Four goals, free fries and nothing but good vibes. It was a wonderful night at Allianz Field, with Minnesota United earning a convincing 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers. The revival of the Loons’ offense was like water breaking through a dam, and there was nothing the boys from the Beaver State could do to stop it. 

A slow start to the game was riddled with fouls and yellow cards, with four Loons entering the ref’s notebook by the 35th minute. Close calls frustrated both sides early on, with every through ball and incisive pass just missing its intended target.

It wasn’t until the half-hour mark that the Black and Blue started to look comfortable. Outstanding play from fullback DJ Taylor forced Portland into some difficult situations, with the left back winning what felt like every ball and adding pinpoint crosses at the other end. He did his best Kevin De Bruyne impression in the 27th minute, finding Ménder García’s head and forcing a save out of Ivacic. 

MNUFC continued to pile on the pressure from that point on, picking up the pace and peppering the goal with shots. Near misses finally turned into something of substance in the 43rd minute, when a fantastic counter-attack saw Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s cross kindly converted into an own goal by Diego Chara. A magnificent turn and run into the box from Ménder was the secret sauce to get this one across the line, though he ultimately won’t see his name on the scoresheet for his efforts. 

With a halftime lead in their sights, the Loons could have packed it in and protected the advantage for a few minutes. But that’s not what we do around here. 

The boys kept pushing, refusing to settle for just one. After showing flashes of brilliance throughout the first half, Emanuel Reynoso closed out the opening 45 with a flourish.

After earning their fourth corner of the half, Rey paid homage to fellow Argentinian Cesáreo Onzari, scoring an Olimpico and bending that thing like he owns Inter Miami. 

Despite the break in action, the momentum didn’t change at all in the second half. Rey and Bongi came out more confident than ever, displaying a level of finesse and skill that Portland simply couldn’t handle. 

While a momentary lapse in the 60th minute left the Loons’ backline exposed and allowed the visitors to pull one back, the home side wasn’t shaken at all. With their lead cut in half, MNUFC turned it up a notch.

A breakaway in the 74th minute pitted Bongi against the Timbers backline, a race he was always going to win. The winger made no mistake with his first touch, coolly pushing the ball into his path and megging Ivacic to reestablish the two-goal lead. 

Just three minutes later, fantastic passing and movement freed up space in the box, allowing Bongi’s driven cross to find a wide-open Reynoso at the back post for the cherry on top. 4-1, Loons. 

Substitutes Devin Padelford and Emmanuel Iwe showed flashes of their own on the night, adding to their team’s best result of the season thus far. 

Though they started a bit lethargically, the Black and Blue put in an overall dominant performance. The work rate shown by Sang-Bin Jeong was commendable, with the South Korean international popping up in key moments at either end of the pitch. The masterclass put on by Bongi and Rey was nothing short of breathtaking at times, helping the Loons to what was ultimately a comfortable three points. 

MNUFC will be back at Allianz Field next weekend to take on Austin FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30, with streaming available exclusively on AppleTV’s MLS Season Pass. 

UP NEXT

Austin FC vs. Minnesota United FC

Allianz Field | Saint Paul, Minnesota

07.08.23 | MLS Game 20

7:30 pm CT (Watch free on AppleTV’s MLS Season Pass)