The MLS NEXT Pro postseason is on the horizon, with only two games remaining in regular-season play for the Twos. Following an explosive 5-1 victory over Whitecaps FC 2 — featuring a Darius Randell hat trick — the boys hit the road to take on Real Monarchs in a fixture that might just end in Minnesota clinching a spot in the playoffs.
Randell’s high-scoring performance over the weekend means he now leads the club in goals (12), assists (3), shots (68), and shots on target (28). The back-to-back reigning Player of the Matchweek has become the hallmark of the Twos’ attack, scoring six goals in his last three matches and landing himself among the league’s top 10 scorers. Randell has been part of a rotating two-striker system alongside Jordan Adebayo-Smith and Mamadou Dieng, a lineup that’s proven immensely effective in recent weeks.
Prior to the big Vancouver win, MNUFC2 shut out Houston and Colorado 2-0 in consecutive matches, bringing Minnesota's winning streak to three. Meanwhile, the Monarchs have been eliminated from playoff contention following their 4-0 loss to San Jose Earthquakes II, a brutal blow following a 4-1 loss the week prior. Minnesota has momentum in spades, while Mark Lowry’s Monarchs side has struggled to find consistent results, having won back-to-back matches only once this year. Their postseason hopes might be dashed, but they’ll be eager to play spoiler at a critical juncture for the Twos.
Only four teams in the Western Conference have yet to determine their role in the postseason, for better or for worse. The Twos are at the top of that middle-of-the-table pack and have a game in hand on each of the remaining three clubs (North Texas, Tacoma Defiance, and San Jose). With a single point separating seventh and 10th, every remaining result has the potential to tip the scales. These young Loons can clinch a spot this Wednesday with a win, and they’ll need to maintain or improve upon their seventh-place spot in order to evade the newly added play-in round.
See the Twos fight for their right to playoffs as they go head-to-head with Real Monarchs at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16. Tune in live via MLSNEXTPro.com or OneFootball.
