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We’ve got a few bits and pieces of news here for an every so often piece called Loon landings.
International Representation:
On Tuesday morning Minnesota United announced that five more players had been called up for international duty. Dayne St. Clair will join the Canadian senior squad for the first portion of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. In Europe Ján Greguš will join the Slovakian national team while Robin Lod and Jukka Raitala will join the Finnish national team for the first stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers. Lastly Romain Métanire will join the Madagascar national team as they attempt to qualify for the 2021 African Cup of Nations.
The other two of the seven players on International call ups are Hassani Dotson and Callum Montgomery, both in Mexico in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament with the US (Dotson) and Canada (Montgomery) U-23 teams respectively.
The United States advanced to the knockout stage by finishing second in Group A. While Canada will play their final match against Honduras tonight. With Canada and Honduras tied at the top of the group at four points with El Salvador and Haiti at one point each there are multiple ways for the Canadians to advance to the group stage.
2021 MLS Schedule:
Yesterday the 2021 Major League Soccer schedule was finally released. The Loons kick off the 2021 season on April 16th at Lumen Field in Seattle, WA for a road fixture against the Seattle Sounders slated for an 8:30 PM kickoff on FS1. MNUFC will open the season at Allianz Field in St. Paul the following Saturday against Real Salt Lake at 7:00 PM.
Minnesota’s longest homestand will be three games (8/4, 8/7, 8/14) against Colorado, Houston, and LA Galaxy. The longest road trips will be three games each with the first happening 8/28, 9/11, 9/15 against Houston, Seattle, and Sporting Kansas City. The second of those three will be shortly thereafter on 9/29, 10/2, and 10/16 against DC United, FC Dallas, and expansion side Austin FC.
The Loons will see expansion side Austin FC twice and the rest of the Western Conference two to three times but will not face any of the closest three Eastern Conference opponents, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Columbus, at all. Instead the Loons will face DC United and Philadelphia Union as their only Eastern opponents in 2021.
MNUFC currently has five matches set for National TV with the first being the season opener in Seattle on FS1. The second appearance on National TV will be the July 18th match at home against Seattle on ESPN. On August 14th the Loons will face LA Galaxy at home on FOX and wrapping up the National TV schedule is matches against Sporting Kansas City on 8/21 and 10/31 both on ESPN.
One thing missing from the schedule was a broadcast partner for Minnesota United. Since the club’s second season they have been broadcast on FOX Sports North (soon to be Bally Sports North). However there have been issues with getting the station on many broadcast providers. The Loons first MLS season in 2017 saw them broadcast on WFTC-TV FOX 9+. Prior to joining MLS the Loons had been regularly on KSTC-TV 45tv, which regularly is the home of the MSHSL State Championships.
Minnesota United FC opens the season on Friday, April 16th with an away match against Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field in Seattle, WA. Stay tuned to E Pluribus Loonum for all your 2021 MNUFC and Major League Soccer needs.