Yes, it’s been a while since my last lesson, but you haven’t forgotten about me, right? Coach Kyle is back, and I’m still navigating the various domes of the Twin Cities to coach my U13 girls squad — the very same team I coached when I first took you all to school! They were U11s back then, learning how to play 9v9 and adjusting to a bigger field. Now, during their first year of 11v11 on the big field, as they call it, we’re really focusing on how to use the space available to them and best support their teammates. 

When you’re just starting out, it’s hard to know where to be and where to go when you don’t have the ball. How close is too close to a teammate? How far is too far? Where can you present the most helpful option to your teammate, and therefore present the most threatening presence to your opposition? These are the nuances of the game that keep nerds like me coming back for more, and I think I’m about to bore my team half to death with all of these little adjustments in thinking. If only I could find an example for them to watch instead of subjecting them to the sound of my voice!

Never fear; Anthony Markanich is here. If you watched the Loons play much in 2025, you probably saw the young defender score. He ended the year with an impressive 12 goals in all competitions, including two braces. It was the kind of breakout season that had people jumping out of their seats and scratching their heads at the same time. 

How in the world did our left wingback score a dozen goals? I’m so glad you asked. 

A Lesson in Movement

Some players are visionaries with the ball at their feet, capable of dribbling past a whole team’s worth of players to create an opportunity. Others are more analytical, moving carefully without the ball to set themselves up. That’s Anthony Markanich for you. And, in a team that was so effective on set-pieces and second phases after the initial play has taken place, players with Markanich’s natural ability to read the game and get into the right positions are absolutely crucial. Watch this clip in full, then we’ll break it down.

Now, not every one of his twelve goals looked exactly like this, but more often than not, he was scoring after ghosting into open space at the back post, jumping to win a free header, and putting on an absolute clinic in heading accuracy. If that sounded like gibberish, never fear; we’ll take it step by step. 

Straight away, check out Markanich’s positioning on the corner at the very start. Top of the box, waiting for the signal from Pereyra. He jockeys slowly into the box, putting pressure on the back of the defender marking him. Then, because the ball was coming to the front post, he disengaged, sliding into open space at the back post in case the ball came through. It bounces out, and the dance continues.

Now, the second phase. When the ball returns to Pereyra a bit further back, it’s clear that he’s looking to play it back in again. If you check the tape, Markanich is still lined up at the back post, offering an option and scanning the space. When the cross comes in, Pulskamp clears Morris Duggan’s shot, and Markanich immediately makes his way to the other side of the box, running against the flow of the retreating SKC defenders.

Now, this is an example where the Loons were fortunate to be on the receiving end of two clearances in a row, but the point stands: without moving off the ball and staying engaged in the play, there’s no goal here. By constantly evaluating the game and doing little things to confuse or lose his mark, Markanich makes himself a constant threat. And the celebration? Tyler Terens said it best.

I won’t break this one down in as much detail, but I can’t leave you without another example. Anybody remember Game 3 against Seattle? Well, watch our boy track this corner. First, Duggan and Boxy line up at the back post, then they run across the box to drag their defenders out of position, leaving space for Markanich to run into completely free. From there, all the Loons needed was a perfectly delivered ball, which Pereyra kindly provided, creating another easy finish for the league’s highest-scoring defender.

So, while you may not see Anthony Markanich dribble the length of the pitch before unleashing a curler top bins, you’re likely to see his name on the scoresheet again. Pay close attention to those back post runs, pray for more picture-perfect set piece delivery, and let the man go to work. He does his best work when the scarves are waving around Allianz Field, so put a little extra into your swinging when the Black and Blue hit the field again in 2026.