The season and home openers have officially been announced with the Loons facing off against Seattle Sounders for their first game of the 2021 season. With second week of preseason training in the books, the Loons reflect on what happened at the end of last season and how they’re preparing themselves for their first match of 2021.

“I think the way we ended last year was definitely disappointing,” said defender Michael Boxall. “We fell short of where we thought we could be.”

In 2020, the Loons clinched a spot in the MLS 2020 Cup Playoffs for the second year in a row. Colorado Rapids visited Allianz Field for Round One of the playoffs and the Loons won the game 3-0, making club history by moving onto the Conference Semifinals for the first time ever. Minnesota flew out to Kansas City and faced Sporting KC. The Loons won 3-0 again and moved on to the Western Conference Finals, one game away from the MLS Cup Final. After taking an early lead, Minnesota’s energy flagged after the quick turnaround from SKC and the team lost in heartbreaking fashion on a go-ahead goal from Gustav Svensson in the last minute.

“It was a complicated year with coronavirus,” said MLS legend Osvaldo Alonso. “But this year I think the team is mentally focused to give it our best and we have to get better little by little, and focus on winning the Cup that escaped us last year.”

With all of the Loons officially in team training together, the team is developing their chemistry, communication and mentality.

“We know that we have to get better in certain areas,” said Alonso. “We know that this year the mentality is to focus from the beginning — we have to learn from our mistakes.”

The Loons have started their preseason training off in the right direction and are looking forward to Florida, where they will participate in four friendly matches against Charleston Battery, Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati and Orlando City SC.