Minnesota United played on without star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso on Saturday at Real Salt Lake but introduced recently signed Adrien Hunou — not recently signed Franco Fragapane — to the starting 11.
Minnesota United attacker Adrien Hunou makes his MLS debut
The Loons' other recently signed attacker, Franco Fragapane, missed Saturday's game because of paperwork issues.
May 30, 2021 at 1:00AM
Loons coach Adrian Heath called Fragapane game-ready for Saturday because he had been playing every fourth day for his Talleres team in Argentina until he boarded a plane bound for Minnesota last week. Meanwhile, Heath noted Hunou hadn't played a 90-minute game in weeks.
Fragapane was ineligible Saturday because of lingering paperwork that remained on his transfer from Argentina to Minnesota and MLS.
Reynoso and veteran Ethan Finlay both didn't play Saturday because of hurting knees.
So Hunou started up top with midfielders Robin Lod and Hassani Dotson underneath him while center back Bakaye Dibassy made his season debut by starting after he missed the season's first six games injured.
Still a starter
Veteran goalkeeper Tyler Miller started his third consecutive game Saturday after he recorded consecutive 1-0 clean sheets in victories over Vancouver and FC Dallas. The Loons began the season 0-4 in games Dayne St. Clair started in goal, but Heath has made it clear he doesn't hold St. Clair responsible.
"In my mind I never stopped being a starter," St. Clair said. "Just because I haven't started the last two games, I still consider myself a starter. I plan on being back in net sometime this season."
Go, Canada
Canada's national team has recalled St. Clair after Saturday's game for two World Cup qualifying games, starting next Saturday. Canada also plays CONCACAF Gold Cup group games in July.
RSL played without young starting goalkeeper David Ochoa, who has been called to the U.S. national team.
He was fined for the skirmish he incited the last time these teams played in April after he booted the ball into the Allianz Field stands at game's end.
The Loons' Dotson and Chase Gasper were fined for their parts as well.
"They'll remember, but I think he's away, isn't he?" Heath said when asked if his players remember that last time.
"We won't have to deal with that one. That's the best way of answering that."
Etc.
• With Reynoso, Finlay and Fragapane all out, Heath went with a 4-3-3 formation that he had discussed with Fragapane during the week.
"There is a lot of flexibility with him and with the rest of the group," Heath said. "You look at Adrien Hunou, you look at Robin Lod, they've played in really all the top four attacking positions. That gives us lots of options."
• Veteran midfielder Ozzie Alonso was unavailable Saturday because of a right thigh injury not listed on the team's Friday injury report.
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
