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Today likely marks the one and only NSC-hosted match between MNUFC and PRFC. With the Loons poised to jump to MLS next year and their remaining match being at Puerto Rico, this gives a unique, “one night only” feel to the match.

Likewise, I’m going to use a new format for the match “recap”: the running diary. A format popularized by the likes of Bill Simmons and Jon Marthaler, I’ll be giving updates every five minutes or so on the match. For those of you across the metro gearing up for the ICC Friendly and those watching from home, feel free to refresh this page every 5-10 minutes during the match. It’ll be like watching it with me, except you won’t have to worry about me taking your beer. Totally a win-win!

I’ll also be regularly checking the comments section. Just like the usual match threads, post your thoughts and questions about this match or United/soccer in general below. First post should come around 6:45 or so. See you then!

 

Match Diary

First Half

6:50 –  And we’re live from NSC! Between the usual midweek drop and the Frackas in Minneapolis, there’s going to be a notable drop in attendance. Lineups are out here (Minnesota) and here (Puerto Rico). Former United centerback Cristiano Dias is starting for PRFC…at right back. With Ish Jome making his second consecutive start on the left wing, look for United to try and exploit Dias’ lack of speed.

7:00 – The lineup presentation starts a few minutes earlier than usual, causing fans on the concourse to be caught off-guard as they rush to their seats to catch a glimpse at twins Paulo and Pedro Mendes. Puerto Rico’s owner (Carmelo Anthony) opted to go to the Olympics opening ceremony instead tonight. Sellout.

1′ – After Christian Ramirez’s ceremonial kisses of the ball, Puerto Rico gets the match underway. After a couple of kicks, the ball sails out of bounds for a United throw-in. Brace yourselves!

5′ – Not a pretty start as Puerto Rico scores first. Steward Ceus’ post-save distribution finds Justin Davis, whose back-pass is intercepted by Hector Ramos and slotted into the net. Not the start United wanted. 1-0 PRFC.

8′ – Yellow card shown to Puerto Rico’s Tyler Rudy. As Cruz runs toward the center of the pitch to get a pass, Rudy goes studs up and gets more of Cruz than the ball. Which is to say that he didn’t get the ball at all. Cruz is able to walk it off.

13′ – Despite his parents being from Puerto Rico, Hamilton mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda is not in attendance today. Rats. He seemed like more of a water polo guy, anyway.

18′ – A few strange things happening on the field as United figures out how to regroup from the early goal. Jome is playing ten yards behind Cruz’s position on the right. Brovsky is playing higher than Banks in transition. Plenty of time to find their groove, but early returns aren’t pretty.

23′ – After dribbling around a few players and starting to lose control of the ball, Ibson stops playing the ball and turns to the referee to yell, causing a turnover in the attacking third. It’s gonna be one of those matches…

27′ – Yes, it’s a bit obvious to say, but it’s true: the longer Minnesota is held scoreless, the worse this is going to get. Puerto Rico’s win against Rayo OKC two weeks ago came after a 53rd minute goal and this team is able to buckle down and stop the opponent from building momentum. Meanwhile, Ibson is shown a yellow card for tugging on an opponent’s jersey.

31′ – Brent Kallman is able to land a slidetackle in the box and knock the ball away from Jackie Marrero for a PRFC corner kick. Paulo Mendes’ corner finds Dias’ head, who sends it wide of the post. Ceus was getting to position, but by no means is it a given that he would have saved it. We’re over a third of the way through the match and we have no signs of cohesion from United yet.

37′ – Marrero gets around Davis on the right side and his low cross fails to find a diving Ramos. After some solid buildup, J.C. Banks takes a shot from the top of the box, which finds a waiting David Meves in goal. Signs of progress, perhaps?

42′ –  Despite a clear advantage on the counterattack, Pedro Mendes takes a shot from 25 yards out and sends it high and wide. Neither team looks comfortable with this scoreline, between Puerto Rico’s inexperience and Minnesota’s general control over their home turf. It’s going to be a big halftime for Carl Craig and the coaching staff.

45′ – Best United chance of the half, as Cruz’s cross finds Ibson at the top of the box, who dribbles around a defender and slots a low through ball toward goal. The ball misses a sliding Banks and goes out for a goal kick. One minute of uneventful stoppage time, and the players head back to the locker room

Second Half

2 minutes to kickoff – Minnesota United is on the field a full three minutes before Puerto Rico FC joined them. No word on whether or not PRFC was sent out to the Velodrome to try and tire them out. No substitutions for Minnesota at the break.

46-47′ – Minnesota wastes no time to go on the attack, as Lowe sends a ball over the defense and finds Danny Cruz, Cruz beats the defense for a corner. Ibson’s corner finds the feet of Puerto Rico midfielder Michael Kafari and goes into the top corner. Strange, but it scores the same. 1-1.

54′ –  A bit of chasing from goal to goal with neither team getting a shot on target. Crosses wildly flying further than the flight from Puerto Rico to Edmonton. Watson, Laing, and Calvano sent to warmup with the coaching staff.. More like backgammon than a chess match, though I couldn’t tell you how to play backgammon.

58′ – Some miscommunication on a Puerto Rico FC corner kick as Jome nearly collides with Ceus, who’s able to corral the ball and end the threat. You could say that I was…dreading that collision. (This hair joke is up for sponsorship.)

60′ – Cruz sent flying on a slide tackle, but no card shown. Ibson’s free kick sails over the pack, but Banks is able to grab the clearance and get a cross in, which barely misses Damion Lowe. After PRFC starts a counter, Jome intercepts, and Banks again crosses low, earning a United corner kick. Banks heads it to Cruz outside of the box, who puts a shot on target from 22 yards out before being saved by Meves. First substitution as Sidney Rivera comes in up top for Pedro Mendes.

65′ – This match is really starting to look one sided, but Minnesota hasn’t capitalized on their chances yet. A hand-to-face gives Kafari a yellow card. Afterward, Lance Laing is ready to come in for Jome and Jamie Watson in for Banks. Not sure how three wingers will lineup (Cruz is still on), but we’ll find out soon. Meanwhile, Jorge Rivera comes on for Marrero for PRFC.

70′ – Lowe’s cross finds Laing, who heads it just off frame and wide for a goal kick. It looks like Watson is playing as a second forward, just behind Ramirez. Meanwhile, Laing, Ibson, Brovsky, and Cruz are playing a flat line (reading left to right). First experimentation with two forwards this fall.

73′ – That didn’t last long, as Watson drops back to a #10 role and Brovsky and Ibson are back to their spots as 6s. A Laing cross is nearly knocked in for a second own goal, this time off of Rudy Dawson. Laing’s corner kick finds Brovsky, but Brovsky is called for contact in the box and the play is whistled dead. Still 1-1.

75′ – Attendance is announced as 6,101. As you’d expect, veterans Laing and Watson both look hungry after seeing a lot of the bench in recent weeks. The Loons have found constant possession in their attacking third, but have yet to truly capitalize.

78′ – Puerto Rico nearly puts one in, as a pass goes through Kallman’s legs and finds Rivera. He isn’t able to get much of a shot on it, and it trickles off of his boot and Ceus’ gloves, knocking it out for a corner kick. Paulo Mendes’ corner goes over the crowd and out for a goal kick. Not good.

84′ – Are you surprised it’s still 1-1? I kind of am, too, but teams like this have done well against Minnesota. Indy, OKC, Ottawa… All four teams have done well by capitalizing on an early chance and sending nine guys back on defense, a formula that Minnesota has yet to break. Cruz gets past the defense again and his low cross fails to find Watson in the center, serving as the best chance in ten minutes.

87′ – Really starting to heat up. A couple of crosses from left to right find their targets, and Brovsky nearly gets the go-ahead off of a header. A yellow card is shown to Dawson for a tough challenge on Watson, and Watson takes the free kick from 40 yards out and to the left of goal. It’s cleared by Kafari for a corner kick, which Ibson sends in. Scary head-to-head collision between Laing and Tyler Rudy, who gets the worst of it.

90′ – Odd moment as Watson takes the dropball reset and peels off toward goal, earning plenty of shoves from Ramon Del Campo. His shot is blocked and Laing’s is saved. Three minutes of stoppage time.

FINAL – Not much to say about that one. Minnesota looked out of form after the flight from Oklahoma City. Standouts to me were Cruz, Brovsky, Kallman, and Watson. What’d you see? I’ll have quotes for you in an hour or two below.