Independence Day is a day for burgers, bangers, and Minnesota dubs, the most American things in the world, of course. I may not own a grill, but I’m coming out of this matchup with a decent two out of three, because that was some dang good ‘Merican soccer right there: end-to-end, nonstop, and shaded a nice color of Black and Blue when it was all said and done. That’s right, Minnesota United took down FC Dallas on the road tonight by a tight 2-1 scoreline, escaping Texas with three points while the fireworks went off around them.
With the Gold Cup boys back in the squad, it was a familiar starting eleven for the visitors tonight, as Dayne St. Clair, Tani Oluwaseyi, and Carlos Harvey resumed their usual roles. Though it was listed as a 5-4-1 on paper, it played more like a 5-3-1-1, with Oluwaseyi sitting just behind Kelvin Yeboah and Julian Gressel stepping extremely high in order to get balls into the box. It was a strategy that paid early dividends, as the Loons got off to an extremely hot start.
Through the first 10 minutes, MNUFC outpossessed and outplayed Dallas, generating a third of their final shots on target total in this early period. Their high press on Dallas goal kicks kept the home side from settling into any discernible rhythm until the quarter-hour mark and signaled an uncharacteristically aggressive strategy from Eric Ramsay and the coaching staff.
Once the hosts found their feet, their quality began to show through. Logan Farrington showed flashes of quality and dynamism, foreshadowing future developments as he emerged as Dallas’ most threatening presence. Despite growing into the match, Dallas continued to give balls away cheaply in the midfield, giving the Loons plenty of counter opportunities to test Maarten Paes in the Dallas goal.
Beyond the opening 20 minutes, the first half was characterized by battles between both teams’ center backs and strikers, as the midfield was all but skipped more often than not. The breakthrough goal came courtesy of a clinical set piece from the Loons, when Michael Boxall’s run to the front post shifted Dallas’ defenders forward far enough to leave Carlos Harvey completely unmarked at the back. His header was on target, doing enough to secure the deserved lead before the half.
Though the second 45 opened with another threatening Loons set piece, it was the home side that had the momentum this half. Whether the Loons stepped back a touch or Los Toros hit the gas a bit more, it was clear that the onus had swung in Dallas’ favor. Dynamic play from the hosts forced the Loons to shift back into a familiar low block, weathering the storm and looking for chances to strike back. When you’re as good as the Loons are at set pieces, chances always come.
When Michael Boxall’s long throw-in the 58th minute was flicked on at the front post, Anthony Markanich gave Loons’ fans flashbacks to last week, tapping in a lead-doubling goal to take a little wind out of Dallas’ sails.
The hosts didn’t go quietly, though, as Farrington pulled one back in the 73rd minute. They very nearly found an equalizer, but alas, the crossbar and Dayne St. Clair must’ve been good friends, as two fantastic shots from Dallas clanged off the top of the goal frame before the final whistle. Good game management from the Loons helped them to dispel the head of steam that the hosts had built up, ending the game calmly and taking a huge three points back to the North Star State.
In what was an overall solid performance, it was the combination of Yeboah ahead of Oluwaseyi that struck me as the most effective change for the Loons. Yeboah’s willingness to run ahead and press left space for Oluwaseyi to have time on the ball, allowing him to get more shots off and letting Yeboah do what he’s best at: hold up play, move defenders, and stretch the opposition. Another excellent defensive performance across the back was made even more effective by the continued dynamism of the Loons’ wingbacks, overwhelming Dallas when the opportunities presented themselves. It was smart, pretty soccer, and I’m not just saying that.
Your Loons are currently third in the Western Conference on 37 points, with their next league match set for Saturday, July 12. They’ll be back in action quicker than that, though, with a pair of matches scheduled early next week. First, an international friendly against Holstein Kiel on Monday, followed by a USOC quarterfinal showdown with Gregg Berhalter’s Chicago Fire on Tuesday, both of which will be at Allianz Field.
