Loons' Mason Toye faces challenge getting more playing time

After playing in 17 games and starting two last year, forward Mason Toye has been mostly on the sideline for Minnesota United to start this season. He has only played in one MLS game in 2019, recording 26 minutes.

In recent weeks, though, Toye's play has been making a case for coach Adrian Heath to put him in as a substitute more often.

Toye scored his first professional goal in the team's U.S. Open Cup victory over the Houston Dynamo on June 18. A week later, he scored both goals in a 2-1 friendly against USL affiliate Forward Madison.

For Toye, Heath says, it's about the mental game. The 20-year-old is plenty athletic, he just has to get to his spots on the pitch better. Another main obstacle is who's ahead of him on the depth chart, most notably stars Angelo Rodriguez and Darwin Quintero.

"Obviously, he's got a bit of a challenge in front of him," Heath said. "But the one thing about the kid is, he's not afraid of hard work and he just comes out every day to work at his strengths."

While the Loons are inching back to full strength, two players won't be available for Saturday's match against FC Cincinnati.

Heath said forward Abu Danladi is out. Danladi, listed with a right leg injury, was subbed out in the 27th minute in the friendly against Forward Madison after the injury. Midfielder Collin Martin is also out because of a right ankle injury.

Midfielder Kevin Molino returned Thursday after a stint international duty with Trinidad and Tobago. Heath said the team will "decide in the morning if it's right for him to play."

Seven of the Loons' next nine matches are at Allianz Field. For a club looking to make a playoff push, it comes at the perfect time.

With the weather drying up in recent weeks, the pitch also shouldn't be a problem.

"We had a good response from all the international teams who played on it," Heath said. "It's fine now."

Saturday will be the first time FC Cincinnati and Minnesota United meet in MLS play, but it's only been a year since they saw each other on the pitch. Cincinnati played host to the Loons last year in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with United advancing on penalty kicks 3-1.

Only four of Cincinnati's starting 11 in that 2018 match are still with the team.