Behind Enemy Lines: Scouting Minnesota United 🔎

The Loons have been solid in 2024 but will be without several key players this weekend.

Photo via Minnesota United

FC Dallas wraps up a three-game road trip this weekend when they head north to battle Minnesota United.

The Loons are currently third in the MLS Western Conference, with a solid 8-3-4 record on the season. Last week, they lost a midweek match to LAFC before returning home to defeat Sporting Kansas City 3-1.

Minnesota and FC Dallas will meet again later this month in Frisco for FCD’s first midweek regular season match at Toyota Stadium on June 19.

Key Player: Jeong Sang-Bin

Given the number of players out this weekend of the Loons, Sang-Bin will have to step up in their attack to carry Minnesota. He currently has three goals on the season.

Note: The key player would have been Tani Oluwaseyi, who currently leads the league in xG per 90 minutes. He has seven goals and four assists in just 620 minutes of action. Not bad.

Key Matchup: Petar Musa vs Michael Boxall

The Croatian has been a bit quiet as of late for FC Dallas. This is the perfect game for him to get back on the scoresheet and test a defense that can give up the right amount of space in the penalty area for shots.

Availability Report¹:

Suspended: Joseph Rosales
Out: Hugo Bacharach (knee), Franco Fragapane (leg)
Questionable: none
On Loan: Ethan Bristow, Derek Dodson, Mikel Marques
International duty: Kervin Arriaga (Honduras), Alejandro Bran (Costa Rica), Carlos Harvey (Panama), Robin Lod (Finland), Tani Oluwaseyi (Canada), Teemu Pukki (Finland), Joseph Rosales (Honduras), Dayne St. Clair (Canada), Zarek Valentin (Puerto Rico)

Quick Notes:

Last year against FCD: Minnesota came out and found three points on the road against FC Dallas in the 2023 season opener before the two clubs played to a scoreless draw in late April in St. Paul.

All-time edge to the Loons: Last season's results helped push the all-time series in favor of the Loons, who now have a 7-6-4 record against FC Dallas.

At home in 2024: Minnesota is currently 4-1-3 at home this season. The lone loss came against Houston back in mid-April.

Potential Lineup:

Minnesota has a large list of regulars out this weekend due to international duty, so rotation will be the name of the game.

Irwin, Taoias, Boxall, Eriksson; Padelford, Trapp, Harvey, Taylor; Hlongwane, Adebayo-Smith, Sang-Bin

Keys To Three Points over Minnesota

1. Apply the pressure: Minnesota will be dipping into their depth charts this weekend, and this is the time for Nico Estevez to push his club on the road. He hasn’t been able to do it much, outside of maybe 20 minutes in Tampa Bay in the Open Cup. Apply the pressure and make things happen offensively should be the priority.

2. Be a goldfish: Take a page from Apple TV’s Ted Lasso and forget about the last three games. While you can learn from the mistakes all you want, it may be best to forget and move on as quickly as possible.

3. Take your shot: FC Dallas continues to be poor at taking many chances in and around the penalty area this season. Given who all is out for Minnesota in their midfield and attack this weekend, there should be no excuse for only taking three or four shots on goal. This has to be the time to make the most of their chances.

1. Note: MLS has a new injury report deadline: the day before each game. For now, I will include last week's injury report in our weekly scouting reports.