With the second half of Minnesota United’s 2019 MLS campaign beginning this Saturday, a club record is up for grabs for goalkeeper Vito Mannone — pun intended.
As it stands, Mannone has kept five clean sheets in MLS action this year, equaling fellow shot-stopper Bobby Shuttleworth’s total from Minnesota’s inaugural season in 2017. If the Italian can blank FC Cincinnati in this Saturday’s game, he will stand alone as the club’s leader in clean sheets in a single season. If he achieves this feat this weekend, he’ll break the record in only 17 games, but Vito doesn’t want to stop there.
“It’s nice to have an individual record but I always think that a clean sheet comes as a team and everyone plays their part,” said Mannone. “If we can gain this clean sheet [to break the record] then we want more and more. We are looking to make the record even better.”
Speaking with Mannone, the goalkeeper never used the word “I.” Instead he referenced many of his own successes by using the word “we,” referring to the combined efforts of him and his teammates.
“We want more.” “We work as a team.” “We will push for the playoffs,” said Mannone throughout our conversation.
Mannone also incessantly credited some of his best performances to his teammates, which alluded to an altruistic team spirit from the Loons that can’t be seen by the naked eye. Vito has certainly been excellent in his debut season for MNUFC but the goalkeeper is sure to make it clear how much of a team effort it really is.
“As I always say, you defend with eleven and you attack with eleven,” he exclaimed. “It’s a full squad. It starts from the attacking players, down to the midfielders, and the backline needs to be on top of the game to get a zero on the scoresheet.”
Mannone even gave special mention to the defenders in front of him who have served as an ever-reliable safeguard to his net. The likes of Ike Opara, Romain Metanire and Hassani Dotson have been spectacular at the back for the Loons. Their work rate and commitment to keeping clean sheets have been a key feature in Minnesota’s stifling defense.
“The defenders are massive for me because they are the last line of defense in front of me. If everything works then you gain what you deserve,” said Mannone.
On loan from Reading F.C. in the English Championship, Mannone has quickly become a fan favorite here in Minnesota. Usually one of the first to hit the field on gameday, Mannone is always greeted by boisterous and jubilant cheers from the Wonderwall as he takes his place in goal. Mannone’s experience playing in the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League has clearly helped smooth his adjustment to MLS.
“I think you always learn everywhere you go,” said Mannone. “I started young and I took my experiences into the game. You want to try to use them to help yourself in different situations. MLS was a new game for me, a new approach, new teams, new stadiums, new everything. I’m embracing the new adventure and trying to bring my old experiences into the game to get me through.”
One could even say the goalkeeper is relishing the opportunity to play in Minnesota. Four of Mannone’s five clean sheets have come at Allianz Field – a ground that the Loons have begun to build into a visiting team’s worst nightmare. The raucous atmosphere of the MNUFC faithful and the roar of the Wonderwall are key factors in the creation of the Allianz fortress. With this in mind, Mannone and his defense have conceded a mere seven goals at home in MLS play. To give you an idea of the significance of this statistic, only Atlanta United (four goals), NYCFC (five goals) and LAFC (six goals) have conceded fewer goals in their respective home stadiums.
“We’ve got some nice results on the road but obviously, when every team that is at home, it’s an advantage,” said Mannone. “You’ve got your own fans and they are pushing for the result. Sometimes you play big games and every good piece of defending that you have is cheered [by the fans] as a goal and that makes you stronger and stronger and wanting to keep that zero on the scoresheet.”
Having taken 21 points in 16 games, MNUFC currently sit in seventh place, just above that crucial playoff line. With a back-loaded schedule full of home games, Mannone is confident that the Loons can continue their defensive authority at home and mount a playoff push in the second half of the season.
“We need to carry on with this trend because we have [some] big games coming up. 7 out of our next 10 games are at home. If we focus we can gain points, we can gain clean sheets, we can gain that push for the playoffs. So now even halfway through the season, this is the most important part of the season,” he said. “We need to make the stadium a fortress.”
