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Loons’ forward Tani Oluwaseyi on Canadian men’s national team radar

andy greder, pioneer press
·3 min read

Tani Oluwaseyi’s hot start has come with perks.

With a team-high four goals in only 290 minutes this season, the Minnesota United striker has been the subject of national articles and mentioned in conversations for the Canadian men’s national team.

Oluwaseyi had one goal and two assists in mid-March when Loons goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair joined the Canadian team for the Concacaf Nations League. That’s when interim head coach Mauro Biello inquired about Oluwaseyi.

“(Biello) asked me slightly about it — just early-on conversations,” St. Clair said. “Obviously, he just the interim. Who knows what is going to be going on with that? I think if (Oluwaseyi) keeps performing like that, I think he’s definitely catching the eyes of those around.”

Oluwaseyi, who was born in Nigeria and moved to Ontario when he was 2010, said it’s flattering to be talked about in that context.

“It means you are doing something right,” Oluwaseyi said. “I always welcome my name in conversations like that. Again, I don’t want to get too ahead of myself. I think whatever is meant to be will be. I just leave that in God’s hands. Whatever his purpose for me will kind of come true. I can only do my part on this side. Just keep performing with the team.”

Oluwaseyi, who also has a team-high 2.9 expected goals this season, is enjoying the ride but felt any early talk about him being a potential MLS all-star is premature.

“Way too early,” Oluwaseyi said. “I think right now I’m just taking it game-by-game, whatever comes. There are going to be games I don’t score but as long as I can help the team out in other ways, I will do that, too.”

It would be quite a jump for Oluwaseyi, 23, to join Canada’s senior team for the Copa America tournament in June. Another possible option would have been the Under-23 team, but the Canadians failed to qualify for the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Dotson sidelined

Midfielder Hassani Dotson missed his first game of the season Saturday and is unlikely to return in the short term.

“It’s a bit of an ambiguous injury,” coach Eric Ramsay said Tuesday. “It could be anywhere between a couple weeks and slightly longer. We are still trying to get to the bottom of it. He’s having ups and downs, day to day on how he feels.”

Dotson has started seven games in central midfield for the Loons this season, with 629 total MLS minutes played in eight matches.

Briefly

Kervin Arriaga’s wife is due to give birth to the couple’s first child Tuesday, and the Honduran midfielder/center back was granted personal time away from the team in Blaine this week. “Fingers crossed, if it’s sort of early on in the week, then that would make life easier for the rest of the group,” Ramsay said. … MNUFC2 lost 4-1 to Sporting Kansas City II on Sunday. Center back Victor Eriksson had another rough outing, giving up a second-minute foul that led to a free-kick goal. The new Swedish player was booked with a yellow card later in the first half and had approximately a half-dozen total fouls in the match. Meanwhile, Loons’ Under-17 goalkeeper Kai Zeruhn made his professional debut in the defeat. He had five saves. … Sang Bin Jeong returned to Loons training on Tuesday; the attacker was with the South Korean Under-23 team in Olympic qualifying in Qatar last week.

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