Everything’s bigger in Texas, including—but not limited to—the number in the losses column. Minnesota United is hosting FC Dallas this Saturday for their first matchup of the 2024 season, with the two clubs finding themselves in two very different positions nearly halfway into the year. A win for the Loons would continue their best start in club history, while any result for Los Toros would be a welcome reprieve in what has been a difficult season.
Minnesota United - (8-3-4)
Run of Form: W-L-D-W-D
Aside from a tough road loss to the red-hot LAFC last week, the Loons have continued to show that their place in the league standings is no accident. MNUFC is keeping pace with the league’s best, and when you’re competing at the top, you can’t afford to switch off for a moment. The resilience the squad showed in their bounceback over Sporting Kansas City last weekend was admirable, and with another struggling Western Conference foe coming to town this weekend, the Black and Blue should be aiming for another big-time performance.
FC Dallas - (3-8-4)
Run of Form: L-L-D-D-W
Nothing’s clicking for Los Toros in 2024. Last season’s seventh-place team in the Western Conference has stumbled out of the gates this year, picking up just three wins in their first 15 games. Jesús Ferreira hasn’t had the same impact we’re used to seeing, and while new signing Petar Musa is scoring goals, it’s not really moving the needle for his side. We know there’s quality in this side—we’ve seen it on display—but with most of the core that finished in a playoff spot two years in a row going through one heck of a rough patch, it feels like it’s either time to blow this project up and start anew or find an extra gear to get everything back in working order, and fast. What does this mean for the Loons? Respect this weekend’s opponents, but this is no time for mercy.
Keys to the Match:
Who’s the New Guy?
Dallas signed Croatian international Petar Musa from Benfica this offseason for a club-record fee. The 26-year-old striker brought UEFA Champions League experience and a new skill set with him to the Lone Star State, and it seems like he’s a good fit after notching five goals and two assists in 14 games. Musa is very much a target striker—a tall, skilled finisher with a nose for goal. A fox in the box, if you will. He’s definitely got more to his game than his scoring ability, but if Dallas wants to get the most out of him, they need to keep getting him on the ball in dangerous areas rather than forcing him to drop back to get involved. His arrival has pushed Jesús Ferreira back into more of a playmaking role, and while he’s got the chops for it, the connection isn’t working just yet. If the Loons can stop the service to Musa in the box this weekend, they can not only take him out of the game but also disrupt the flow of what Dallas is trying to accomplish across the rest of the pitch.
With Great Depth Comes Great Flexibility
It’s no secret that the Loons are coming into this match with reduced numbers. Nine players will be away on international duty, including some of the squad’s most in-form players (Kervin Arriaga, Joseph Rosales, Tani Oluwaseyi, Dayne St. Clair, Robin Lod, Teemu Pukki, Carlos Harvey, Alejandro Bran, and Zarek Valentin). While this certainly stretches the team and makes things a bit more difficult going into this one, the way that Coach Ramsay has used the squad up to now has prepared his side for this exact situation. Small changes in the lineup from game to game and the use of all five substitutions in most matches have given almost the entire roster a chance to get meaningful minutes throughout the last month, and those who weren’t able to get minutes with the first team have been staying sharp with MNUFC2. It’s always something to celebrate when your players get the chance to represent their respective countries, and while we’ll be a bit short-handed on Saturday, there are plenty of players ready to step up and keep the standard high in their absence.
Time to Shine
With that last key in mind, it’s worth mentioning that the club’s top two goal threats will be absent this weekend. Robin Lod and Tani Oluwaseyi have a combined 26 goal contributions this season, and that kind of production is hard to replicate, no matter who you are. Rest assured Loons fans: both Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Sang Bin Jeong will be available for Saturday’s match, and given SBJ’s recent form and Bongi’s ability to get hot in a hurry, I’d look to the pair of them to step up and be the difference makers against Dallas. Depending on where they’re used in the lineup, their combination of speed and finishing ability will likely make them MNUFC’s most threatening players in this match, and if they’re able to gain some confidence from a good performance this weekend, that’s only going to make this team stronger as the season progresses.
