It was a cloudy afternoon at Allianz Field, and the final result of today’s showdown between MNUFC and LAFC really matched the weather. After dominating the majority of the game, your Loons fell on the wrong side of a 1-0 scoreline, ending their six-game unbeaten run, despite an exciting performance in front of a raucous Allianz Field crowd. 

With fixture congestion starting to ramp up, Head Coach Cameron Knowles opted to try something new today. The starting lineup featured five changes from the group that had gained momentum across their last few games together, shifting from the 3-4-2-1 we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in favor of a 3-4-1-2. Mamadou Dieng earned his first start of the season in a front two with Kelvin Yeboah, with James Rodríguez earning his first MLS start just behind them at the ten. Wil Trapp returned to the pivot next to Nectarios Triantis, Devin Padelford filled in for Nicolás Romero at left center back, and Bongokuhle Hlongwane took over for Kyle Duncan at right wingback.

LAFC rolled out a similarly rotated lineup, opting not to bring Son Heung-Min to Minnesota ahead of their midweek CCC matchup with Toluca. Nevertheless, both sides had plenty of talent on display, and it didn’t take long for the action to pick up. 

From the first whistle, the changes to the lineup and the strategy of the opposition clearly changed the on-field product, with the Loons keeping the ball and finding the feet of James as often as possible. The Colombian midfielder demonstrated his incredible passing range every chance he got, threading through balls, placing perfect free kicks, and hitting full-field switches like they were nothing. While the hosts were creating plenty of chances, it was the visitors who proved the more clinical.

In the ninth minute, LAFC forward David Martínez’s impressive left-footed strike pulled the lead out of nowhere, sucking the air out of the stadium and giving his side the advantage they needed to allow them to settle in for the remainder of the match. A team that prefers to play on the counter, LAFC proceeded to defend patiently, and the Loons were forced to look for a way through a very compact opponent. 

With James on the field, though, the Loons were always threatening in possession. The switch from two 10s to one put the creative onus on James alone, and though he didn’t deliver a goal or an assist, he got about as close as one can without hitting the mark. The Black and Blue generated 10 shots to LAFC’s three in the first half, showing that they were far from out of the match and plenty comfortable with the ball at their feet. 

They came out with a spring in their step to start the second half, pinning LAFC in straightaway and putting together several decent chances in quick succession. They continued to knock on the door without being allowed in, as Hugo Lloris proved that he’s still got it by getting in front of the most promising chances. 

With everything to play for, Coach Knowles turned to the bench at the hour mark. Tomás Chancalay, Joaquín Pereyra, and Kyle Duncan replaced Dieng, James, and Hlongwane to give the Loons that fresh legs boost, and though it resulted in a few more chances, a compact LAFC side was increasingly hard to break down with the end in sight. Some impressive 1v1 saves from Drake Callender gave the Black and Blue a chance to find an equalizer until the final whistle. 

Despite the loss, there were plenty of positives to take from today’s performance. This was the first match that James was able to really stretch his legs and show everyone why he’s a household name. His Man of the Match performance brought fans back to that 2014 World Cup summer, as he was pulling strings and dictating the flow of play like a true midfield maestro. On top of that, getting quality minutes from several players who haven’t featured recently gives this squad a larger pool of match-ready personnel to call on, better preparing them for the games ahead and making the most of the whole roster. 

Following this result, your Loons remain in fourth in the Western Conference, with a full slate of games yet to be played this weekend. They’ll be back in action this Tuesday, when they take on the San Jose Earthquakes in U.S. Open Cup action back out in California at 9:00 p.m. CT.