FiftyFive.One
• Voices From Soccer's North •
Tag: Francisco Calvo
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News in Brief: Loons Release Mears, International Call-ups, Dempsey Retires, and More
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: News in Brief: Loons Release Mears, International Call-ups, Dempsey Retires, and MoreLoons in the news Minnesota United announced this week that they have mutually parted ways with defender Tyrone Mears. A day after MNUFC announced the termination of Mears’s contract, the 35-year old Englishman signed with West Bromwich Albion F.C. in the English Championship on a short term contract. Three players from Minnesota United received call-ups…
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Match Preview: Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Match Preview: Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FCAfter a late tactical switch against the Galaxy earned Minnesota a comeback draw two weeks ago, Adrian Heath earned some just plaudits for getting the tactics right. As for his lineup choices against Dallas; well, let’s hold off the talks of Heath replacing Pep Guardiola. In the coach’s defense, Minnesota is just not deeply talented…
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Match Preview: FC Dallas vs. Minnesota United FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Match Preview: FC Dallas vs. Minnesota United FCCoach Adrian Heath will have some difficult lineup choices to make in the Lone Star State on Saturday. It is easy to overlook how relatively stable the lineup choices have been over the last two months, with few additional injuries, suspensions, and other outages to contend with. Player swaps have largely been by choice rather…
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Matchday Twenty-Four: Minnesota Battles To Ugly Point On The Road, With Big Elephant In The Stadium
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Twenty-Four: Minnesota Battles To Ugly Point On The Road, With Big Elephant In The StadiumHappily for much of Minnesota’s time in MLS, there has been surprisingly little drama. Sure the team may have been bad and players have come and gone, but there’s rarely been a behind-the-scenes soap opera that other teams seem to attract. But this week was different. Days after sending beloved striker Christian Ramirez to LAFC,…
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Matchday Twenty-Three: Late Gut Punch Dooms Loons, Raises Questions About Leadership
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Twenty-Three: Late Gut Punch Dooms Loons, Raises Questions About LeadershipThrough nearly ninety minutes, Minnesota United were in the process of eking out an undeserved but professional home victory over the Seattle Sounders. Then, in stoppage time, it all fell apart. With recriminations flying thick and fast over what increasingly looks like another season short of the playoffs, it’s time to return to some hard…
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Match Preview: Minnesota United FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Match Preview: Minnesota United FC vs. Seattle Sounders FCMinnesota United return to TCF Bank Stadium to face the in-form Seattle Sounders. Seattle comes into this match undefeated in its last five games. Minnesota have a three-game winning streak at home, and will hope to return to that form after being dismantled by Vancouver last week at BC Place. Previous meeting Seattle beat up…
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Matchdays Twenty and Twenty-One: Minnesota Change The Narrative With Two Important Wins, One Big Week
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty and Twenty-One: Minnesota Change The Narrative With Two Important Wins, One Big WeekEven a year and a half on, Minnesota United have struggled to shed the first impression they gave in MLS. Hopelessly inept at defending, mercurial in attack, adrift in midfield, struggling to make a splash in the transfer market, and beset by an endless parade of wingers. Now, thanks to Darwin Quintero, Miguel Ibarra, and a…
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Coach’s Corner: When Things Get Chippy
Continue Reading: Coach’s Corner: When Things Get ChippyTake one look at the stat sheet from MinnestoaUnited’s game against the Revs and you could quickly guess what kind of game it was: chippy and aggressive. A chippy first half Games like this are often difficult to coach. With the Loons finding the back of the net in the first five minutes, the Revs…
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Matchday Nineteen: Loons Continue Jekyll And Hyde Routine In Win Against Salt Lake
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Nineteen: Loons Continue Jekyll And Hyde Routine In Win Against Salt LakeThree points are three points, but what could’ve been a celebratory home win against Real Salt Lake ended on a sour note, with two late goals allowed that had Head Coach Adrian Heath steaming mad. In a season with more moral victories than actual victories, here at last was a win that raised more questions…
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Photo Essay: MNUFC vs. Toronto FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Photo Essay: MNUFC vs. Toronto FCMNUFC Captain, Francisco Calvo, makes his first appearance for the Loons sice competing for the Costa Rican national team at the 2018 Men’s World Cup. This was Calvo’s first game for the Loons since the May 26th bout against Montreal. Ibson and Christian Ramirez look visibly frustrated after leaving Justin Morrow all alone in…
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Match Preview: Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Match Preview: Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FCOf the many reputations Minnesota United might have, it should probably be most noted as the “yeah, but” team. It seems most losses are softened by a “yeah, but half the roster is injured” or “yeah, but they played on short rest” (such as the loss to Los Angeles FC). Many wins, meanwhile, are interrupted with a…
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Matchday Thirteen: Longtime Loons Lead Against Miserable Montréal
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Thirteen: Longtime Loons Lead Against Miserable MontréalIn a must-win match against a very bad team, the Loons finally delivered the three points that was expected of them. Despite a horrible start to the match against Montréal, the club rallied and earned the win through goals from the North’s favorite tag-team duo of Christian Ramirez and Miguel Ibarra. Over at The Athletic, our…
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Matchday Twelve: Minnesota Escapes With Home Point Against Sporting KC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Twelve: Minnesota Escapes With Home Point Against Sporting KCMinnesota United rebounded, in a fashion, from their awful loss last weekend to San Jose, with a gritty draw against Sporting Kansas City. An early Khiry Shelton goal was canceled out by Darwin Quintero’s early equalizer, and neither side could break the deadlock in the seventy minutes that followed. Is a point at home a…