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Loons beat Phoenix Rising 2-1 in exhibition match

andy greder, pioneer press
·1 min read

Minnesota United forward Patrick Weah scored the game-winning goal in the Loons’ 2-1 exhibition win over Phoenix Rising in the Coachella Valley Invitational in Indio, Calif., on Saturday.

The Loons trailed the USL Championship club 1-0 within the opening 15 minutes. Phoenix won the championship in the second-tier division in 2023.

MNUFC midfielder Hassani Dotson equalized with a penalty kick in the 24th minute. Robin Lod earned another penalty, but he put the ensuing shot off the post.

Weah, a homegrown player from Minneapolis, scored the winner as a second-half substitute in the 79th minute.

The Loons starting XI was: goalkeeper Dayne St Clair; defenders Joseph Rosales, Micky Tapias, Michael Boxall and DJ Taylor; midfielders Dotson, Lod and Alejandro Bran; attackers Franco Fragapane, Sang Bin Jeong and Tani Oluwaseyi.

Star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso is dealing with an injury and top striker Teemu Pukki has been in Finland for the birth of his third child.

Mass subs came in during the 71st minute, including: Jordan Abedayo-Smith, Loic Mesanvi, Moses Nyeman, Carlos Harvey, Wil Trapp, Devin Padelford, Hugo Bacharach, Zarek Valentin, Derek Dodson and Weah.

MNUFC defender Michael Marques played for Phoenix on Saturday; it’s another sign he will head to another club on loan for the 2024 season.

The Loons will play friendlies against Chicago Fire on Wednesday and Charlotte FC next Saturday. The season opener is Feb. 24 at Austin FC.

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