In a quiet moment inside Allianz Field last year, Hassani Dotson lamented, at that point, what once was.
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The Minnesota United midfielder was reminded of the “Bangers Only” T-shirts the club made to support his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2019. His theme of smacking long-distance goals continued into 2020 but then mostly dried up.
“I need to score more,” Dotson told the Pioneer Press last July.
It took a bit longer, but Dotson produced another banger on Saturday, a 25-yard blast, but the good vibe was ruined as United coughed up a three-goal lead in a 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan.
Dotson’s finish will be a MLS goal of the week candidate, but won’t be the lasting impression for Minnesota (2-1-1).
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“It’s obviously a sickening result, one that will live long in the memory for us, I’m sure,” head coach Eric Ramsay said. “We got to make sure that we respond well and we take as objective of a look as possible as to why.”
Here are three takeaways:
Defense slips
The Loons defense extended its shutout streak to 261 minutes into Saturday’s second half. Then United gave up three goals in a 12-minute span.
Stout then sloppy.
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A ball over the top was tapped in by Daniel Salloi in the 68th minute; Loons center back Morris Duggan’s own goal came in the 72nd; Jefferson Diaz’s giveaway was capitalized on by Dejan Joveljic in the 80th minute.
The Loons made two substitutions — Sang Bin Jeong and Jefferson Diaz coming in in the 65th minute — and shifted into a more defensive 5-4-1 formation.
“It’s very difficult to look past the before and after point … around when we change,” Ramsay said. “Of course, I have to look at myself and the decision that we make at that point. There was not a part of me that was expecting the level of drop off from a concentration perspective, from a decision-making perspective.”
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MNUFC’s shutout streak had dated back to the season opener against Los Angeles FC on Feb. 22.
Lineup change, formation tweak
With leading scorer Kelvin Yeboah missing training sessions this week with a hip injury, Robin Lod started over Sang Bin Jeong up top as a forward in a 5-3-2.
Lod, a natural midfielder, dropped in possession into the middle of the park and combined with Bongi Hlongwane on a counter attack in the 31st minute. Lod got cut down just after the pass to Hlongwane, who then sent in a beautiful cross just in front of Sporting’s defense for Oluwaseyi’s first goal of the season.
Oluwaseyi’s second goal came on a tap-in during the first minute of the second half. His pressing action helped set it up.
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Opportunity lost
MNUFC will have five players — Oluwaseyi, Lod, Dayne St. Clair, Michael Boxall and Carlos Harvey — away on international duty when L.A. Galaxy come to St. Paul next Saturday.
With the Loons down roughly half their starters, three points was going to feel like an added boost, but one will feel like what might have been.
Jeong and Diaz might have larger roles next week, but neither had positive performances Saturday. Jeong skied an open scoring chance late in stoppage time.
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Three tidbits
New midfielder Owen Gene made his third appearances in the last three games, while fellow new mid Hoyeon Jung has yet to play. … MNUFC2 won its season opener in dramatic fashion, with a 96th minute goal from new defender Kisa Klingi. The 6-foot-1, 22-year-old born in Kenya played four seasons at Cornell. … MNUFC backup forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith has been loaned to USL Championship side Detroit City.
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