FiftyFive.One
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Tag: Mason Toye
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Matchdays Twenty-Nine Through Thirty-Four: Playoff Spotlight
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty-Nine Through Thirty-Four: Playoff SpotlightThe Loons are on the threshold of their first playoff match in MLS, their first playoff appearance in any league since November 8th, 2015, and their first home playoff match since the infamous Fort Lauderdale game exactly a year before that. In other words, it’s been a long time coming. Minnesota got here by the…
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Matchdays Twenty-Three and US Open Cup Semi-Finals: Spark Joy
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty-Three and US Open Cup Semi-Finals: Spark JoyOne of the things that bound me (and I suspect many others) closely to the sport of soccer was the culture that was built up around clubs. Sports are fun regardless, and to some degree all teams, from the Boston Red Sox to the Vegas Golden Knights, create their own culture. But what’s exceptional in…
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Matchday Twenty: Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Twenty: Where There’s A Will, There’s A WayAlmost from the opening whistle, Saturday’s game against FC Dallas looked like a 0-0 draw. True, the Loons did start the game with a nice spell on the front foot. But as soon as the visitors found their footing, the game devolved into something that wasn’t entirely pleasant to watch. If great soccer has the…
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Matchdays Eighteen and Nineteen: Loons Pass Two Huge Tests
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Eighteen and Nineteen: Loons Pass Two Huge TestsMinnesota United are rolling. Following wins this week against San Jose and in Montreal, the Loons have now won three league games in a row, five competitive games in a row counting the US Open Cup, and six in a row counting the friendly against Forward Madison. They have outscored their opponents 22-8 during this…
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Matchdays Seventeen: Hope For The High Road
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Seventeen: Hope For The High RoadWhen we last left off with Minnesota United, back at the start of the month, the club was reeling off the back of three straight league defeats. An embarrassing mess in Atlanta. A gun punch at home against Philadelphia. Worst of all, an ugly display in Colorado. The club was notably struggling on offense, and…
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Matchday Ten: Loons Hard To Read After Dramatic Week, Captivating Draw Against Seattle
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Ten: Loons Hard To Read After Dramatic Week, Captivating Draw Against SeattleWhat a week! Normally I use the opening section to discuss the weekend’s match, but I actually don’t have a lot to say about it. I thought it was a really fun game, a draw was probably the fair result, and that the atmosphere seemed to be kicked up a notch. Soccer is fun. But…
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Matchdays Seven, Eight, and Nine: The Good, The Decent, And The Ugly For Minnesota In Three Key Games
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Seven, Eight, and Nine: The Good, The Decent, And The Ugly For Minnesota In Three Key GamesWelcome back to our regularly scheduled post-game notes. Three games in one this week, because I was on vacation last weekend, and after the midweek match, it seemed prudent to let these results percolate and see what came of this past weekend. What a series of three games it was. From one perspective, the Loons…
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Matchday Five: Minnesota Bounce Back, Beats Red Bulls With Grit Plus Luck
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Five: Minnesota Bounce Back, Beats Red Bulls With Grit Plus LuckGood? Bad? Is there even a word that encapsulates the Loons right now? One week after their worst performance of the season, a deflating 1-2 loss to bottom feeders New England, Minnesota United marched into the fortress of the defending Supporters Shield champs, and came away 2-1 winners. They will now head into their homecoming…
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After Productive Offseason, Loons Look Set For 2019, But Not Beyond
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: After Productive Offseason, Loons Look Set For 2019, But Not BeyondA couple months ago, after Minnesota United announced their roster cuts, I surveyed the wreckage of two years of a “soft open” approach to team building. The team’s roster had massive holes, especially in midfield and defense. Although the club did not move as swiftly and confidently as I expected, they have made five big…
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Preseason Match One: Loons and Phoenix Muddle Around, Settle For 0-0 Draw
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Preseason Match One: Loons and Phoenix Muddle Around, Settle For 0-0 DrawTechnically the Loons have already kicked off their preseason, winning a 9-2 scrimmage against incoming USL League One squad FC Tucson. But Saturday’s match against Phoenix felt far more like the season kickoff. There was a stream. There was Cal Williams. There was a stronger opponent—USL Championship runners up Phoenix Rising. At last, a long…
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As Their Expansion Partners Lift The Cup, Loons Face Critical Third Year
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: As Their Expansion Partners Lift The Cup, Loons Face Critical Third YearThe 2018 MLS Season is now officially over. The Damned United are holding the cup, reaching the pinnacle of league success within just two years of existence. While the newly minted champions now face an uncertain offseason, with their coach and a number of star players leaving, this has been a moment that nobody can…
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Match Preview: Minnesota United FC vs. Colorado Rapids
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Match Preview: Minnesota United FC vs. Colorado RapidsThere are few matches Minnesota United could play after its 5-1 undressing by Philadelphia in which one would expect a victory. Fortunately, a home match against the Colorado Rapids counts as one such game. While Minnesota’s season has been disappointing, Colorado’s has been devastating. So what will it take to convert “should have won” into…
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Matchday Thirty One: Away From Home, Loons Embarrass Themselves On The Field, And On The Touchline
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Thirty One: Away From Home, Loons Embarrass Themselves On The Field, And On The TouchlineOn the road, against a Philadelphia Union team on the upswing, the Loons were never going to be favorites. But even a sober observer probably didn’t anticipate the team’s complete and total capitulation. Minnesota was down 0-4 at half, and after a switch back to the 3-5-2 and a more relaxed approach from the hosts,…