“There's a party going on right here. A celebration! To last throughout the years. So, bring your good times and your laughter too: We gon' celebrate your party with you.” Thank you, Kool and the Gang, for the perfect intro for the Year 10 Celebration game this Wednesday! Your Loons are throwing it back to 2017, taking on Atlanta United in a rematch of the first-ever MLS game played in the North Star State. It's time to come together, folks. But first, a preview.
Minnesota United (6-6-7)
Run of Form: D-W-D-L-D (All Competitions)
The tail-end of Leagues Cup saw your Loons find their wings a bit, earning a draw against a stubborn Tigres side and turning on the burners to end Atlante’s tournament. Then, a hardfought point in the mountains of Utah saw them carry that form back into league play, getting themselves off to an encouraging start. Now, with several attacking players finding their cutting edge and putting together back-to-back scoresheet performances, there seems to be a bit of a fire under the Boys in Black and Blue.
Atlanta United (4-12-3)
Run of Form: W-L-L-D-L
At the beginning of the year, one look at Atlanta’s roster may have prompted you to say they were playoff locks. Now, after 19 games, they sit bottom of the Eastern Conference and are struggling for air. On the bright side for fans of the Five Stripes, one of their four wins in 2026 came just this weekend against midtable Red Bull New York, proving that these pieces can find a winning formula after all, however inconsistently that may be.
Keys to the Match:
It’s Always Better When it Rhymes
They were the big story in Storylines last week, and they’ve only gone and done it again. Marcus Caldeira and Joaquín Pereyra connected once again against RSL, making it three goal-assist combos in their last two games. While not a false nine, Caldeira’s understanding of space, when to drop, and tendency to stay central have made him a perfect complement to Pereyra, who has found joy running behind, wide, and combining with the young striker. All that has happened in a total of just over 20 minutes played together, with Caldeira subbing into each match in the 72nd and 86th minutes, respectively. Yes, it can be easier to make a difference against tired legs, but a difference made is a difference made. The coaching staff will definitely be looking for ways to keep expanding Caldeira’s impact on games moving forward, whether that means subbing him in a bit earlier until they deem him ready for a start or deciding that going with the hot hand is the best strategy with this very intriguing mixture of striking options at their disposal. Each option up top (Kelvin Yeboah, Mamadou Dieng) brings something different to the table. Regardless of who starts, the development plans for those three strikers will continue to evolve, and it can only be a good thing in the long run.
Make Sure You Right Back
If you noticed the half-time substitution of Bongokuhle Hlongwane for Kyle Duncan against RSL, you may have thought to yourself “I thought Kyle Duncan was playing pretty well,” which you would be right about, and I’m sure Coach Knowles would agree with. It wasn’t that Duncan did anything wrong to be taken off; rather, it was that the Loons wanted to change the game. The introduction of Hlongwane saw them adjust their shape, adapting to his higher starting position, and shifting the available space for both them and their opponents to play into. This paid off with some early chances for the Loons in the second half, then slowly gave RSL a foothold of their own as they took advantage of more space left in MNUFC’s defensive half. Both Duncan and Hlongwane contribute on both sides of the ball, but they’re simply more naturally suited to their own unique skillsets. For Duncan, that meant making overlapping, wide runs to join the attack against RSL, generally seeing him start a bit further back. Hlongwane, on the other hand, likes to drift up and play as more of a winger — not too wide, but not central, either. This gives the Loons a tremendous amount of flexibility down the right side, giving opposing teams plenty to think about when setting their own lineups. Whoever starts at right wingback may not finish the game; keep an eye on that spot.
Remember Me?
I couldn’t write the Year 10 Celebration preview without a key dedicated to a bit of history, could I? In the Loons’ first-ever home match in MLS, they took on current-Loon Julian Gressel’s Atlanta United, falling in a snowy 1-6 loss. Kevin Molino scored the first home goal in club history to keep the match from being a shutout for the visitors, and showcasing something awfully Minnesotan: no matter how bleak the circumstances may seem, we never go down without a fight. Nine seasons later, here we are, playing at Allianz Field, signing players from all over the globe, and steadily building on a foundation that never quits. To celebrate just how far we’ve come, we’ve invited former players to come out to the match, many of whom will be out at the Sun Country Pre-Party during pregame before heading in. Come on out and get some autographs and photos, and be sure to share some of your favorite memories from across the years. It’s going to be a special day, and it never hurts for your Loons to get some extra magic rubbing off from a celebration of this kind.
