It’s that time of the MLS season again — time for your Loons to visit a new destination. If MNUFC’s first trip to San Diego is even half as exciting as their first-ever matchup against SDFC, we’re in for another treat. (Though I’ll be hoping for a different result this time around, of course.) The Black and Blue are coming back from the international break to find a pivotal challenge in front of them, with the fate of the Western Conference at stake between the current number one and two seeds in the conference. Sparks are wont to fly; buckle up.
Minnesota United (14-6-9)
Run of Form: D-W-W-L-L (All Competitions)
Coming out of Leagues Cup, your Loons looked a bit tired. A loss to Atlético San Luis in the final Phase One match left a bad taste in the mouth, while a slip-up against an efficient Colorado side didn’t do much to wash it out. Once the Leagues Cup hangover wore off, though, the Loons picked up a huge 1-0 win over Seattle, right before turning that momentum into a 3-1 win at Real Salt Lake. A 1-1 draw against the Timbers last time out kept the unbeaten run going, setting Eric Ramsay and the boys up for a Western Conference title challenge.
San Diego FC (17-7-5)
Run of Form: W-D-W-W-W (All Competitions)
Pick just about any period of the season, and San Diego has been in good form. They’ve struck gold out there, with Anders Dreyer firmly in the MVP conversation and Hirving Lozano proving that he’s still got it. Their most recent run of games has seen them continue their California dominance, taking down both San Jose and LAFC on the road with 2-1 scorelines. The only blip in their recent history is a 0-0 draw against the Timbers, and after experiencing first-hand how hard Portland is to beat, Loons fans can appreciate how hard they had to work for that point.
Keys to the Match:
Can’t Win, But You Can Lose
In the context of the Loons’ 2025 season, this weekend’s match is a must-win. With a five-point gap separating the Black and Blue from San Diego’s conference-leading point tally and just five games remaining in the regular season, the margin for error is shrinking in the quest for the Western Conference’s top spot. A loss on Saturday would all but hand the top seed to San Diego, giving them an eight-point lead and leaving the Loons in need of a perfect finish — plus some help. A win closes the gap to just two points, and while that still leaves the Loons looking for another SD result to fall in their favor, it at least gives them a fighting chance to take the regular-season conference title. So, while MNUFC can’t win any titles this weekend, they can almost certainly lose one. Is it the end of the world to miss out on the number one spot? Well, no, but it would be nice to lock down a guaranteed spot in next season’s Concacaf Champions Cup, home-field advantage guaranteed all the way up to the conference finals in the playoffs, and the confidence that comes from proving that you’re the best in your conference. This is going to be a pivotal game for both clubs; watch closely.
The Window is Closed
The summer transfer window is shut, and all the deals are done. While that means every team’s roster is solidified, it doesn’t necessarily mean that every new signing will be immediately available for this weekend’s match, as several players continue to finish their paperwork to secure work visas. We’ve already seen Mamadou Dieng debut for the Loons, and after a long break, we’re going to see more and more new signings arriving in the coming days. Dominik Fitz has been training and will likely travel with the team, but whether or not he features and in what capacity remains to be seen. An injection of fresh energy might just be exactly what MNUFC needs if they want to get the better of this extremely talented San Diego side, who added tricky attacker Amahl Pellegrino from San Jose before the window shut. But it’s not just the new guys that will make a difference here. Tani Oluwaseyi has officially left the club for Villarreal, meaning that the goal scoring burden will fall even more heavily on the shoulders of Kelvin Yeboah. This weekend’s matchup has a lot of “what-ifs” and “maybes” floating around it, whether you’re talking about the personnel that will take the field or the current state of the table. Regardless of who plays, this match is all about organization and discipline for the Loons, two attributes that can be hard to perfect amidst so many question marks.
Expect the Unexpected — Or Not
When these teams first met in June, a 4-2 San Diego win was packed with clippable moments, from a bizarre early own goal, to a half-field goal, to a frenetic finish from the visitors. It wasn’t the result that the Allianz Field faithful wanted to see, but I’m sure any neutrals tuning in were absolutely enthralled by what proved to be the closest thing to pure chaos we’ve seen this Loons team take part in. Normally, Coach Ramsay’s side is organized and dutiful, playing their style without wavering and taking control of games through sheer discipline. Whether it was something about how San Diego plays (they love to keep the ball) or just the circumstances that got the game off to an odd start, that match in June slipped away from the norm. What does that mean for the Loons? Well, you can’t plan for shots from half field, own goals, or PKs. Take those things out, and the last game ends 2-1 for San Diego. My advice? Throw most of the last encounter out. San Diego is very good, and with Hirving Lozano back, they’re going to be even better than they were last time. But if the Loons take a collective breath ahead of this one and just play their game, they don’t need to make any special adjustments to counter Mikey Varas’ squad.
