How do you take your lakes? Varied, scattered, and fresh? Or are you the kind of person who wants them in one big, salty spot? We’ll see which one’s better this weekend, in Major League Soccer’s unofficial Lake Day Derby — patent pending — as Minnesota United plays host to Pablo Mastroeni’s high-flying RSL side at Allianz Field this Saturday. 

Minnesota United (6-5-3)

Run of Form: L-L-D-W-L (All Competitions)

I see you wringing your hands — cut it out, we’re okay. Your Loons haven’t won a game since that epic road comeback in Columbus, but they’ve remained consistently competitive. Both losses to New England and Colorado saw the Black and Blue fall by just a single goal, and late drama in the draw against Austin saw Coach Knowles and the boys drop points heartbreakingly close to the finish line. These tightly-contested games, while frustrating, have showcased some tremendous fight from your Loons, and it feels like a return to form is just a few good bounces away. 

Real Salt Lake (8-4-1)

Run of Form: W-W-L-W-L

This RSL side is legit, but they’re human. Impressive wins over Houston and Colorado saw them flex their goal-scoring muscles, while a 2-1 loss to the LA Galaxy proved that they’re liable to take the role of both David and Goliath week to week. It’s always safest to prepare for any opponent’s best shot, though, and given the fact that they’re on a two-game winning streak at the moment, I expect we’ll see a fired-up RSL at Allianz Field this weekend. 

Keys to the Match:

Advantage, Salt

While the Loons have a massive advantage in the battle of the lakes (10,000 to 1? Not great odds for the visitors), RSL comes into this match with an edge on the field of play. With a head of steam built up over the last two weeks and the conference’s third-best goal difference, they’re proving to be the real deal in 2026. They’ve split the scoring duties between the likes of young phenom Zavier Gozo (6), Sergi Solans (6), and Diego Luna (4) — among a few more goal scorers — resulting in a balanced attack that opposing teams are forced to respect. This in turn takes pressure off the RSL back line, creates space in the midfield, and verges on suggesting that the opposition is best advised to play in a low block and wait for opportunities to counter quickly. As the Loons continue to evolve their style of play under Head Coach Cameron Knowles, they may look to employ a tighter version of what we’ve seen this season, as an open game plays right into RSL’s hands. It’s a classic example of the tension between adjusting to handle the opponent and staying true to your identity because you believe in it. It’s likely that Knowles will make some adjustments both stylistically and personnel-wise in this one — the only questions remaining are how many changes he’ll make and how much those will affect the product on the field. 

Everyone Wants a Good Note

This weekend’s match will be the final regular season match for MNUFC until July 22. That means this will be the result we look back at for two whole months. A win leaves everyone with a positive feeling, better positioning, and a bit of momentum. Anything less will see everyone leave on a bit of a flat note, and while that could be the catalyst for some meaningful reflection, no one wants to go into such an extended break on the back foot. Club leadership almost certainly wants to see two maximum-strength sides line up against one another on Saturday, but there are question marks surrounding some World Cup-bound players. Some have already left (James Rodríguez), some have already heard their names called (Michael Boxall), and others are still just hopeful and waiting (Diego Luna of RSL). Those that are on matchday rosters will have to battle divided attention, and their managers will have to make some potentially life-changing decisions regarding playing time in this regular season showdown. I don’t wish this on anyone, of course, but a late injury would scratch a World Cup hopeful from roster contention, and with the tournament so close, both managers will be walking a tightrope between what’s best for the club and what’s best for their players. Ideal scenario: a win, no injuries, and a good performance. That’s a good note; we won’t put anything worse into words. No jinxing here!

The Triumphant Trio

Early on this season, the engine driving the Loons’ attack was the growing understanding between Joaquín Pereyra, Tomás Chancalay, and Kelvin Yeboah — PCY, if you want to give it a fun name. There’s probably a better name, right? JKT? We’re workshopping. Regardless, with James away, the Loons will need to find a way to get those three back to their best. Chancalay and Pereyra thrive when they’re on the field together from the first whistle, growing into the game and exploring the space together to find pockets to work in while they identify the best ways to break down the opposition. That enables Yeboah to stay high, putting pressure on the opposing back line and allowing him to play like a pure striker — finishing in the box and making runs into channels to move defenders around. If the Loons can find a few moments of possession early on, that’ll speed up the process of their Argentine 10s feeling out the opposition, potentially leading to the kind of interplay that made the home match back in April against Portland so entertaining.