You’re not in Kansas anymore, my friends. Minnesota United dispatched Sporting Kansas City yet again at Allianz Field, this time beating the team from the second-most populous Kansas City 3-1. It was a comprehensive performance from the hosts, with second-half substitutes making meaningful impacts at crucial moments. After the first-team action wrapped up, the Unified Loons followed suit, earning a victory of their own.
If you hadn’t checked the lineup before the match, you likely would have thought that the Loons were playing a 3-2-5 rather than the other way around. Straight from kickoff, wingbacks Devin Padelford and DJ Taylor were pressed higher up the pitch than we’ve seen in the last few matches. This ambitious approach saw the Loons play on the front foot for much of the first half, and while it didn’t pay off immediately, you must remember, patience is a virtue.
A generally slow start to proceedings saw SKC playing with a bit more urgency, though it was unclear if this was the game plan or just a response to the aggressive approach from the Loons. So aggressive, in fact, that Michael Boxall got called offside in the 5th minute. You don’t see that every day, folks. Call it a collector’s item.
Between the advanced positioning of the wingbacks and the excellent pairing of Wil Trapp and Carlos Harvey in the double pivot, the Loons looked comfortable and dangerous. Devin Padelford was particularly menacing in the first half, adding an attacking edge to his game that went beyond what we’d seen from the Maplewood Marcelo thus far.
The pressure paid off in the 33rd minute, when Michael Boxall turned into a midfielder and found DJ Taylor wide on the right. Taylor slipped a ball down the sideline for the Bongokuhle Hlongwane to run onto, and his subsequent pinpoint cross from the corner found Tani Oluwaseyi in the box for the emphatic-headed finish. This guy’s on fire, and he’s not done yet.
SKC was unable to generate anything truly threatening before the half, and while the visitors were rather disjointed and lacking in luster, the superb movement and understanding between the members of the Loons’ backline made them nearly impossible to break down.
After a complete performance in the first 45 minutes, the approach changed slightly at halftime. DJ Taylor’s injury in the closing moments of the first half forced an early substitution, shifting Sang Bin Jeong to right wingback and allowing Joseph Rosales to fill the vacant left wing position. This ended up playing out more like a 5-3-2, with Rosales playing in a more recessed position than his counterpart on the right side of the pitch.
With slightly different personnel and shape, the Loons cooled off a bit. The press relaxed, inviting a bit more pressure and taking away a bit of the attacking thrust the Loons had been enjoying. When substitutes Robin Lod and Hassani Dotson came on in the 62nd minute, they brought a bit of needed energy to a stagnating side. And boy, did it change the game.
In the 67th minute, Tani Oluwaseyi found a second wind, getting on the end of a long ball over the top, turning his defender with ease, and wriggling free to fire in a low cross straight into the run of Robin Lod. The Finnisher dispatched the chance with ease, tallying his 15th goal contribution of the season and firing arrows of joy into the crowd.
While Robin’s goal effectively sealed the game, there was more excitement yet to come. Sang Bin Jeong’s cross in the 83rd minute bounced out to an unmarked Kervin Arriaga at the corner of the six-yard box, where the Honduran international controlled the ball coolly with his chest and fired a low, driven shot past a helpless Tim Melia. 3-0 Loons, and we’re absolutely cruising.
A late flurry from Sporting was WAY too little and WAY too late, though an absolute banger from Johnny Russell in the 86th minute made for an exciting spectacle. It was the visiting side’s first shot on goal of the entire night, and it would remain the only one they’d register. Maybe if y’all shoot on goal a bit more, you’ll score more goals. I’m not mad about it, though.
The impact of Tani Oluwaseyi was obvious on the scoresheet, but the young striker was huge off the ball as well. His ceaseless effort and knack for being in the right place at the right time have helped him to an impressive 10 goal contributions in 2024, and he’s not showing any signs of slowing down. Likewise, the play of Michael Boxall was all-around superb tonight, with the captain making enterprising runs into the midfield with authority and playing the role of creator on top of his usual defensive solidity.
Sang Bin Jeong deputized well in his appearance at wingback, and Bongi looked like he rediscovered some of the form that saw him breakout last season. SKC wasn’t at their best, but you can only beat the opponent in front of you, and that’s exactly what the Loons did.
MNUFC moved up to third following the win, with 28 points from 15 matches and five points separating them from the top of the Western Conference. They’ll be staying in Saint Paul next weekend for their match against a struggling FC Dallas side, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.
Unified Match Recap
The night didn’t end there, though, and neither did the playing of Wonderwall. Following the first-team match, the MNUFC Unified Team took on SKC’s Unified Team, and it was quite a match.
SKC’s Gentry Scheid opened the scoring just two minutes in, and the visitors doubled the lead another two minutes later. Some great play from both sides made for an end-to-end contest, and the Loons were really pushing to get back into the match.
Just before the half, Magdalena Capitani pulled one back, cutting the deficit in half and sending the Black and Blue into the break with momentum.
The fantastic soccer continued into the second half, and in the 20th minute, an absolute banger from Andres Pope leveled the scores once more. With just 10 minutes left, there was all to play for.
SKC pushed for a winner late, only to see their effort bounce off the post. Just minutes later, Caden Roseth’s driven strike put the Loons ahead, capping off a wonderful game that saw outstanding effort and performances across the board.
