Minnesota United FC welcomed fans back to Allianz Field for the first time in their 2022 campaign on Saturday night. A crowd of 18,107 was on hand to watch the Loons take the field in their brand-new Minnesota Night kits and take on Nashville Soccer Club, one of the best defensive clubs in Major League Soccer, fresh off a 1-0 win in their season-opening trip to Seattle.
A night that saw gallons and gallons of late-winter rain poured onto Allianz Field ended with the sides splitting the points in the form of a 1-1 draw. It’s the second home-opening draw at Allianz Field for the Loons. The first match in the stadium’s history ended in a 3-3 draw with New York City FC. Minnesota’s record in home openers at Allianz Field now stands at 0-2-2.
Wil Trapp returned to the lineup after missing the season-opening match in Philadelphia with a hip injury. The captain started alongside Hassani Dotson in Minnesota’s defensive midfield, where Kervin Arriaga played last week against the Union. Arriaga missed tonight’s match with an injured thorax.
Nashville SC manager Gary Smith started his same 11 from their season-opening match in Seattle.
The visitors got on the board first, finding the back of the net in the 5th minute. Midfielder Dax McCarty looped a dangerous ball into the box from about 40 yards out towards a crowd of bodies in gold on the left side of the box. His pass found the always-dangerous Hany Mukhtar, who sent the ball back across Tyler Miller, to C.J. Sapong right in front of goal for an easy tap-in.
The Loons found their first decent attacking opportunity in the 12th minute. Luis Amarilla won the ball in the attacking third and played one off centerback Walker Zimmerman to earn MNUFC’s first corner of the evening.
Minnesota threatened again a few minutes later. Fullback Oniel Fisher drew a foul on Daniel Lovitz and earned a free kick on the right side. Reynoso dropped a high-arching shot into dangerous territory, but goalkeeper Joe Willis was able to tip it over the crossbar.
The attacking flurry by MNUFC continued with a run by Amarilla sprung by a nice through ball by Bakaye Dibassy. Amarilla’s touch deflected to the feet of Franco Fragapane, who got a good shot off, but sent it over the crossbar.
The Loons best chance of the first 30 minutes came after Reynoso drew a foul from Sean Davis just past midfield in the 27th minute. Referee Armando Villarreal issued a yellow card to Davis, and Reynoso’s ensuing kick found Brent Kallman for a free header in the middle of the 18-yard-box, but Kallman’s attempt flew wide of the post.
Nashville got back on the attack and Randall Leal almost made it 2-0 for Nashville on a couple of chances just before the half. The Costa Rican international took a nice pass from Sapong and blasted a right-footed shot from outside the box, beating the outstretched arms of Miller, but not the left post, which fired the ball right back into the teeth of the Minnesota defense.
Leal nearly struck paydirt again moments later from the center of the top of the box, but his right-footed shot missed just to the left.
The Loons found their best chance for a first half equalizer in the final seconds. Fisher pushed the ball up the right flank and sent a big, looping cross through the edge of the area. A closely-marked Amarilla left the ball to find a wide open Dibassy storming up the left side. Dibassy’s left-footed smash beat goalkeeper Joe Willis but found just enough of the woodwork to deflect out of play.
Heath made two second-half changes immediately out of the dressing room. Fullback DJ Taylor came on for Kallman and moved into the right back position, moving Fisher over to the left, allowing Dibassy to move over to centerback. Bongokuhle Hlongwane came on as a second-half substitute for the second consecutive match and took Fragapane’s place on the left side.
Mukhtar came close to breaking the game open on a Nashville counter attack in the opening minutes of the second half. Nashville’s prolific DP got past the MNUFC backline and was in a dangerous position on the left side of the box, but couldn't get the shot off.
Hlongwane made his attacking presence felt in the 53rd, collecting a loose ball in the midfield and quickly got the ball to Reynoso in space. Reynoso took a couple of beautiful touches to the edge of the area and uncorked a left-footed strike that missed to the right.
Lightning in the area suspended the match at the 54:07 mark. A few minutes after the match had been suspended, a bolt struck again near the vicinity of the stadium, pushing the delay to a total of nearly 75 minutes.
Hlongwane got into the mix again shortly after the game resumed. Finding the ball and a big patch of rain-soaked grass, the South African took off on a blazing run down the left flank, but his left-footed shot went straight into the arms of the sure-handed Willis.
Hlongwane was on the business end of Minnesota’s next chance, too. He and Taylor had a nice exchange and Hlongwane found a decent angle for a shot on the right side of the box, but Willis was up to the task.
Minnesota controlled possession and was on the front foot for most of the second half and finally broke through with an equalizer in the 72nd minute.
Hassani Dotson opened his 2022 account with a gutsy goal that leveled the score. It was Dotson who created the chance for the Loons by drawing a foul on Alex Muyl and earning a free kick deep on the left flank. Reynoso’s ensuing free kick found the right foot of Amarilla, who struck it on a half-volley from just outside the box. The shot took multiple deflections before striking the right post and then trickled to the relentless left foot of Dotson, who poked into the back of the net.
Mukhtar nearly took the lead back for the Coyotes in the 75th minute. Mukhtar took advantage of Dibassy slipping on the turf and flew up the right flank. As Mukhtar closed in on Miller’s goal, Fisher closed in and looked to disrupt the shot as Mukhtar spilled to the turf. Mukhtar and the entire Nashville side appealed to Villarreal to point to the spot, but no penalty was given.
Nashville had another chance to retake the lead after Mukhtar won a corner on Fisher in the 87th minute. Mukhtar’s corner found the head of Walker Zimmerman, who put the ball on frame, but couldn’t beat Miller.
The final result marks two points in two games for MNUFC. It won’t get any easier for the Loons, who travel back east for a date with the New York Red Bulls, a side currently tied for tops in the league in goals scored (seven) and goal differential (+5). Winger Lewis Morgan tallied a hat trick in the first half in RBNY’s 4-1 victory today in Toronto.
Nashville now heads on leg three of their eight-game road trip to start their season and will face FC Dallas next week in Frisco.
UP NEXT
New York Red Bulls vs. Minnesota United FC
Red Bull Arena | Harrison, New Jersey
03.13.2022 | MLS Week No. 3 | MLS Game No. 3
6:00 pm CT (Bally Sports North, The CW - Twin Cities, SKOR North)
