Minnesota United FC vs Austin FC
Allianz Field | St Paul, Finnesota
07.08.2023 | MLS Week No. 23 | MLS Game No. 21
7:30 p.m. CT (AppleTV - MLS Season Pass, 1500 ESPN)
Hello, fellow waterfowl enthusiasts! How did America’s Birthday treat you? If you’re like me, my holiday was made a few days earlier when the boys in Black and Blue lit the fuse on some scoring pyrotechnics against Portland. And yes, I have plenty more soccer-to-fireworks analogies that I would be happy to bust out, but we’ve got bigger M80’s to blow up. That being this week’s matchup with an Austin FC squad that is also in the midst of righting the ship that ran a bit off course in the first half of the season. The fighting McConaughey’s will make a visit to Allianz Field this Saturday with a renewed sense of success after closing out the month of June with a run of form more akin to the 2022 version of the Verde and Black. The Loons will be looking to break even on the season matchup tally after being handed a 2-1 loss on May 31 down at the epicenter of weirdness, apparently. So, without further ado, here’s some facts and opinions about this Saturday’s match.
Minnesota United
Run of Form: W-D-L-D-L
It appears the Loons are on the fast track to recovery from those scoring ills they experienced during the first half of the season, as the boys snapped a six-match winless streak with an impressive 4-1 home victory over Portland Timbers last Saturday. While MNUFC currently sits in the 11th spot in the Western Conference, they are lurking around that playoff-eligible area of the seeding, as they’re only two points from rising into those ranks. Emanuel Reynoso is, as the kids say, him. There is no denying the impact he has had on this squad’s growing resurgence, but how his return has elevated the play of those around him. Bongokuhle Hlongwane, affectionately known as Bongi, was having a stellar 2023 campaign in el Rey’s absence, but with more scoring opportunities being created for him via the talisman in the middle, makes him even more dangerous for the opposition’s net minders. It’s exciting to see what may materialize for the Loons attack moving forward, especially once Teemu Pukki arrives on the scene (maybe this weekend?!). Now, for the less desirable news. The squad will be without three important pieces on the defensive end of things this Saturday against Austin with Michael Boxall (suspension), Dayne St. Clair (international duty), and Kemar Lawrence (international duty) all being unavailable. As will Head Coach Adrian Heath, as he serves his one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.
Austin FC
Run of Form: W-D-L-D-L
Austin comes to Allianz Field this Saturday with their own upswing in fortunes after a less-than desired first half of the season. Previous to last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Inter Messi 😉, Austin closed out the month of June with back-to-back 3-0 home wins. While the squad isn’t quite playing up to the level they had in the 2022 season, earning seven points from its last three matches may spark more upward movement in the Western Conference standings, as they currently find themselves currently sitting in the eighth seed, but only four points out of fourth place. Austin’s three remaining MLS matches before the Leagues Cup break will each present an opportunity to keep climbing the ranks in the West. After defeating MNUFC 2-1 at home earlier this season, the Loons will be looking for a bit of home cooking of their own. But, the importance of the points they can earn before the start of the Leagues Cup, our boys shouldn’t expect any kind of complacency in their attempt to avenge May’s road loss.
Keys to the Match:
A Talented Creative Director
Sometimes, it’s not just about a player scoring goals to prove how valuable they are to a team’s success. Fortunately for the Loons, Emanuel Reynoso is as good at scoring goals on his own accord as he is at putting his teammates in the right positions to find the net for themselves. While nobody would be sad about el Rey ruining goalkeeper Brad Stuver’s day all by his lonely, the expectation would be that most of the defensive focus will be locked in on numero diez. Even if he is shadowed by Austin, it’s still a prime opportunity for him to make his presence felt by creating more scoring opportunities for the boys around him and putting Austin’s defenders in more precarious situations on Saturday night. El Rey can carve up a defensive line within situations that offer very little space, and for the other boys in the band, like Bongi, Sang Bin, Franco and Ménder, this could give them more opportunities to make even more net gains on a more consistent basis.
Next Men Up
No Boxy. No Kemar. No DSC. Those sound like some pretty important absences to overcome against Austin, which they are. But, the consistency that the Loons defenders have shown throughout the season can tend to be contagious, and they hope it will be exactly that for whomever will be stepping up to fill their boots against Austin. The odds-on favorites to take over in their stead would be Zarek Valentin, who has proven to be solid on the defensive end of the field and even flashed his ability to be a playmaker with a beauty of a long ball that would find a streaking Bongie downfield and ultimately end up in the net when all said and done. As for whoever will be manning the middle in Boxy’s absence, all signs point to a now-healthy Bakaye Dibassy filling that steady anchor role alongside Tapias, as the pair looks to lock down the middle of the field and stymie Austin’s attack. And, one would expect that we will see Clint Irwin in the net, who has continued to hold steady in minding the net while DSC is away on international duty.
Pukki...We Want To Party With You!
Honestly, there is no insider information to report on Teemu Pukki’s availability. That said, we expect to see the former Norwich City legend included in the twenty for this Saturday’s home tilt against Austin. Like the rest of you, I hope that the Pukki party gets underway at some point this weekend. He’s fit, he’s training, and those are good things to support the theory. For such an accomplished goal scorer to be joining the MNUFC ranks is beyond exciting. And if he can make his debut in front of the grateful Allianz Field crowd, that would be truly something to behold. Not only that, his inclusion in the lineup at some point in the game would be downright inspirational to all the Loons fans chomping at the bit to see what this team may evolve into during the second half of the MLS regular season. And, dare I say, beyond the MLS regular season. Let’s go, amiright?!
