First Home Match for MN United Ends in Defeat
By Ryan Schaal
Staff Writer
On March 12, 2017 Minnesota finally reached Major League Soccer (MLS) status when Minnesota United played Atlanta. But, the outcome was not what any Minnesota fan wanted.
They lost 6-1, had no ball control and often looked lost on the defensive end. It was snowy, cold and didn’t play into United’s favor at all. Atlanta, on the other hand, had control the whole game and got off to a dream start, scoring in the first three minutes on a controversial offside that was not called.
They then made it 2-0 on a Miguel Almirón goal. Josef Martinez scored his second of the game in the 27th minute. The Loons (Minnesota United) then pulled within two on a penalty kick scored by Kevin Molino in the 30th minute.
The second half was much of the same for Atlanta. Josef Martinez got his hat trick in the 75th minute on a breakaway goal. He got out in front of the defense, dribbled around the keeper and had an open shot on net.
The score ended 6-1, and Minnesota has now gotten off to the worst start in MLS history for an expansion team, while allowing eleven goals in their first two games while scoring only two. The crowd was still into the game even while we were down 6-1, cheering after every good possession and still keeping an up beat cheer throughout the ending of the game.
