Fewer #MNUFC international call-ups than usual, with Carlos Harvey injured. Dayne St. Clair, Michael Boxall, Robin Lod, and Joseph Rosales have all headed out for international duty. 🇫🇮, 🇭🇳: WC qualifiers 🇳🇿: Friendlies (in Europe) 🇨🇦: Friendlies (in Canada) Loons are taking a break, off until Fri.

More from #MNUFC over the weekend, as the international break starts: * Loons go classic 4-4-2 * How Mamadou Dieng needs to improve to fit in: be more like Tani Oluwaseyi

I mean TECHNICALLY 2019, with 13 home wins, has 2025 (11) beat, for the moment, but also someone's probably going to yell at me for splitting hairs like this

It's the final, full-slate Sunday column of the year! Thank you as always for reading. Philadelphia Union meet the moment, San Diego make history & more from Matchday 38 Plus Atlanta, of all teams, providing a blueprint... www.mlssoccer.com/news/philade...

By the time Decision Day rolls around, #MNUFC could be down to "well, if the Loons win and San Diego loses, Minnesota will clinch third place in the West"

Okay let me see if I have this right: OpenAI is running commercials featuring questions that you used to be able to answer via a simple web search, only now this doesn’t work because the web search results are now filled with useless OpenAI slop?

Random stat of the night: tonight's 3-0 win for the Loons was the first time since July 2024 that #MNUFC won a match AND had 50% possession or better

Manager Eric Ramsay said that Anthony Markanich was adamant about continuing after the leg injury that forced him off in the second half, but the coaching staff decided it wasn't necessary to risk it. Markanich said he was fine, after the game... and he's got two weeks to rest up, too. #MNUFC

Anthony Markanich, on his teammates' response to his tongue-wagging goal celebration: "Oh, they hate it. Everyone hates the tongue out. I don't know what to do, though." #MNUFC

#MNUFC game story for @stribsports.startribune.com: no matter the question, somehow Anthony Markanich is always the answer. (He still says he hasn't started selling the MARKANICH hats, by the way.)

By the way, the Houston-San Diego game has gone Full Chaos; San Diego has scored twice and Houston once in the last five minutes of the match, it's 3-2 San Diego, and at the moment #MNUFC still trails #SDFC by two points at the top of the West

FINAL: #MNUFC 3, Sporting KC 0. A comfortable win against a struggling team, and a positive note for the Loons to close out their home schedule.

Seriously Anthony Markanich is now tied for the #MNUFC team lead with 12 non-penalty goals this season, he is the goal whisperer

ANTHONY MARKANICH'S MAGIC, HE WEARS A MAGIC HAT #MNUFC

NEW STRIKER TANDEM! John Pulskamp can only parry Robin Lod's strike, and the rebound falls to Joaquín Pereyra, who roofs it to give #MNUFC a 2-0 lead. Who needs a physically imposing center-forward, anyway?

Joaquín Pereyra keeps dropping into pockets of space to try to create, and I think Robin Lod should balance that by threatening to run in behind to create those pockets of space. This has been "A Known Doofus Tells Robin Lod What To Do," brought to you by me #MNUFC

Dessa is awesome, definitely my favorite #MNUFC last-game-of-season performance, beating out violin guy and gold helmet DJ guy (editor please look up who those guys were)

The Gophers were up 3-0 late in the first quarter too

HALFTIME: #MNUFC a bit lucky to hold onto the 1-0 lead at the break, but they're ahead nevertheless. Still waiting to truly break down SKC, or just figure out a way that Nectarios Triantis can score from forty yards out

HUGE save by Dayne St. Clair after Dejan Jovelic manages to flick the ball to Mason Toye, running in behind. #MNUFC really can't afford to lose focus at the end of this first half

Still giggling at a hugely-offside Bongokuhle Hlongwane scoring a goal, then yelling at Joseph Rosales for crossing to the wrong person and making Bongi be offside in the first place. SEE WHAT YOU MADE BONGI DO, JOSEPH? SEE? #MNUFC

REVERSE JINX WORKS EVERY TIME! ANTHONY MARKANICH SCORES FROM A SET PIECE for #MNUFC! Free kick from Joaquín Pereyra, Markanich heads home - and that's 11 goals this season from Nick's brother, the new goal-scoring champion of the family.

There's just... I mean... I don't know what to tell you. A quarter of this #MNUFC match is gone and absolutely nothing has happened yet.

#MNUFC is, in fact, defending in a 4-4-2. I'm getting flashbacks, who do you guys think Heath is going to bring on as a second-half sub, or is it going to be "nobody" again today

I wondered if these guys were a group the team brought in for the final game of the year - I'm told they're just fans, a lot of them from the U of M pep band

They also announced it, but you may not have heard from way up in the press box 😉 My dreams of seeing Cheryl Reeve start her Bobby Knight era via Lucha Libre will have to wait.

What

Interesting to see Morris Duggan keep his spot ahead of Nicolás Romero in the #MNUFC lineup. Romero was suspended last week, but the coaching staff must have liked Duggan's game, because he's back in there again tonight.

The scoreboard just briefly showed DESSA in big letters...

The #MNUFC roster sheet has the Loons set out in an old-school 4-4-2. Heritage night! 26 - 17 8 - 20 - 25 - 21 13 - 23 - 15 - 28 97 If they do, in fact, line up this way, could be a fascinating tactical night for the Loons - especially with how Lod and Pereyra attack.

#MNUFC is missing a lot up front - and it’s changing the team overall. A look at what the Loons are having to do differently, with Tani Oluwaseyi departed and Kelvin Yeboah injured:

genuinely horrified at how open I am starting to feel towards the idea of MLS flipping its schedule

#MNUFC training report: Nectarios Triantis was back today, as expected. Saw Carlos Harvey, who doesn't appear to be running yet; also saw Kelvin Yeboah, who was doing just a bit of jogging.

The MLSPA put out its free agent list. #MNUFC notes: * Markanich is not a FA, he signed a new deal through 2028 * Trapp, Boxall, Lod, Taylor, and Keller all have team options (this is noted) * St. Clair and Dotson are the only true FAs. Neither is giving away whether they plan to test the waters

Something else on the line for Saturday for #MNUFC: if they contrive to lose to Sporting KC, they'll end the season with the exact same home record in the league that they had in both 2017 and 2024 (7-6-4).

Presents for the bar from @djgloverepair.bsky.social

Organization of the Year ✨ We couldn’t have done it without all of you 🫶

#MNUFC is promising a "surprise live on-field performance" at halftime on Saturday, by a "nationally acclaimed, Minnesotan, fan favorite recording artist." Who's it going to be? Wrong answers only.

New podcast! The Twins have fired Rocco Baldelli and the Wild have signed Kirill Kaprizov, but there's so much more to yell about, like the Vikings offensive line, the angriest and most relatable coach in town, and a new Pohlad coming on the scene. Plus: @randballsstu.bsky.social!

#MNUFC training report: no Nectarios Triantis, but I'm told it was a recovery day and nothing untoward going on in terms of health. Kelvin Yeboah was doing some light jogging today, which certainly puts him on track for a potential return in the playoffs.

It's never not crazy to me that the richest contract in NHL history would also be the sixth-biggest contract on the Timberwolves

Seattle's draw with Vancouver means that #MNUFC has all but clinched home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Would require three Sounders wins and two Loons losses plus some goal-differential changes - and Minnesota has two games against the worst two teams in the West.

#MNUFC game story for @stribsports.startribune.com: Going on the road always cures what ails the Loons, who are now nine MLS games unbeaten away from home. With Tani Oluwaseyi gone and Kelvin Yeboah out injured, the Loons are still navigating the huge change in their offensive strengths.

I suppose the telling fact about Bongokuhle Hlongwane is that he used to be a forward, and the coaching staff thought he'd maybe be better as a right wingback #MNUFC

FINAL: #MNUFC 1, Colorado 1. A road point in Colorado is never something to sneeze at, honestly.

Hassani Dotson is back on the field for #MNUFC! Didn't seem like we'd ever see that again.

Ah, fifteen minutes of total chaos to finish a #MNUFC game in Colorado, as familiar as the voice of a close family member

good lord

There have been two goals scored in this game and their combined xG is about .04

TRIANTIS WITH ANOTHER THUNDERBOLT Listen, we got a lot of scouting reports on the Greek-Australian midfielder, but none that said he could *only* score from more than 30 yards out. #MNUFC is back level 1-1