MINNESOTA UNITED FC vs. FC DALLAS
Allianz Field | Saint Paul, Minnesota
05.15.2021 | MLS Week No. 5 | MLS Game No. 6
7:00 p.m. CT (The CW Twin Cities, MNUFC Radio on SKOR North)

2021 Regular Season Records (W-L-D):
DAL: 1-1-2 (0-1-0 on the road)
MIN: 1-4-0 (1-2-0 at home)

Minnesota United's 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday came as a relief to fans and players alike, but it's a safe bet that Head Coach Adrian Heath recognized as just the beginning of getting this club back to where preseason expectations had them. The Loons weathered some early miscues and once they pulled it together, hung in there through the first half against a hard-nosed Whitecaps side. In the second half, Heath brought on forward Ramón Ábila to change things up and the Argentine rewarded Heath's trust by bagging a header off a Robin Lod cross for his first MLS and MNUFC goal. Expect more of the same against FC Dallas: a 4-3-3 to start the game and wrest control of the midfield early, followed by adjustments to go for three points if the opportunity is there. Coming out of this double-game week with six points can move MNUFC back up to the middle of the table.

THE OPPOSITION
In the most recent Texas Derby, Dallas came back to earn a 1-1 draw with rival Houston Dynamo on the strength of Jader Obrian's second goal in as many games. Dallas goalkeeper Phelipe Megiolaro made up for an earlier missed penalty save by stopping Memo Rodriguez's free kick strike in the 61st minute. Now in their third season under Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez, the plan for Dallas remains the same: Get young, impressive players like Paxton Pomykal minutes and support them with solid veterans. Expect them to possess and counter-press as they try to grind out a road win against the Loons.

TYLER MILLER ON FC DALLAS

“They’re a very dangerous team. I think they have some good attacking options. They’ve got good service into the box and are very creative on their set pieces. It’s something that we have to, as a team, collectively approach this game the same way we did against [Vancouver]. If we can have that same disciplined, defensive mindset, it will lead to us getting opportunities on the break and I think it’s the way we need to turn around the season. With how it started, it was not what we expected. If we have this defensive mentality, we’re really strong, tough to play against, I think we’ll be able to turn everything around.”
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ADRIAN HEATH ON GETTING THAT FIRST WIN

“I think the most important thing is it’s put a little bit of belief in the players, that will certainly do their confidence no harm which is always really important in any team. I felt as though we had been playing well enough and not the rewards we deserved so it was nice to come away with the three points. As I said, it will probably set the lads up in a better frame of mind for the game against Dallas which we know is going to be difficult.”MORE

STORYLINES presented by BMW
WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG: It had been 595 days since fans at Allianz Field have had a chance to belt out Oasis’ “Wonderwall” following a win. The last victory at the stadium with fans in the stands was in 2019 on Wednesday, September 25 against Sporting Kansas City — a 2-1 win that clinched the Loons’ spot in the playoffs. For comparison, there were 399 days between the release of Oasis’ debut album, Definitely Maybe, and its follow-up, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, and there were 718 days between the announcement of Minnesota United as the 23rd club in MLS on March 25, 2015 and the club’s first home game against Atlanta United at TCF Bank Stadium on March 12, 2017.

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FIRST TOUCHES
Dallas’ Dante Sealy currently leads the league in goals per 90 minutes. The 18-year-old forward has played 13 minutes and scored one goal, good for a 6.92 goals per 90./p>

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