I. OPENING UP SPACE

After a hot attacking start for MNUFC, Real Salt Lake slowed the game down — a pace that certainly benefitted the away side. RSL played a high press and forced turnovers that had the Loons chasing the game in the latter stages of the first half.

But Minnesota made the necessary modifications to its 3-5-2 shape at half, resulting in players like forward Darwin Quintero and midfielders Ibson and Miguel Ibarra finding space behind Real Salt Lake’s high line — which proved to be exactly what they needed to break the game open.

“In the first half we struggled a little bit because they were coming at us and pressing quite high, so it took us a little bit to adjust there,” defender Michael Boxall said. “But in the second half you see Ibson and Darwin go into space. Once they beat one player then everything opens up for us.”

Boxall made special note of Ibarra, who made a surging run in behind the RSL defense to receive a pass from Quintero and slot home Minnesota’s third goal of the night.

“Miguel was absolutely relentless tonight,” he said. “He was quality.”

II. CLOSING OUT GAMES

Through 75-plus minutes, the Loons enjoyed what seemed like a comfortable three- goal lead, but had to sweat out the final minutes after conceding a pair of goals in the 77th and 85th minutes.

It was not the first time MNUFC failed to see a game through cleanly in recent weeks. It also squeaked out a 4-3 win over Toronto on the Fourth of July after leading again by three, 4-1, in the latter stages. Head Coach Adrian Heath was less than pleased after Saturday’s win with the late effort and, though they got the all-important three points, the team knows it cannot afford to keep taking its foot off of the gas.

“We weren’t playing how we were since the beginning,” Ibarra said. “We have to do better at closing out games. I think we just have to be better. When it is 3-0 we have to act like it is 0-0 still and keep going, maybe get another one or just defend and make sure we get a clean sheet.”