Reynoso’s two goals help Loons roll past Colorado for rare home win
Minnesota United won its first MLS regular-season game since July 1 — and just its third at Allianz Field all year — with Wednesday night's 3-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids.
Star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso scored twice within 10 first-half minutes on a swollen ankle and by doing so tied a club record for most goals in all competitions, dating to the team's first MLS season in 2017.
Recently acquired striker and designated player Teemu Pukki scored his first goal since he scored in his MLS debut at Houston on July 12. It also was his first goal scored at Allianz Field.
Until Wednesday, the Loons' only home victory since they beat Portland 4-1 to start July was a Leagues Cup group-play shutout victory over Mexico's Liga MX club Puebla.
By the time the Loons took a 3-0 lead to halftime, Reynoso had scored a brace — starting with a penalty kick in the 18th minute — that tied him with former Loon Darwin Quintero for that club record.
Loons coach Adrian Heath called himself mostly pleased to win just three days after Sunday's home draw 1-1 with Seattle — and with the next game coming fast Saturday night at San Jose.
"Obviously delighted to get the three points," Heath said. "As I said to the players, I thought we were at extremes. When we were good, we were excellent. Some of our movement with the ball was great stuff, and then I thought we were really, really sloppy with the ball at times. That was the only disappointment."
His team has squandered so many points at home this season, and it has won six times on the road instead. Until Wednesday, the Loons were 2-2-7 at home and 6-6-1 on the road.
The victory lifted them over the Western Conference standing's playoff line, from 10th place to seventh place with nine games remaining.
Heath was asked afterward whether Wednesday's game was a must-win, considering his team's disappointing home record and Colorado's last-place standing at 14th in the Western Conference.
"Before tonight's game, we had 30 points to play for," Heath said. "That's an awful lot of points. We've got three games in hand with one team, I think. At this stage of the season, they're all important. But I think the important thing for us has been to get back to winning ways at home."
Reynoso now has scored 27 goals in all competitions for the Loons, which ties Quintero and surpasses Kevin Molino by one.
"Both incredibly talented," Heath said of Reynoso and Quintero. "They're No. 10s (playmaking midfielders) who affect the game. The players that cost the most money are always the ones who score and make goals. And Rey, when he's playing well, he does exactly that."
Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair recorded the clean sheet, keeping it with a 74th-minute falling save that protected the near post.
The Loons played their second consecutive game without leading goal scorer Bongokuhle Hlongwane, out with a banged-up knee. MLS veteran Ismael Tajouri-Shradi got his first Loons star at Hlongwane's right attacking spot, Hassani Dotson moved to the left one and Joseph Rosales dropped back to play left back.
Reynoso turned Tajouri-Shradi's strike that Colorado keeper Marko Ilic blocked but couldn't contain into a rebound goal for the Loons' second goal, in the 28th minute.
Pukki made it 3-0 on a run behind the Rapids' defense just before halftime and scored on a gentle touch after Tajouri-Shradi threated a pass ahead through five defenders.
"I haven't scored as many goals as I've been wishing for," Pukki said. "It was important to get the goal. I believe it will help me in the next game."
Reynoso called Pukki's goal "important" for reasons more than a 3-0 lead.
"It's important Pukki converts because we need him to score goals to keep giving us joy," Reynoso told MLS Season Pass' broadcast afterward.
Tajouri-Shradi called that final goal perfection made through all those legs.
"I just see the opening, and I see Pukki running," he said. "Perfect pass, perfect goal."
