GAME STORY: Minnesota United loses 1-0 to LAFC

It was a pretty familiar look: back five, forwards mostly sitting back and not pressing, letting the other team have the ball and pass it ineffectively back and forth between the defenders, 60 yards from the goal.

Except this time, it was the visitors blunting Minnesota’s offense, rather than the other way around. The approach served Los Angeles FC well in its 1-0 victory Wednesday over the Loons at Allianz Field.

“It’s kind of funny getting a taste of your own medicine a little bit,” striker Tani Oluwaseyi said.

Read more: Analysis: Minnesota United sees mirror image in loss to Los Angeles FC

What position does Tani Oluwaseyi play for Minnesota United?

It’s a simple question, but it has a complicated answer — and as Minnesota heads into a Wednesday night home matchup with Los Angeles FC, it’s an answer that’s still changing.

Read more: Minnesota United Loons face LAFC in Wednesday’s MLS showdown

GAME STORY: Minnesota United defeats San Jose in MLS matchup

By now, MLS knows what’s coming from Minnesota United on set pieces. The Loons are going to take every long throw-in they can, they’re going to put every free kick into the penalty area that can possibly reach it, they’re going to be active from corner kicks.

Knowing it’s coming and stopping it are two different things.

Read more: Analysis: Minnesota United makes restarts the starting point for success

If only MLS matches were 70 minutes long, Minnesota United would be the favorite to win the MLS Supporters’ Shield.

Jokes aside, Minnesota has 37 points from 21 games, but that includes two games in which they’ve turned a 70th-minute tie into a loss and two more in which they led at the 70-minute mark but only earned a draw. Add in those six dropped points, and the Loons would have 43 and be on top of the overall MLS standings.

Read more: Minnesota United FC’s defense-first philosophy comes with a catch

GAME STORY: Minnesota United FC defeats Chicago Fire in U.S. Open Cup semifinals

GOLD CUP GAME STORY: Analysis: U.S. defeats Costa Rica in CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals

Minnesota United has hardly trailed this season; when Emil Forsberg opened the scoring for New York on Saturday, 11 minutes into the game, it was just the fifth time the Loons had gone behind all year.

That Minnesota fought back to lead by a goal at halftime was a testament to Minnesota’s effort. It was the Loons’ first comeback of the season. But it also made it all the more frustrating when they gave away the lead in the 90th minute, on a goal from Eric Choupo-Mouting, and earned a 2-2 draw on the road.

“Bittersweet,” Kelvin Yeboah said to reporters via Zoom after the game. “Really bittersweet, because we really played well.”

Read more: Minnesota United slips into draw with New York Red Bulls

You might not recognize all the names that will take the field for the U.S. men’s national soccer team on Sunday when they take on Costa Rica in the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup at U.S. Bank Stadium.

That also might not be a bad thing.

Read more: USA vs. Costa Rica in Gold Cup quarterfinals at U.S. Bank Stadium preview

For the first time ever, Minnesota United winger Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s mother — with his baby brother in tow — was at Allianz Field on Wednesday to see her son play.

And who among us wouldn’t want to score a couple of goals in that situation, to show off for Mom?

Hlongwane scored two goals in three minutes in the second half, getting Minnesota United started on a 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo — and turning a dull, physical game into a joyful family celebration.

Read more: Minnesota United defeats Houston on goals from Bongokuhle Hlongwane

Michael Boxall has held a lot of titles for Minnesota United. Veteran leader. Captain. Longest-serving player.

And now, in his 15th professional season: All-Star.

Boxall, alongside Loons goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, was voted into the MLS All-Star Game, which will be held July 23 in Austin, Texas.

Read more: Minnesota United veteran Michael Boxall makes first MLS All-Star team

Last week, Major League Soccer took five days off, with no team activities for Minnesota United between Saturday’s loss to San Diego FC and a training session on Friday.

Here’s hoping the Loons enjoyed their five-day summer break, because the calendar is about to get crowded again. Beginning with Wednesday night’s home game against the Houston Dynamo, Minnesota has five games in the next 18 days — or six if you count the team’s friendly against Germany’s Holstein Kiel.

Read more: Minnesota United vs. Houston Dynamo MLS match preview

Local fans of the U.S. men’s national soccer team have caught a break: the home team is coming to U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

The USA finished off the group stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup as the winners of Group D, and will meet Group A runner-up Costa Rica next Sunday at 6 p.m., in Minneapolis in the tournament quarterfinals. It’ll be the first time that either the men’s or women’s national team has played a knockout-round game in Minnesota.

Read more: Team USA coming to U.S. Bank Stadium for Gold Cup quarterfinal vs. Costa Rica

GAME STORY: Minnesota United lose at home to San Diego FC

Minnesota United had one of the strongest defenses in MLS during the first half of the season, so it was a surprise to see the Loons begin the second half by giving up four goals.

Talking to coaches and players after Saturday night’s 4-2 loss to San Diego FC, though, it was one goal in particular that they kept zeroing in on: the third goal.

Read more: Analysis: One goal in particular bothers Minnesota United following loss to San Diego FC