Notebook: VAR saves the day

Minnesota United came back from the Lone Star State on Saturday night with a single point in hand from a match that easily could have been none. VAR overturned the lone goal of the night, setting pace for a nil-nil draw. However, Adrian Heath thought his side deserved a win from this match.

“No. I think we deserved three from the game. You know, we try and go for three every time. As I just said to the players, our second half performance probably deserved to win. We had enough opposites. Keeper has made three or four unbelievable saves. And, I was really pleased with the response of the players on the back of playing in D.C. on Wednesday. And I thought they put a really good shift in. I thought second half was more like us. That’s when we were at our best.”

Tyler Miller rather tried to look at the positives of the point on the road, saying. “I don’t think anybody should be disappointed with just one point in Dallas because it’s a very difficult place to play.”

Coming away with three points would be a tough task, even more so with having a lone shot on goal inside the first 45 minutes.

“We got enough of the ball in the final third. We just didn’t have enough quality in the final ball. Didn’t have enough people to get in the box. At the end of the day, you’ve got to get people in the box,” said Heath. “You gotta try and get people in the danger area and make people defend. I thought we made it too easy for them. We were trying to find the perfect goal. We couldn’t get too much. It’s all combination play around the 18-yard box without actually looking threatening.”

The second half did get better as MNUFC managed to get five shots on goal in the second half, but also nearly gave it away with an FC Dallas goal. That goal, would come back as disallowed after a VAR review called it a handball.

“By the letter of the lord, it’s a handball,” said Heath. “I think if it was the other end, I’d be really disappointed. I don’t know what the kid is supposed to do from a yard out when Boxy [Michael Boxall] clears his lines. But, it’s the letter of the law. Something that I don’t agree with. And, maybe, they’ll feel aggrieved by that as well. But, you know, it’s just the rules these days.”

While the Loons did come through with one point, they did not come away unscathed from their match in Frisco. Near the death of the match Emanuel Reynoso was issued a debatable red card from a bad tackle. Post match, Heath stated he had not seen the replay, but did issue a comment on it.

“Seemed harsh. Nobody else appealed for it. Certainly, their bench didn’t. Their players didn’t. So, we’ll see.”

Tyler Miller rather, did see the play and gave the best explanation possible about it.

“I saw it from a distance so I don’t know exactly what happened, but guys were talking about it and from our standpoint, we think Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] took a touch and then just happened to step on the guy and maybe it’s a yellow card, but honestly everybody has to take a closer look and really see what happened before we can really judge. But we will see what happens.”

The card does mean that Reynoso will be out, alongside the four international callups, from Minnesota’s match this weekend against the Colorado Rapids.