Recap: Hunou’s brace bring MNUFC a much needed win

Minnesota United came into Houston last night with a large amount of the roster out. Eight players we’re listed out on the pre-match injury report requiring wholesale changes from the Loons. Heath moved from his usual 4-2-3-1 to his secondary 4-3-3 formation. Dotson, Hunou, and FInlay took to the top, giving 3 of the 4 from top of the formation against SKC the start.

Hayes, Alonso, and Trapp started in the midfield, both Ozzie and Wil returning from the previous lineup while Hayes replaced Reynoso, albeit in a different spot. Gasper, Kallman, Boxall, and Métanire took the the back line in front of Miller with Kallman replacing Dibassy from last week’s match.

While the formation was nothing extremely out of the ordinary, the bench was. Both extra goalkeepers, Dayne St. Clair and Adrian Zendejas we’re rostered alongside Taylor, Raitala, Weah, Kibunguchy, and Adi.

All of those changes looked, well frankly extremely bad for Minnesota right away. The Houston Dynamo scored just 54 seconds into the match. Houston managed to completely break through Minnesota’s defence in a play ending with a goal by Adalberto Carrasquilla.

15 minutes later Minnesota answered back with a goal of their own. Wil Trapp delivered a free kick deep into the box. After the Dynamo headed it away from the goal, Finlay picked it up and sent a pass over to Hunou who used the defensive lapse and split of the keeper to his advantage to score.

At the end of the first half the match, in practically all statistics was even across the board.

Then after nearly sixty minutes of silence on the board and with two Houston yellow cards in between, the Loons snagged a second goal. Once again it was Adrien Hunou who scored on a set piece. A long throw into to Adi was back-heeled to Ethan Finlay who then slipped the ball to Hunou in the middle of the box where Hunou would score his second.

After a drought of three straight matches without a win and only 2 points out of a possible 9 in those three, the Loons first (MLS) win at BBVA Stadium couldn’t have come at a better time. MNUFC will now have a two week break as play halts for the September International Break. The Loons will be back in action against the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field on the 11th of September at 4 PM.