MNUFC Drops 3 Points to Benteke’s United, Extend Losing Streak In Crucial Stretch

Minnesota United FC extended its longest-ever winless streak on Wednesday night to nine (until this month, the franchise record was four), dropping a lead in the 90th minute, and then losing in the 91st, to DC United by a score of 3-2. It was a historic result for the visitors, as well.

This was the sixth meeting between Minnesota and DC, and the first to end in favor of the visiting side. Additionally, DC hadn’t strung together two consecutive wins since April of 2023. In this case, individual brilliance on one side shone more brightly because of individual errors by the other.

“Sometimes keeping the ball is all you need”

(Eight-word reactions – @jonathanhkelly)

DC United took an early lead when Christian Benteke scored in the 14th minute. The star DP’s breakaway began when Minnesota midfielder Caden Clark (shown above at right wingback but, in practice, playing more of a general winger role) sent an errant pass to the feet of DC’s Cristian Dájome who sent it cleanly ahead to Benteke. Shirking three defenders, Benteke drew Dayne St. Clair out of his goal and wide – leaving the far post wide open for Benteke’s strike.

Conceding first has a tendency to suck the life out of Allianz Field and out of the legs of the Loons. But the equalizing goal (and, perhaps more so, the goalscorer) breathed new life into both. In the 32nd minute, Tani Oluwaseyi made a break of his own after receiving a ball headed forward by Hassani Dotson at midfield. Oluwaseyi beat a defender before slowing his run and going one-on-one with goalkeeper Alex Bono.

“We recognized before the game that there would be a lot of space in behind,” said Oluwaseyi after the match. “And if we can win the ball high up in the field, playing it first time or behind would be on. And there were a lot of opportunities for that.”

Level at the half, both squads had room for improvement but had also shown enough life that there were surely a few more goals to come. It’s unlikely that anyone expected the next goal to come from Teemu Pukki but, the Finn, who entered in the 73rd minute, was moving between the center circle and DC’s third and getting on the end of long balls with more speed than he had shown since the first few weeks of the season. It only took seven minutes for it to pay off, assisted (fittingly) by Robin Lod. The Finnish connection put Minnesota up 2-1, giving new life to the Wonderwall, just ten minutes and stoppage time away from singing their namesake song.

They can take those moments from the game and be proud of them. Pukki said of his goal and all of the other positive aspects of the matchup, “Those are the things we need to take out of these games. Because they were good moments, obviously not enough. But, if they were, we need to analyze the game and then, do much better with the job on Saturday.”

After his goal, the game went awry.

“Trees from the Wizard of Oz defend better”

(Eight-word reactions – @Edotelli89)

What happened? Defensive miscues, lack of focus, Benteke…

Head coach Eric Ramsay dissected the performance simply: “We’ve unfortunately tonight lost the game to one player. We’re really disappointed, [there’s] no two ways about it. We, particularly at the end where we should be fighting to defend the box with our lives, it really reflects the situation that we find ourselves in over the course of the last eight or nine games. Defending the box with a real intensity, a real aggression and that just hasn’t been the case, and that is utterly disappointing.”

A pair of set pieces, in the 90th and 91st minutes, led to a pair of goals. The first was sent in by Benteke to the head of Aaron Herrera who finished it cleanly to level the game at 2-2. The next freekick was taken by Martín Rodríguez, finding a DC head in traffic which directed it toward the goal. Benteke was there, unmarked, squaring off against St. Clair again and – again – beating him.

It was Ramsay who seemed to finally unlock Minnesota’s ability to score off of setpieces, spending a lot of time training long throw-ins and corners. Now he needs to redirect some energy toward defending them.

“So, very disappointing given that really what you need to do against those guys particularly at the end of the game is defend set plays,” said Ramsay. “That is the crux of it against a team [D.C. United]  like that with a player [Christian Benteke] like that. I couldn’t put it more simply I suppose.”

A simple bunker – a tactic used too freely by former head coach Adrian Heath – following Pukki’s go-ahead goal would have helped the Loons against DC. After all, as nice as an insurance goal can be, not conceding an equalizer plus a winner is far more important.

“I wouldn’t even say it got away from us. At the end there, you kind of have to shut up shop there and make sure you come away with three points,” reflected Oluwaseyi. “We got beat by one guy [Christian Benteke] twice and he was a point of emphasis before the game. It’s not something you want to see happen, but it’s just one of those things that we have to learn from it.”

Later he said, “If the game doesn’t end the way it does, we take a big three points and head into Saturday, but that’s not how it goes. We dropped three points at the end there. It’s a matter of, again, taking the lessons we can and it’s a quick turnaround to Saturday, so we can’t dwell on it too much.”

“Wait until the defense doesn’t even have Boxall”

(Eight-word reactions – @Robert_the_Red)

New Zealand international Michael Boxall, who sat out the Kiwis’ latest international tournament in order to stay with Minnesota as MLS played on and to get some time with his family before rejoining the All-Whites for the Olympics, continued an uncharacteristic stretch of high-tempered defense against DC’s high-tempo attack. While just two yellow cards were given out on the night (one per team), Boxall was perhaps lucky to only see the one.

The card was his fifth so he will be on suspension for Saturday’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes. Of all the remaining games, it may be the easiest to play in his absence (MLS will be on break during the Olympics so this would be his only game missed) as the Quakes sit at the bottom of the Western Conference.

“Calling it a draw because  of Carter’s goal”

(Eight-word reactions – @Timmesota [Yes, our Tim.])

Technically speaking, the Loons drew this match 3-3, with the opening goal scored by Carter Lucero who just this week was signed to a lifetime contract. Lucero, a Make-A-Wish recipient, wanted to score an MLS goal for Minnesota United FC and the club went above and beyond in making it happen. Lucero nutmegged DC goalkeeper Alex Bono with a strong right-footed strike. He was named Bell Banks’ Man of the Match, with their Pay It Forward Initiative donation going back to Make-A-Wish.

Saturday: MNUFC vs San Jose Earthquakes

As Ramsay, Pukki, and Oluwaseyi, all said – It’s a quick turnaround this week. The Loons took Thursday off to recover before returning to Allianz Field for training on Friday. Still in 9th place, having not won a match since June 1st (3-1 v Sporting Kansas City), the Loons should have an easy match against the last place San Jose Earthquakes.

Form

MIN: 9th in the West (30 pts.), 8-10-6 (4-4-4 at home), GD -3

SJE: 14th in the West (14 pts.), 4-18-2 (1-9-1 away), GD -28

History: San Jose leads 5-4-4 and the record for the host club in the series is 3-2-2 (even odds).

Availability

MIN: Out – DJ Taylor (leg), W. Trapp (leg), M. Boxall (YC suspension). Questionable – Out.

SJE: Out – C. Akapo (lower body), V. Costa (lower body), JT Marcinkowski (knee), B. Wilson (lower body) C. Medina (international duty), E. Ochoa (international duty), N. Tsakiris (international duty). Questionable – Daniel (lower body)

Notes: While Hugo Bacharach is now absent from the injury list, it seems unlikely that he will appear in Saturday’s selection but Ramsay has had to make more surprising decisions this season.

San Jose Notes & Quotes

The Earthquakes are dealing with their own changes. Interim head coach Ian Russell was promoted from assistant on June 24 following the firing of Luchi Gonzalez. San Jose are 1-4-0 since the change.

Teemu Pukki has scored 2 goals in 2 appearances against San Jose while Benji Kikanović has 2 goals in 4 appearances against Minnesota.

Following the Quakes 1-0 loss at home to Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, Kikanović said:

“I thought the energy and the fight was pretty good this game, compared to our usual. So obviously, I think I should have had a goal. And we maybe had a couple other chances to put a goal away, and maybe it’s different. But I think if we come with that fight and intensity, and just a little bit of extra grit, I think we’ll be okay at Minnesota.”

Cristian Espinoza leads San Jose in assists with 11 (just one less than Robin Lod’s tally for Minnesota), and is 1 goal or assist away from 100 goal contributions for the club.

The match is set to kick off at 7:39 PM CT on Saturday, July 20, at Saint Paul’s Allianz Field (MLS Season Pass; MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN). Follow Northland Soccer for live updates and postmatch coverage.