Emanuel Reynoso shows deft passing touch as he warms to new Minnesota United teammates

Properly introduced to one another these past two games, recently signed midfielder Emanuel Reynoso and his new Minnesota United teammates now must see what they can become together.

A 4-0 victory Sunday over Real Salt Lake at Allianz Field gave them all a glimpse. Reynoso's first MLS start lasted long enough for him to help create the game's first two goals shortly after halftime.

When Reynoso was substituted out in the 72nd minute, the Loons were halfway to four answered goals after a scoreless first half.

"That's what I was looking for," Reynoso said in Spanish through an interpreter after the game. "I tried to associate myself with my teammates. I'm getting to know them through the games and the few trainings we've had … Honestly, that's what I needed. I felt really good in this game."

A flick of his foot, just before he collided with a Real Salt Lake player he drew to him, moved the ball to teammate Kevin Molino, who played it into space ahead for Chase Gasper's first MLS goal in the 53rd minute.

Nine minutes later, the Loons' newest designated player used his feet to control a pass chipped to him just inside midfield. He turned with the ball away from defenders and, in an instant, used his dominant left foot to thread a pass by three defenders to a hard-running Robin Lod for the first of his two goals in the game.

"Great first touch," Loons coach Adrian Heath said Tuesday in a telephone conference call with reporters. "Takes it away from the pressure and then the timing of the pass: A second too early and it might get caught out. A second too late and [Lod] is probably offside. That when you see not only the timing of the pass, but the weight of the pass, the quality of the pass."

It was Reynoso's first start since March, owing to the coronavirus pandemic. He had only been practicing with his Boca Juniors team through Zoom calls before the Loons finally struck a deal to acquire him with a team-record $5 million transfer fee after nearly nine months of negotiations.

He played the first half in new red boots and his final 22 minutes in worn white ones after changing for comfort at halftime.

"I'm trying to connect with the team as much as I can, as quickly as I can," Reynoso said. "They've welcomed me here really well."

Reynoso trained individually in Blaine for a week upon his arrival in Minnesota. He made his MLS debut last Wednesday as a second-half sub in the 71st minute of a 3-0 loss at Houston.

"He's not full-fit yet," Lod said. "But he's going to be a really good player for us when he gets some games under his belt and, of course, when the connection gets better game by game."

That's what Heath intends, particularly when his injury-ravaged team gets fit. Attackers Luis Amarilla (ankle), Ethan Finlay (suspected knee meniscus) and defensive midfielder Ozzie Alonso (hamstring) all are expected out the next two to three weeks, if not longer. Aaron Schoenfeld (lower left leg) also is sidelined, possibly until MLS launches its regular-season "Phase 2" sometime after Sunday's game at Sporting Kansas City.

That leaves the Loons with Mason Toye as their only healthy striker for home game Wednesday against FC Dallas and without Alonso as its link between defense and offense. Hassani Dotson came on in the 18th minute when Alonso went down clutching his left leg Sunday.

"We've got to keep working in training now on what his strengths are," Heath said about Reynoso. "You suddenly get an understanding with somebody that you know he's capable of picking that pass, whether it be the little slide pass, the straight ball for the diagonal run or the diagonal pass for the straight run. There are a lot of things to work on, but I do know if the front player puts something on, he will find them invariably.

"There's not a greater incentive for a front man to know that if I put the right run on it at the right time, this guy has a chance of delivering."