Recap: MNUFC gets the win via a stoppage time goal

It was not the greatest of nights for Minnesota United last night against FC Cincinnati. Another overall mediocre performance from the Loons was only saved at the last minute. Aaron Schoenfeld managed to score on a loose ball to save the Loons from the purgatory of four draws in their last five matches.

Only two changes would be made from MNUFC’s match last Saturday against Houston. Ozzie Alonso and a returning Ján Greguš would take the DM spots from Jacori Hayes and an injured Hassani Dotson. Hayes would be on the bench as would Thomás Chacón and defender José Aja.

The first half had a few but not a large amount of highlights for the Boys in Black and Blue. Dayne St. Clair would make a nice little save on an impressive header by Cincinnati’s Siem de Jong.

The Loons got fairly close to breaking the match open early. After Greguš lost the ball initially on the play he managed to get it back and chip it into the box. Finlay pounced on the opportunity and tried to one touch chip the ball over FCC Goalkeeper Spencer Richey. He did manage to get the ball over Richey but also ended up getting it over the crossbar.

The first 45 minutes did not go great for MNUFC. FC Cincinnati dominated the half in possession and total shots. And while the Loons were outshot 8 to 4 in the first 45’, both teams could only muster just a single shot on target.

Dayne would make another nice little save in the second half. The play started out on the wrong foot for the Loons (if a defensive play can ever start out right). Andrew Gutman stepped in on a pass to Ethan Finlay, Gutman would immediately turn around and send the ball down the field to Jürgen Locadia. Locadia would charge undefended down the side of the field before cutting into the box. And while he was covered by two defenders, he managed to get the shot on net and heading towards Dayne St. Clair. DSC would end up making a fairly easy save by dropping down on the ball.

Not long after the save Ozzie Alonso would be carded, the first of two on the night for MNUFC. The Loons would make their first two subs in the match with Aaron Schoenfeld coming on for Kei Kamara in the 75th minute and Emanuel Reynoso coming on to replace Ethan Finlay in the 76th minute.

The second card for Minnesota came when Chase Gasper slightly, but intentionally, shove Frankie Amaya. This was actually an overall good foul and card to take to prevent Amaya from breaking out on his own into a scoring chance.

However after a fairly mediocre game the Loons would find the one they needed for three points. On a nice corner sent into six by Reynoso, Michael Boxall got his head on it and nearly scored right there. The ball would miss and hit the outside post bouncing back to Aaron Schoenfeld at the top of the six. Schoenfeld would corral it on one touch and send in into the back of the net on the second to give MNUFC the lead in stoppage time.

After that goal MNUFC would cap the game by sending Brent Kallman on for Kevin Molino in a literalt last minute substitution.