearances. 
• David Guzman returns to the Timbers squad after serving a one-match suspension last week for yellow card accumulation. 
• Bobby Shuttleworth now has a total of 52 saves on the season, putting him at sixth in the league rankings. 
• Portland has three players — Sebastian Blanco, Fanendo Adi and David Guzman — in the top ten for fouls committed. Blanco leads the league with 34 fouls. 
• Portland has eight multi-goal matches in 2017. Minnesota has six. 
• Seven of Minnesota’s next eight league matches are at home. 
• This is the Loons’ first Wednesday night match in MLS play this season.