By now, you should’ve somehow realized what you gotta do: Sing it again! Your Loons put on a show in the final regular-season match at Allianz Field tonight, taking down Sporting Kansas City 3-0 in what was one of the team’s most dynamic performances of the year.

It was a refreshingly attacking approach from the often defensively-minded Loons tonight, who carried their shift into a four-man backline into the starting lineup this evening. This front-footed approach served the Black and Blue well, helping them to dominate the opening stages by pressing more aggressively, moving with great numbers in the opponents’ half, and finding more than enough space to play with.

Out of possession, your Loons were far more active in their pursuit of the ball, using their advanced numbers to win the ball higher up the pitch, rather than ceding less dangerous areas to the opposition and packing into the box. They managed to translate their trademark defensive excellence into an entirely different kind of defending without missing a beat, demonstrating the kind of vigilance, intelligence, and cooperation that should serve them well in postseason soccer.

This superb symphony of stylish soccer came to a head in the 25th minute, when the most aggressive set piece team in the world struck once again. Joaquín Pereyra sent an awkwardly-positioned free kick right over the top of the SKC backline, hitting the sweet spot for Anthony Markanich to get a head on it. The defender sent the ball into the right side of the goal, scoring his eleventh goal across all competitions and proving that he ALWAYS knows where to be. Oh, and Pereyra’s assist brought him up to 16 on the season, a new club record.

A flurry of action from the visitors forced a fantastic save from Dayne St. Clair in the closing moments of the first half, but Canada’s number one came up clutch to preserve the lead going into the locker room. From front to back, it was a dominant, decisive way to start the game, but with just a single goal in it, the job wasn’t done yet.

The Black and Blue started the second just as brightly as they’d started the first, with a deft touch from Robin Lod needing a goal-line clearance from a stressed out SKC defense. In the 54th minute, I witnessed probably the most beautiful passing sequence this club has produced since I’ve been here, with back heel flicks, one-two passes, and telepathic movement working the ball along the right side of the field before serving in a fantastic cross. Did it lead to a goal? No, but I was on my feet, so it leads to a mention in the recap, dang it.

Plus, they scored five minutes later, don’t worry.

Pereyra got on the scoresheet in the 59th minute, cleaning up a rebound after Lod’s rocket forced Pulskamp to spill the save. The Argentine playmaker stepped up to the ball with authority, firing home MNUFC’s 500th goal in all competitions since joining MLS and doubling the lead.

Before the stadium had a chance to quiet back down, the Loons were back at it again, as Nectarios Triantis’ curling cross found the head of, you guessed it, Anthony Markanich for the third goal of the night. Did I mention that this guy is always in the perfect spot?

From there, the Loons never really took their foot off the gas, though they rotated some fresh legs onto the pitch to close things out. A fantastic evening for the burgeoning midfield partnership of Wil Trapp and Triantis continued to show just how effective these two can be together, while some expert positioning from the four-man backline made four feel like five, giving the home side a solid foundation to build from.

To a man, the Loons were simply better than their opposition tonight. The decision to play a more aggressive style paid off in goals, and there really isn’t any better way to validate a tactical decision in this beautiful game. With just one game remaining in the regular season, Coach Ramsay and company will be looking to build on their good form against the LA Galaxy in the season finale in two weeks. Tune into MLS Season Pass after the international break on Saturday, October 18, at 8:00 p.m. CT to see whether or not your Loons can claim the Western Conference regular-season title on Decision Day.