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Minnesota United scores in 95th minute for 1-1 draw with Columbus Crew

andy greder, pioneer press
·4 min read

Tani Oluwaseyi wasn’t immune to Minnesota United teammates ribbing him on Saturday — even if the striker did provide the late equalizing goal in a 1-1 draw with Columbus Crew.

Oluwaseyi’s left-footed finish came in the nick of time — four minutes and 26 seconds into stoppage time — and it saved the Loons’ home opener at Allianz Field.

As Oluwaseyi dressed in the locker room, Hassani Dotson and D.J. Taylor needled him.

“Two video cameras, oh my goodness!” Dotson joked. Make sure you put on the sweater.”

“Spray your cologne,” Taylor added.

Oluwaseyi shook his head. “I’m used to it at this point,” he told reporters. “This is Year 3. … We joke (around) and get along really well. It’s a really good locker room. It’s good banter. Good for the soul.”

Wearing a fuzzy dark blue button-up, Oluwaseyi didn’t need a spritz; he was already smelling like roses after registering his first career MLS goal.

Until Oluwaseyi’s unlikely finish, the reigning MLS Cup champion Crew were riding Cucho Hernandez’s goal from the 59th minute.

The officials said there would be a minimum of four minutes of added time, and MNUFC needed every second.

“I kept looking at the ref to make sure he’s not moving the whistle to his lips,” Oluwaseyi said. “I saw that wasn’t happening and I said we are going to get one more. I just tried to be in a position where I can hit the ball first time off a clearance, or in that case, take a touch and aim for goal.”

Oluwaseyi’s goal was a longer time coming. The 2022 first-round draft pick out of St. John’s University in New York was injured during 2022 and played only 13 MLS minutes in 2023 before he was sent on loan to San Antonio FC of the USL Championship.

“Truth is no one is going to be happy about being told you are not going to get game time with your parent club,” Oluwaseyi said. “But I quickly switched my mindset on it. For me, it was: ‘This is your situation and the best you can do for yourself is go there and play to the best of your ability and show what you can do at the next level.’ ”

The Nigerian-born Oluwaseyi turned heads by scoring 16 goals and adding seven assists in 2,036 minutes with San Antonio.

“Last year was a real year of growth for him,” interim head coach Cameron Knowles said. “When he went out on loan and did really well in USL Championship, we knew that him coming back this year was going to have a significant role to play. He’s really taken those opportunities.”

Oluwaseyi — pronounced ola-wa-shay-ee — has come off the bench in both games, contributing an assist in the 2-1 win over Austin FC last Saturday.

Former Loons legend and current Crew striker Christian Ramirez, who played in Minnesota for the first time since 2018, allowed himself to admire a fellow forward’s work, even if it was for the opposition.

“I think Aidan (Morris) gets a deflection to it that puts it over (goalkeeper Patrick Schulte),” Ramirez said. “But to be able to try that is audacious. All credit to him.”

While Dotson might have given Oluwaseyi a hard time before meeting with the media, Dotson stuck around to film the entire interview. That wasn’t a gag; Dotson was being a good teammate, recording it for Oluwaseyi’s family to watch.

Briefly

Permanent head coach Eric Ramsay might arrive in the U.S. before the Orlando City road match next Saturday. If he does, he would watch Knowles lead the team from the stands at Inter & Co Stadium. … Caden Clark of Medina made his first Loons start Saturday; he was anticipating 40-45 family in friends in attendance in St. Paul. … MNUFC2 is scheduled to play in U.S. Open Cup first round versus Chicago House in Elmhurst, Ill., at 7 p.m. March 20, but the Loons have an international friendly planned with Irish club St. Patrick’s Athletic at the same time in St. Paul. And a handful of Loons players will be away for international duty at that time. If the club can’t alter the tournament game schedule, look for academy kids to play. … MNUFC2 winger Loic Mesanvi of Lakeville signed a short-term loan to join MNUFC on Saturday. Mesanvi, who played 13 minutes in the season opener and 29 minutes Saturday, has now exhausted both MLS call-ups this season. The 20-year-old can still be called up for two non-MLS competitions. … MNUFC is still working with Spanish club Villarreal to determine first-round pick Hugo Bacharach’s training compensation. The center back has signed a contract with the MLS club, but it has yet to be announced.

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