Wednesday night in the Midway saw Minnesota United launching full-force into Leagues Cup, hosting Querétaro F.C. in their first fixture of Phase One. After a lackluster performance by the host league yesterday, the Loons decided it was time to spice things up and put some respect on the MLS name.
Coach Ramsay approached the match in a 5-4-1 that featured most of Minnesota’s usual starters but notably had Michael Boxall, Wil Trapp, Tani Oluwaseyi, and Anthony Markanich standing by on the bench — a smart move considering the sheer level of schedule congestion over the next few weeks.
Right out of the gates, Robin Lod pulled the strings in the midfield, pushing the ball forward to Bongokuhle Hlongwane for a seamless combination with Joseph Rosales in the 11th minute. Exploding past two defenders, Hlongwane received a curving cross from Rosales, taking two touches to meet keeper José Hernández in the center of the box and tap the ball into the bottom right. Just like that, the Loons led 1-0. (You’re thinking about Bongi’s Leagues Cup scoring spree in 2023, right? Me too. Let’s do it again.)
The mantra for the Black and Blue tonight was something along the lines of different tournament, same strategy. Stellar defense from a backline trio of Nicolás Romero, Morris Duggan, and Jefferson Díaz. Low possession and intentional on-the-ball movements. Striking power from Kelvin Yeboah. And, of course, phenomenal execution on set pieces. After a foul on Hlongwane earned a yellow card for Omar Mendoza, Yeboah took a 20th-minute free kick.
The opposing wall might as well not have been there. Yeboah took the shot like it was a PK, sending the ball sailing into the bottom right (again) and doubling the Loons’ lead.
Querétaro had no shortage of chances throughout the match, with 10 total shots but just three on goal. The opposition struggled to convert in a well-oiled defensive third, with multiple shots going wide and just three on goal. Dayne St. Clair logged two crucial saves, and most of Queretaro’s scoring opportunities were nudged wide or shut down by a lethal defense. The Loons’ backline knew exactly how to both counter and capitalize on the aggressive nature of Querétaro’s play.
The second half kicked off with a Querétaro sub, a Yeboah shot that went high, and a Querétaro corner that led to another St. Clair save. A chaotic 58th-minute corner kick from Gressel gave the Loons a lot of almosts, but nothing concrete. After a tough fall (flip, really) in the 60th, Hlongwane was down for a minute, and Ramsay called in a trio of very intentional subs: DJ Taylor, Tani Oluwaseyi, and Carlos Harvey on for Lod, Hlongwane, and Yeboah.
Querétaro put themselves on the board in the 67th minute, when Jhojan Julio created some space against Julian Gressel and sent a banger into the top right. Both sides opted for a pair of subs a few minutes later, with Querétaro’s Escamilla notably leaving the pitch. On the Minnesota side, Duggan and Joaquín Pereyra made way for Boxall and Markanich.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Markanich took matters into his own hands with a great run up the left that was thwarted by Querétaro’s Ángel Zapato. Tripping up Markanich, Zapato earned the club’s third yellow of the night. Rosales took the free kick from just outside the box, opting for a direct shot that sailed just high. But Markanich had his eyes on the goal, and he wasn’t settling.
In the 79th, a quick pass from midfielder Owen Gene found Markanich, who anticipated forward movement from Rosales and got him the ball for a sharp pass right into the box. Julian Gressel backheeled it to a waiting Markanich, who navigated it past a defender and the keeper for the Loons’ third of the night. (Guess where? Bottom right.)
Another yellow card for Zapato in the 88th had Querétaro playing a man down for the remainder of the match. By this point, the Loons had effectively put it away, but Oluwaseyi hadn’t had his fun yet. Rosales, big playmaker of the night, combined with Oluwaseyi for a phenomenal run right past the keeper. Just Oluwaseyi and an unmanned goal. His last touch was almost leisurely, and that was the capstone on a four-goal night for the Black and Blue, who now lead the MLS side of Leagues Cup table.
Also, that last goal was into the bottom right. I guess we have a favorite corner. Let’s hope we can find it again down in Houston on Saturday, when the Loons take on the renowned Club América in the second of three Phase One matchups that will determine which eight clubs find themselves in the quarterfinals.
