Minnesota United wingback Joseph Rosales was embroiled in controversy Sunday for his alleged discriminatory comments toward Vancouver attacker Emmanuel Sabbi late in the Loons’ 3-1 loss to the Whitecaps at Allianz Field.

MLS and MNUFC issued statements about the altercation an hour after the match in St. Paul.

“Major League Soccer has been made aware of a reported on-field incident and an allegation of a violation of the league’s non-discrimination policy,” MLS wrote. “MLS will immediately being a thorough review of the matter.”

The Loons said the club is in “close communication” with MLS and added that “harassment or discriminatory behavior has no place in our sport.”

The allegations against Rosales are believed to be racial in nature.

Referee Drew Fischer attempted to separate players from both teams after the altercation in second-half stoppage time, and he briefly spoke with both coaches, Vancouver’s Jesper Sorensen and Minnesota’s Eric Ramsay.

“You never want to see any of that situation happen at all,” said Loons forward Tani Oluwaseyi. “I didn’t hear anything. The guys around me didn’t hear anything. It comes down to two guys there. One guy said he said it. The other guy says he doesn’t.

“Being Black myself, it’s always not a pleasant situation, but the league has a way of dealing with these things,” Oluwaseyi said. “There is going to be a process.”

In 2021, Loons winger Franco Fragapane was accused of a slur by Portland midfielder Diego Chara during an away match in Oregon. Fragapane was eventually not punished after an investigation.Here are three other takeaways:

Opportunity missed

First-place Vancouver did not prioritize Sunday’s match; it didn’t matter.

Focusing on its run in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal against Inter Miami last Thursday and this Wednesday, the Whitecaps brought eight new players into its starting XI. A ninth player took a different position.

The Loons’ first-choice team didn’t take advantage in the first half. When Whitecaps key players Sebastian Berhalter and Pedro Vite subbed in, they combined for three second-half goals. Berhalter’s was from outside the 18-yard box; Vite added the next two.

“That is for sure one of the worst days we’ve had here, since I’ve been here,” Ramsay said. “For lack of energy, lack of spark, lack of intensity — both with and without the ball.”

‘Dead’

Ramsay has established mild-mannered and reasoned responses in post-match interviews. He had more bite to his words Sunday.

“I think that will be one of the games the players look back and they will kick themselves for how easy we turned the ball over, how lacking we were for spark and energy around the top of the box,” Ramsay said. “I think it was one of those games in the first half it felt dead. …

“I think everyone would look at that team (Sunday) and say it bordered on unrecognizable in terms of the lack of life in the first half,” Ramsay continued.

Offense dimmed

The Loons snapped a 321-minute scoreless drought with midfielder Wil Trapp’s goal in the 80th minute on Sunday. It was the first goal scored since Trapp scored against New York City on April 6, which was followed by two scoreless draws.

While Oluwaseyi assisted on Trapp’s goal Sunday, he and Kelvin Yeboah were held scoreless yet again.

“I just don’t think we have enough ideas,” Oluwaseyi said.

On top of that, Yeboah appeared to roll his right ankle in the first half. He remained in the game but was not 100 percent and subbed out in the 64th minute.

Three tidbits

The Loons’ move to bring in Julian Gressel from Inter Miami has not hit a snag despite no official announcement. It is expected to develop early this week. Gressel posted an Instagram story of him watching the MNUFC match. … Hoyeon Jung made his MLS debut Sunday, subbing in during the 75th minute. The club felt the South Korean needed a longer adjustment period to a new league and country. He had built up with games for MNUFC2. … Approximately 10 Loons players were at Target Center for the Timberwolves’ win over the Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series.