Things have been rough recently for Minnesota United. The Loons have three losses in a row and are winless in the last four. On the other side of the pitch tonight is a team in a similar situation. LA Galaxy are just beneath the playoff line and have also won only one of their last five. Galaxy have also won three of the last five against Minnesota, though the Loons took the most recent meeting.
Following last weekends loss in St. Louis, MNUFC dropped to 12th place on the table (7-8-10, 29 points), but remain only a single point out of last playoff spot. With the table as tight as it is, should MNUFC go on a run the team could finish in the top half of the conference. But that means a lot needs to go Minnesota's way. Scoring has been better recently with the team putting up 11 goals in the past four matches.
That has been thanks to the performances of Kelvin Yeboah, who leads team with 13 goals, and Anthony Markanich with 7 goals. Yeboah could break the clubs long standing single season scoring record. Markanich has continued to make himself open on set pieces, continuing to show why he was an MLS All Star this season.
Defensively the club has struggled recently though. Minnesota has allowed 14 goals in last four matches, dropping them to 20th in goals conceded. The last clean sheet for Minnesota came all the way back in late July when the Loons forced a nil-nil draw with Vancouver. MNUFC's struggling defence has led to a -6 goal differential and with Michael Boxall out tonight, the team will need to gel together well to take three much needed points.
LA Galaxy are in a similar spot, sitting just 10th on the table (7-9-10, 30 points) with eight matches to go in their season. Offensively the club has struggled more than Minnesota, scoring just 31 goals. A positive is their scoring is spread around with four players that have three goals or more. But none of those players have double digit goals (high is six goals) so far this season.
Key offensive piece Joseph Paintsil, who is tied for second in goals and third in assists, is out with a thigh injury. That all combines for a team sitting 25th in goals scored per match, but also hasn't been shut out in their last six games.
Defensively LA is a mid-table side and could give Minnesota plenty of trouble. LA are 14th in goals conceded, showing their team can be defensively solid. But the Carson, CA based club has given up three goals in a match twice just in their last three contests. Main starter James Marcinkowski has three clean sheets for the club along with averaging a massive 4 saves per match.
News & Notes
MNUFC are 4-6-10 (W-D-L) all time against LA Galaxy and 2-6-4 at home this season. A win for the Loons would be their first home league win since 18 April and second consecutive win against Galaxy and
Peter Stroud is getting closer to returning to training from injury. Michael Boxall is also out tonight due to yellow card accumulation. Duggan's suspension was overturned upon appeal and he will be available for MNUFC.
More notes from yesterdays training session is available in our recent Training Tidbits.
Wonderwall is having a march to the match starting at 6:30pm from the giant loon statue on the corner of Snelling & University. Pre-match Dark Clouds and Red Loons are gathering at Black Hart of Saint Paul and TNE at Midway Saloon.
TV time is set for 7:30pm this evening with kickoff happening at approximately 7:39pm. You can watch the match on Apple TV or listen on 1500ESPN.
Availability
MIN | Out: Michael Boxall (suspension), Peter Stroud (lower extremity); Questionable: None
LA | Out: Joseph Paintsil (thigh), Sergi Roberto (shoulder); Questionable: Elijah Wynder (ankle)
