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Coach Adrian Heath and the Minnesota United attack certainly had their hands full with a strong Sporting Kansas City defensive line this afternoon as the game began at TCF Bank Stadium. However, it soon became apparent there was a weakness in Sporting’s armor, a chink in a strong string of defensemen made up of Jimmy Medranda, Matt Besler, Ike Opara, and Graham Zusi. A chink that Heath noted and Miguel Ibarra quickly sought to capitalize on.
“It was exactly how last year was: Both full backs are always high up, so our game plan was for me to always keep making those runs. I have been doing that all year, so just keep doing it. It worked out for us,” Ibarra noted following the game.
Ibarra made run after run down the touchline, lobbing in ball after ball, waiting for something to stick. Heath really couldn’t ask more of Ibarra as he took advantage of the space that Sporting continued to concede along the line.
Finally, in the 20th minute, a ball finally found its mark on the head of Quintero off a beautiful Ibarra cross.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL@MNUFC tie it up at home! Tune in on @fsnorth PLUS + #FOXSportsGO: https://t.co/hGxubHDafW pic.twitter.com/lAxm4vWA9R
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) May 20, 2018
Sporting Kansas City’s trouble with the gaps really came as a result of a 4-3-3 formation. Traditionally in the 4-3-3, the midfielders end up pinching in and the full backs step up, leaving a huge gap along the touch line either in front of or behind the full backs.
Following Quintero’s goal, Sporting continued to concede this area for the next 15 minutes, and Ibarra still looked threatening with the chink continuing to widen.
However, this chink in the armor would be filled later in the game as Sporting’s coach determined the concession was simply too much. During the 36th minute of the game, Sporting Kansas City made a surprising adjustment, pulling Medranda out of the game and replacing him with Seth Sinovic.
This one small adjustment would quickly become the solution for the Sporting side, filling the chink and essentially shutting Ibarra down for the rest of the game.
Miguel Ibarra before and after the Medranda sub. Been a non-factor – only one pass attempted in the attacking third – since Sinovic came on. #MINvSKC pic.twitter.com/BgAeuS7usy
— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) May 20, 2018
Heath praised Ibarra’s play during the first half and his attempts to take advantage of the out-of-position full backs. “I thought we had some really good moments on the counterattack. We identified those sort of spots down the side of the center halves and in behind the full backs. I thought certainly Miguel Ibarra got in there really well in the first half.”
Minnesota would not find the net again during the game against Sporting, but would come away with a much-needed point against a strong defensive team and against the number one team in the West.
Ibarra’s play has been looking stronger and stronger as of late. Hopefully, his confidence and his ability to find those chinks in the armor of opponents grows as the season continues.
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