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Minnesota United’s inclusion in Leagues Cup includes two more matches over the next week, but the Loons were all but eliminated after its first match Tuesday.
At least seven points were necessary for MLS teams to advance in the 2025 edition of the tournament with Mexico’s Liga MX, and Minnesota can only reach six after a 2-1 loss to FC Juarez at Allianz Field.
Juarez looked like the tonic Minnesota needed amid a seven-game winless lull in MLS play. Juarez had suffered three straight losses to begin its Liga MX season and fired its head coach Pedro Caixinha on Sunday.
Interim Juarez coach Salvador Valero’s side took advantage of Minnesota’s poor defending in the first half to take a 2-1 lead.
Minnesota didn’t close down on left wing Jose Luis Rodriguez in the attacking third in the 22nd minute. All that time and space allowed him to send in a bouncing cross bounced in the box and as Guilherme Castilho got behind Devin Padelford for a header goal.
Loons winger Tomas Chancalay leveled the game with a sensational left-footed strike from near the edge of the box in the 34th minute. It was his second goal in as many games after one in the 1-1 draw with San Diego on Saturday.
On Juarez’s second goal, Loons center back Morris Duggan stepped forward to the ball as Oscar Estupinan made an adjacent off-ball run, received a pass and finished past Alec Smir at the far post.
Averaging 0.6 goals in its previous six MLS games, the Loons went back to a two-striker formation with Kelvin Yeboah and Momo Dieng. They combined for one shot on target on Tuesday.
The Loons next two Phase One games are Friday against UANL Tigres, one of the top Mexican sides, and Tuesday vs. Atlante. Both are in St. Paul.
It will require mediocre play from the the rest of the 17 MLS sides for the Loons to have any chance to advance to the knockout rounds of Leagues Cup.
Continue reading...
At least seven points were necessary for MLS teams to advance in the 2025 edition of the tournament with Mexico’s Liga MX, and Minnesota can only reach six after a 2-1 loss to FC Juarez at Allianz Field.
Juarez looked like the tonic Minnesota needed amid a seven-game winless lull in MLS play. Juarez had suffered three straight losses to begin its Liga MX season and fired its head coach Pedro Caixinha on Sunday.
Interim Juarez coach Salvador Valero’s side took advantage of Minnesota’s poor defending in the first half to take a 2-1 lead.
Minnesota didn’t close down on left wing Jose Luis Rodriguez in the attacking third in the 22nd minute. All that time and space allowed him to send in a bouncing cross bounced in the box and as Guilherme Castilho got behind Devin Padelford for a header goal.
Loons winger Tomas Chancalay leveled the game with a sensational left-footed strike from near the edge of the box in the 34th minute. It was his second goal in as many games after one in the 1-1 draw with San Diego on Saturday.
On Juarez’s second goal, Loons center back Morris Duggan stepped forward to the ball as Oscar Estupinan made an adjacent off-ball run, received a pass and finished past Alec Smir at the far post.
Averaging 0.6 goals in its previous six MLS games, the Loons went back to a two-striker formation with Kelvin Yeboah and Momo Dieng. They combined for one shot on target on Tuesday.
The Loons next two Phase One games are Friday against UANL Tigres, one of the top Mexican sides, and Tuesday vs. Atlante. Both are in St. Paul.
It will require mediocre play from the the rest of the 17 MLS sides for the Loons to have any chance to advance to the knockout rounds of Leagues Cup.
Continue reading...
