Minnesota United FC vs LAFC

Allianz Field | St Paul, Finnesota

07.15.2023 | MLS Week No. 25

7:30 p.m. CT (AppleTV - MLS Season Pass, 1500 ESPN)

Hello, fellow waterfowl enthusiasts! I’d ask how everybody is feeling on this fine Thursday, but I feel like we’re all probably in the same boat after the Loons unleashed the fury on Houston to notch a 3-0 win, a stark contrast from last week’s result. Not only that, the Pukki Party has finally begun for the finest Finnish finisher in just his second game as a member of Minnesota United. And, speaking of new members to the club, how about the Loons’ other big acquisition of the current transfer window, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi? An assist last week in game one, and nail-in-the-coffin goal in game two is a more-than-friendly way to introduce yourself to the Loons faithful. Now, after turning in one of their best team performances of the season, the Loons need not dwell on Wednesday’s success just yet. LAFC awaits, as they visit Allianz Field on Saturday night for what is sure to be a tough matchup for an MNUFC squad looking to build momentum before the start of the Leagues Cup puts a pause to MLS regular season action for the next month. We like to stay cautiously optimistic around here, but let’s just say nobody is about to sleep on the fightin’ Ferrell’s, who sit near the top of the Western Conference and, oh yeah, won the whole dang thing in 2022. Now, onto the next one…

Minnesota United

Run of Form: W-L-W-D-L

While I will do my best not to belabor on a solid win that’s in the past tense, the win against Houston just hit different. From an aggressive attack that was able to convert on scoring opportunities in a way they hadn’t previously, to a defensive unit that held up to Houston’s second-half attacking onslaught, Minnesota put together a performance that is (hopefully) a sign of things to come for the remainder of this season. But, the previous loss to Austin at home is likely to stay fresh in the minds of the Loons as they push to gain momentum for the road ahead. The return of goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was a welcome sight to see for Loons fans. After putting in time for Canada in the Gold Cup action, he showed up huge for the Black and Blue when they needed him the most. Between Pukki starting the party and the Dayne train pulling back into the station, MNUFC will be looking to turn Wednesday’s spark into a full-on flame Saturday night, and not a moment too soon.

LAFC

Run of Form: W-D-L-L-L

LAFC may have been in a rut with their three-game losing streak at the end of June, which culminated with their El Trafico loss to LA Galaxy in front of a record-setting Rose Bowl crowd, but the upswing appears to be in motion after playing to a draw with San Jose. They would follow that up with Wednesday’s 3-0 drubbing of St. Louis CITY SC…ya know, the current number one seed in the Western Conference. So, while the Loons may be feeling all the feels about their midweek triumph, it’s far too soon to get complacent against last year’s MLS Cup champs, especially with the surprising lack of success the Loons have had at home this season. Expect Carlos Vela and his colleagues to be ready for what is sure to be a very loud Allianz Field on Saturday night.

Keys to the Match:

Rinse, Repeat

Obviously, it’s much easier said than done to say, “hey fellas, whatever you did last game…do that again!” But, for a team that finds attacking success more often when off the ball and looking to run on an opponent, hopefully the team’s performance in Houston is a blueprint for the attacking third moving forward. Emanuel Reynoso showcased his vision and ability to create openings for the likes of Pukki and Bongi to feast upon when the fast break presents itself. LAFC will be sure to watch Wednesday’s tape on the Loons attack and prepare for what’s coming, but if the Loons can replicate anything close to Wednesday night, they will have more than a fighting chance on Saturday.

Lock Up The Vela (duh)

It may go without saying, but let’s just say it for the sake of clarity: Carlos Vela is a bad man. In the case of a Loons defensive unit that’s looking to reestablish consistently solid performances as they did earlier in the season, nobody is letting Vela’s smiley on-field disposition fool them. They know how dangerous he is, which he's proven in previous matchups with MNUFC. Whatever it takes for the Loons to shadow and stifle one of the league’s most dangerous scorers, odds are Adrian Heath will have the right level of attention devoted to keeping the bad man off his game and (hopefully) scoreless.

The Right Midfield Recipe?

This season has seen a number of different midfield combinations for this Loons roster. But, have they truly found the right recipe to keep dangerous scoring teams like LAFC at bay for the full 90 minutes? TBD, I would say. Against Houston, Kervin Arriaga got his opportunity in the starting XI, and the combination of Arriaga and Hassani Dotson as defensive-minded pests seemed to provide the Loons enough pressure on Houston’s attack to keep them out of the net for the night. Yes, Dayne St. Clair was a big part of keeping Houston from finding the back of the net, but with such a dangerous LAFC attack waiting the wings, the gaffer will have to do his best to land on the right recipe in the starting XI’s midfield to lock down LAFC while keeping the attack fluid enough to make good on scoring opportunities when they present themselves.