Blown lead spoils Loons’ night

MINNESOTA UNITED 2, NEW YORK RED BULLS 2

Pereyra’s great assist overshadowed at finish

Minnesota United’s Kelvin Yeboah (9) celebrates after scoring the Loons’ first goal Saturday night in Harrison, N.J. VINCENT CARCHIETTA — GETTY IMAGES PHOTOS

The Red Bulls’ Emil Forsberg (10) celebrates with teammate Serge Ngoma after scoring New York’s first goal Saturday night in Harrison, N.J.

Image

By Andy Greder

agreder@pioneerpress.com

Minnesota United midfielder Bongi Hlongwane won MLS goal of the match day award for his no-look, back-heel flick in a 3-1 win over Houston on Wednesday.

Come Saturday, fellow Loons mid Joaquin Pereyra logged a contender for the league’s top assist this weekend.

In the first half, the crafty Argentine toed the ball over the head of New York mid Felipe Carballo, corralled it downfield and laid it off for Kelvin Yeboah’s calm, equalizing goal in the 32nd minute.“He obviously had a moment of magic for the goal, which is characteristic of him,” head coach Eric Ramsay said. “He shows those moments more and more often.”

The highlight won’t be as sweet after the Loons lost a 2-1 lead in the 90th minute and had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Red Bulls at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J.

On Friday, Ramsay pinpointed how Red Bulls would try to attack Minnesota — runners in behind the Loons’ back line — and he was proven right early in the first half. Forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting got behind Michael Boxall and collided with Loons goalkeeper Wessel Speel. The ball squirted to Emil Forsberg, who put Red Bulls ahead on the 11th minute.

“That absolutely shouldn’t happen,” Ramsay said. “I could tell immediately from Boxy’s reaction that he knew the mistake that he had made. It’s one he doesn’t typically make and one that he shouldn’t make. At that stage of the game, it was really frustrating and disappointing.”

Choupo-Moting then snuck behind Boxall’s back shoulder to make it 2-2. His 11th goal of the season for New York (8-7-5, 29 points) keeps him in top five in league this season.

During the first goal, Speel’s right shoulder smashed in the grass, and he subbed out with right shoulder injury. Ramsay didn’t have an update on the severity of the injury immediately after the match.

With starter Dayne St. Clair with Canada in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Loons had to turn to third-string keeper Alec Smir in the 20th minute.

After the Pereyra-Yeboah connection, Anthony Markanich gave Minnesota a 2-1 lead when he finished off a long throw-in from Boxall and a header from Jefferson Diaz. It was the Loons’ 11th goal off a set piece this season.

Markanich nearly had a second goal in the second half, but his header came off the woodwork in the 76th minute.

Briefly

MNUFC (9-4-6, 34 points) earned four points in the two-game week. … Honduras and Joseph Rosales beat Panama and Carlos Harvey in a Gold Cup quarterfinal on Saturday, meaning Rosales will stay away from MNUFC through at least the tournament’s semifinal Wednesday, while Harvey heads back to Minnesota with FC Dallas on Friday. Both Harvey and Rosales made their penalty kicks in the shootout in Glendale, Ariz. … After using up his loans, Speel has signed a first-team contract with MNUFC through 2025, with club options for 2026-27. The 23-year-old Dutchman will take up one of the club’s two vacant international spots.