Game Story: Minnesota United tops Real Salt Lake on Tani Oluwaseyi’s goals

With Minnesota United midfielder Hassani Dotson set to miss an extended stretch of time following surgery on his knee last week, the Loons need the rest of the midfield to pick up the slack.

Luckily for them, Joaquín Pereyra seems ready to go.

Read more: Minnesota United’s Joaquín Pereyra emerging just in time

What the heck, let’s empty the notebook before the RSL game and see who reads it…

Minnesota United doesn’t really have a rivalry in MLS. Chicago’s closest, but in the wrong conference. Sporting KC is in the right conference, but has its own rival now, in St. Louis. Seattle is Minnesota’s nemesis, in the same way the Yankees are the Twins’s nemesis - which makes it not really a rivalry at all.

They say rivalries are made in the playoffs, and at least for Loons manager Eric Ramsay, that’s bearing itself out with Real Salt Lake.

“I think it’s probably the game, I would say,” said Ramsay. “You sort of talk about the Kansas rivalry in terms of proximity and some of the stuff that’s gone before. But I think this one is the game that has got that that real edge to it.”

Minnesota played RSL in the first game of their preseason preparations this year, a closed-doors scrimmage that wasn’t broadcast anywhere - but according to the coach, it was more contentious than would have been expected. “You guys wouldn’t have seen it, but the preseason game had that edge to it, for the first outing,” he said. “You could tell there was a spillover from last year for sure.”

Not only did the Loons play Real Salt Lake in the first round in the playoffs last year, but also in the third-to-last game before the end of the season - a 0-0 draw that was nevertheless memorable. RSL defender Brayan Vera was sent off for spitting at Loons captain Michael Boxall, a galvanizing moment that added plenty of bite to the first-round playoff matchup.

To be fair, Boxall said the opposite from Ramsay, though he also offered that it was part of trying to approach each game calmly. “I’m just trying to lay off the yellow cards,” he said. “Trying to just make sure I’m available more.”

RSL fans will probably remember Loons goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair’s antics during the penalty shootouts in the playoffs, including one of Minnesota’s most iconic moments in franchise history: St. Clair pulling out his best Vince Carter imitation after a shootout save, and motioning “It’s over” to the cameras.

“Our players thrive in those situations,” said Ramsay. “I’m sure they appreciate that type of that type of tone, intention to a game, because you don’t often get that in the MLS. It’s probably one of the things [that players miss] in comparison to leagues that have those really traditional long-standing rivalries that have been brought on by decades and decades of goings-on and geography and proximity and that sort of stuff. I think it’s it’s nice to have a game like that with that sort of feel for sure.”

Boxall might get a break?

The Loons captain played two games for New Zealand over the international break, helping his country to be among the first to officially qualify for the World Cup in summer 2026. It also meant, though, that he didn’t get back to training until Friday, after some flight delays caused him to miss Thursday’s session.

Much was still up in the air at the end of Friday’s session, but Ramsay sounded doubtful. “I don’t think he would be 100%,” he said. “There have been situations where we’ve rushed him back, but this this very likely won’t be one of those.”

Boxall’s delay in getting back wasn’t due to wild celebrations in New Zealand, though. “By the time you get out of the stadium and everything, it’s pretty late,” he said, sounding truly middle-aged. “I don’t know if you’ve been to New Zealand and tried to find somewhere to go out on a Monday night. It’s not a huge thing.”

Remember Kipp Keller?

Minnesota defender Kipp Keller hasn’t played for the Loons yet, thanks to a hamstring injury suffered in preseason. He was jogging during Friday’s training session, one of the first times he’s been seen running in weeks, even on the side.

According to Ramsay, it’s an injury that will linger longer than anyone would like, saying that Keller’s still a couple of months away from being fit. “Far more serious than anyone would have wanted,” said Ramsay. “He’s a guy that was chomping at the bit to get his opportunity, he’s a really enthusiastic guy.”

Minnesota selected Keller in last winter’s re-entry draft, hoping for him to provide some young, MLS-experienced depth on the back line. With the emergence of Morris Duggan and the arrival of Nicolás Romero, though, center back depth has become something of a strength for the team.

Minnesota United defender Anthony Markanich has carved out a role with the Loons since Minnesota traded for him near the end of last summer. He’s the team’s backup left wingback, a position that comes with more potential playing time than other backup roles.

We’ve seen the position’s importance already this year, as Markanich has started four of five games after an injury to starter Joseph Rosales — and it’s still unclear which player will start Saturday night against Real Salt Lake.

Not that competition is anything new for the 25-year-old Markanich. Given that his identical twin brother, Nick, is also a pro soccer player, it’s fair to say that he’s been competing his entire life.

Read more: Minnesota United and Anthony Markanich to face Real Salt Lake in MLS

On April 10, CONCACAF will hold a made-for-TV event to conduct the draw for this summer’s Gold Cup, which will hold games at U.S. Bank Stadium in June.

One request: Can the good folks at CONCACAF be sure to send us some teams other than the U.S. men’s national team?

Read more: USMNT isn’t showing up in international play; neither are its fans

Game story: Minnesota United endures a draw with LA Galaxy

Kelvin Yeboah’s first goal of Saturday’s 2-2 draw with the LA Galaxy at Allianz Field, like his first goal this season, probably isn’t going to go on his highlight reel.

Not that it won’t look just fine as part of his team-leading tally of four goals.

“I’m also pleased that he’s scoring a certain type of goal at the moment as well,” coach Eric Ramsay said. “I think he’s learning the value of a goal that isn’t the most glamorous, off a set play, and he’s in the right position at the right time and he’s worked really hard at that.”

Read more: Analysis: Loons’ Kelvin Yeboah knows the right spot

Every year since 2020, the venerable American soccer statistics website American Soccer Analytics has ranked the analytics departments of MLS teams.

And for the first four years, Minnesota United always landed in the bottom tier — as did Saturday afternoon’s opponent, the LA Galaxy. And what’s the original title of that tier, referring to the apparent attitude of teams at the bottom?

“The game’s not played on a spreadsheet, mate.”

Read more: Minnesota United faces LA Galaxy while increasing focus on MLS analytics

Everyone around Minnesota United is excited about Inter Miami’s visit on May 10, coming as it does with the possibility of seeing the greatest soccer player in history play at Allianz Field.

The key word there: possibility.

For all his greatness, Lionel Messi is neither ageless nor indefatigable, nor is he required to play in every one of Miami’s games. And so some teams — Vancouver last season, Houston a few weeks ago — have planned big events when Miami was on their home schedule, only to see the guest of honor fail to show up.

Read more: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami scheduled to play Minnesota United May 10

Through 64 minutes Saturday, Minnesota United was cruising against Sporting Kansas City. The Loons led 3-0. SKC was getting booed by its own fans. It was cold and snowing and the home team was headed for an 11th consecutive loss. You could have excused SKC for looking like, as a team, it simply wanted to dig a hole and hide.

Then the Loons made two substitutions.

“It’s very difficult to look past the before and after point today, around the point at which we change,” coach Eric Ramsay said.

Read more: Loons are unreserved about frustration after flop at Kansas City

GAME STORY: Minnesota United turns a lead into a draw at Sporting Kansas City

FRIDAY ADVANCE:

Minnesota United doesn’t have a natural rival in Major League Soccer. Sporting Kansas City, which hosts Minnesota United on Saturday night, has traditionally been the choice — almost by default.

SKC fans, for their part, much prefer their own rivalry with St. Louis City. But thanks to (relative) geographical proximity, plus a history of U.S. Open Cup matchups dating back to Minnesota’s days in the second division, there have been spots of bad blood between Minnesota and Sporting KC through the years.

And so it’s unlikely you’ll find a lot of Loons fans who are bemoaning the current state of affairs: Sporting Kansas City is awful.

Read more: Minnesota United vs. Sporting Kansas City and Peter Vermes

Hassani Dotson is still with Minnesota United — but he’s still not exactly happy.

In late January, the Loons midfielder — whose contract is up at the end of this year — made his unhappiness with the front office known, and publicly demanded a trade.

It was certainly an uncommon outcome for an MLS contract negotiation, but perhaps even less common is that it hasn’t changed his status with the team at all. Dotson is still with the Loons, and has started all three of Minnesota’s games this year — once at each of the three spots in the team’s midfield.

Read more: Minnesota United midfielder Hassani Dotson addresses trade demand

It’s an axiom that getting a point on the road in soccer is always a good thing. Minnesota United took not one but three points at San Jose on Saturday night, so in the end, no one is going to be that disappointed with the result.

That said, the Loons had plenty of chances to ease the blood pressure of fans who stayed awake for the West Coast encounter, instead of making everyone involved sweat out a 1-0 victory.

Read more: Minnesota United still left looking for more controlled movement on offense

GAME STORY: Minnesota United scores on the road again, defeating San Jose