Off MLS-best 6th road win, Loons gear up for playoff push in homestretch
Minnesota United has as many road wins as any other team in Major League Soccer this season, but as they enter the homestretch it’ll be matches at Allianz Field that decide their fate in the playoff race.
The Loons play the next two, four of the next five, five of the next seven and seven of the remaining nine games this season at home.
While they’re 6-6-1 on the road this season, tied with Salt Lake and Orlando for the most road wins in MLS this season, the Loons are only 2-2-6 in St. Paul.
Click the video box on this page to watch United captain Wil Trapp and head coach Adrian Heath discuss the Loons’ road success, recent injuries to Bongi Hlongwane and Emanuel Reynoso, and the immediate dividends the team has seen from bring Jan Gregus back for a second tour of duty
With nine games remaining, Minnesota United stands ninth in the Western Conference standings, but they do have at least one game in hand on all the teams above them.
Last weekend’s 2-0 win at NYCFC saw leading goal-scorer and midfielder Bongi Hlongwane leave in the first half with an apparent leg injury. An exam this week showed, according to manager Adrian Heath, “no real damage”. They’re hopeful Hlongwane will be available Sunday against Seattle.
United previously lost midfielders Robin Lod and Kervin Arriaga to season-ending surgeries.
Emanuel Reynoso is also playing through an ankle injury Heath says has him playing “not 100 percent”.