Advertisement

Minnesota United gives up two-goal lead, settles for 3-3 draw at Colorado Rapids

andy greder, pioneer press
·4 min read

Sang Bin Jeong registered one of the fastest speeds in MLS this season, with the South Korean clocked at 22.6 mph. Only four others had a higher number going into Saturday’s match.

The Minnesota United attacker showed off that burst by running in behind the Colorado Rapids’ defense to score two goals and build a 3-1 halftime lead, but the Loons lost the pace and settled for a 3-3 draw at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

MNUFC (7-2-4, 25 points) allowed three goals in a match for the first time this season; all three goals came after Loons players lost aerial duels.

“It was chaos,” head coach Eric Ramsay said. “… A pretty ugly performance and not one I would like us to produce again.”

MNUFC’s 3-1 halftime lead was on the back of Jeong’s two goals and Tani Oluwaseyi’s one. Robin Lod produced a picturesque turn and perfectly weighted through ball to set up Jeong’s finish in the eighth minute. After Kevin Cabral tied the game in the 18th minute, Oluwaseyi was credited with a rebound goal in the 24th minute. It needed a VAR check after Oluwaseyi was initially ruled offside.

Oluwaseyi then fed Jeong with another nice through ball behind the Rapids defense; Jeong finished it in the 33rd minute to give him three goals in the last two games.

“He was crucial in how we define in which we want to play and the spaces we want to make sure we can exploit when the ball is turned over,” Ramsay said. “He did that really well. I’m immensely pleased he’s starting to rack up the goals, and he’s being decisive in front of goal because he gets a load of chances and he can be, if he finds a level of ruthlessness, … I’m sure, one of the most productive forwards in the league.”

The Loons rode their luck at times in the first half, but the worst moment was on a Dayne St. Clair goal kick. Colorado won the first header and the second to send a sprinting Cabral past Michael Boxall, and he chipped the ball over St. Clair. The way MNUFC gave up that goal was nearly a carbon copy of how they conceded in the 2-1 win over Atlanta on May 4.

United gave up its second goal Saturday off a corner kick in the 62nd minute. Kervin Arriaga didn’t contest Djordje Mihalovic for a flick-on header, and Rafael Navarro tapped it in at the back post.

St. Clair saved a Navarro penalty kick in the 69th minute, but then St. Clair spilled a save on Cabral’s header for the equalizing goal in the 71st minute. Cabral was able to get higher to win the ball between Boxall and Arriaga.

“It was a combination of playing forward too quickly, not being competitive enough for the duels, leaving too big of space behind the back line,” Ramsay said. “I would say they would be the three biggest factors. But it starts with not having our fair share of the ball.”

Ramsay didn’t want to make playing at altitude in Colorado a bigger deal going into the game, but afterward he said it had a role in the outcome and contributed to him wanting to quickly turn the page to Wednesday’s match at Los Angeles FC.

Briefly

Lod has 11 total assists this season, only four behind Darwin Quintero’s single-season club record of 15 set in 2018. Lod has roughly 60% of the season to top Quintero’s mark. … Rapids coach Chris Armas and Loons coach Eric Ramsay overlapped on staff at Manchester United. “He was in the trenches with us,” Armas said of Ramsay this week. “We were all together in a really interesting time. … I’m really happy that I met a guy like him. He’s a tremendous human being. You meet some good ones along the way. He is really wired on a good way. He is a good coach. He’s got lots of ideas about the game.” The two coaches shared a big hug after the match. … Loons loaned Derek Dodson out to Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship with the right to recall at any time. Dodson, who played for Charleston Battery in USL Championship last season, has not played for MNUFC this year. His move frees up a supplemental roster spot. … Hassani Dotson returned after a four-game absence and replaced Carlos Harvey at halftime. … Joseph Rosales posted the sixth fastest speed in MLS this season at 22.5 mph.

Related Articles