Minnesota United at AUSTIN >> 7:30 p.m. today, MLS SEASON PASS

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Minnesota United midfielder Joseph Rosales (8) works the ball between Los Angeles Galaxy players Miki Yamane (2) and Elijah Wynder (22) in a March 22 game at Allianz Field in St. Paul. JOHN AUTEY — PIONEER PRESS

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Inter Miami midfielder Julian Gressel runs with the ball during the first half of an MLS game against D.C. United on May 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. LYNNE SLADKY — ASSOCIATED PRESS

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When: 7:30 p.m. today

Where: Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas

Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

Radio: KSTP-AM, 1500

Weather: 61 degrees, sunny, 5 mph east wind

Betting line: Austin plus-145; draw plus-230; MNUFC plus-175

Form: Minnesota (4-2-4, 16 points) lost 3-1 to first-place Vancouver on Sunday, meaning the two scoreless draws before the defeat put the Loons’ winless run at three straight. The last three for Austin (5-1-4, 16 points) are: loss to Vancouver (5-1), win over last-place L.A. Galaxy (2-1) and loss to Houston (2-0) on Saturday.

Recent matchups: Loons won 2-1 in Texas in the 2024 season opener; Austin then won 1-0 at Allianz Field in August. Austin is 5-0-4 in MLS vs. Minnesota.

Quote: “I don’t want to overreact and make a catastrophe out of one performance,” head coach Eric Ramsay said about the Whitecaps defeat. “We looked at that game as the end of a 10-game block and we sort of chunked the season up that way. Had someone said at the beginning that we would lose two of 10 games, we would have 16 points and we would have the basis of a really competitive team, I would be really happy.”

Update: New signing Julian Gressel is fit enough to be available in the game-day roster against Austin. Ramsay hasn’t said whether the projected right wing-back or right midfielder might start or come off the bench in Texas.

Absences: Hassani Dotson (knee), Owen Gene (ankle), Kipp Keller (hamstring) are out. Kelvin Yeboah (ankle) is doubtful after subbing out against Vancouver and not training Friday.

Projected XI: In a 5-3-2 formation, FW Tani Oluwaseyi, FW Sang Bin Jeong; MF Joaquin Pereyra, MF Robin Lod, MF Wil Trapp; LWB Joseph Rosales, CB Nicholas Romero, CB Michael Boxall, CB Jefferson Diaz, RWB Bongi Hlongwane; GK Dayne St. Clair.

Expectation: Rosales plays against Austin after he denied using a slur against Vancouver’s Emmanuel Sabbi last weekend. The Loons are letting the MLS investigation play out, but as they await a conclusion, the Honduran will remain a part of the lineup.

Scouting report: Austin spent huge sums of money to bring in three attackers — Brandon Vazquez, Myrto Uzuni and Osman Bukari. They have a combined four goals scored and a total of 9.3 expected goals, according to FBref.com. The Loons defense was cut open a few times by Vancouver, and this expensive trio has shown they can get into threatening spaces.

Stats: Austin is tied for second-fewest goals scored (seven) in MLS this season but has been stingy in goals conceded (10).

Another quote: “They have plenty for you to worry about,” Ramsay said of Verde. “As a consequence of Sunday, we have to look at ourselves and make sure we are a really good version of ourselves and we have a strong focus on what we can do.”

Prediction: It feels like the Loons are in a rut and Austin is a team capable of keeping them down. Austin win, 1-0.

— Andy Greder