Loons' offense continues to sputter in 0-0 draw with Kansas City
Aug. 21—The Loons' offense has become drier than the state of Minnesota's extreme drought this summer.
Minnesota United (again) had a man advantage for 70-plus minutes Saturday, but couldn't score in a 0-0 draw with Sporting Kansas City at Allianz Field. Their opportunity to take three points off the Western Conference's second-place club gone awry.
Minnesota had eerily similar long stretch of 11 players versus 10 against San Jose on Tuesday, and while they netted an immediate equalizer, they couldn't find the winner in a 1-1 draw the Earthquakes. Last weekend, Minnesota was held scoreless by inexperienced goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann in a 1-0 loss to L.A. Galaxy.
That's one goal in the last three games and only 22 in 20 matches this season. They are praying for rain.
Manager Adrian Heath said they should have netted six or seven points out of the week, not the two they're ended with. The list of points dropped continued to grow for a team on the edge of the MLS Cup Playoff picture.
The Loons remain without half of its first-choice four attackers — leading scorer Robin Lod and Franco Fragapane — but going more than 140 minutes without finding a game-winner in two games has put this current dearth in a category of its own across the club's MLS history. The only worse drought came in the barren expansion season of 2017, when they mustered one goal across four matches that summer.
Minnesota's current struggle brought out a chirp across the pond in Scotland. Former Loons striker Christian Ramirez, who now plays for Aberdeen, tweeted during the game: "Minnesota is missing something."
United supporters booed at the final whistle as the Loons (7-6-7) tied Sporting (11-4-6). Sporting's Johnny Russell thumped his chest, while Minnesota's Ozzie Alonso put his shirt over his head.
Minnesota had nearly 60 percent possession, a 21-11 lead in shots, but only a 7-5 advantage in shots on frame. Emanuel Reynoso's shot off the post early in second half was the scoring chance.
Heath felt like his team was too vertical and didn't stretch the defense wide enough in the draw with San Jose midweek; he didn't think that was a problem Saturday. One reporter suggested they weren't aggressive enough.
"You don't think we were?" Heath responded. "I do. (21) shots. How many corners? (Eight). Efforts in the box. That's aggressive."
K.C. goalkeeper Tim Melia came up big, including a deflection on Ethan Finlay's point-blank shot in the 29th minute, Adrien Hunou's chance in the 52nd and a double save to stop Hassani Dotson and Hunou in the 69th. Sub forward Juan Agudelo couldn't convert on a breakaway in the 78th.
Reynoso's attempt to start the counter attack was cut down in the 21st minute by a high, studs-up challenge from Remi Walter, who received a red card. Sporting coach Peter Vermes said Reynoso "made a meal of it. ... I find it incredibly hard to accept that."
The Loons must accept that even with lengthy stretches of games with a man up, they can't score advantage.
BRIEFLY
Reynoso injured his hand and had a sore hamstring and other bumps and bruises after Saturday game; it has cast doubt on him participating in the MLS All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Heath said they will evaluate his health and make a decision soon. One option would be for Reynoso to make the trip and play a short shift with the MLS roster having nearly 30 players on it. ... Dibassy picked up a yellow card in the fifth minute for a hard takedown of Alan Pulido, and due to card accumulation, Dibassy will miss the Loons game at Houston next Saturday. ... Heath said he hopes Lod, Fragapane and back-up attacker Niko Hansen could return after the Houston game; the Loons have a bit of a break before a trip to Seattle on Sept. 11.
