Minnesota United beat San Jose 2-0 to end nine-game winless streak

After nine games without a win, Minnesota United needed something to get them going again — a spark, a bounce, a bit of luck.

A visit from the worst team in the league, perhaps.

The Loons (9-10-6) beat bottom-dwelling San Jose 2-0, thanks to that one lucky bounce — an own goal — as well as a second-half header from Bongokuhle Hlongwane. It was Minnesota’s first win since June 1, and San Jose’s 19th loss of the year in just 25 games.

Oasis rang out around Allianz Field at the final whistle, for the first time in more than six weeks. “It feels so good,” said Hlongwane. “You can tell, with the fans, it’s been awhile without a ‘Wonderwall.’”

The first-half own goal from Earthquakes center back Tanner Beason finally got Minnesota going — that, and an unlikely tactical move.

It’s rare to see a team make a substitution in the first half without a serious injury being the cause, but that’s just what Loons coach Eric Ramsay did Saturday. After 33 minutes in which the Loons repeatedly lost the ball, producing a total of zero shot attempts in the process, Ramsay adjusted his initial lineup and moved All-Star midfielder Robin Lod from forward back into the midfield.

“I can’t put it any other way than to say we were really, really poor in the first half an hour,” Ramsay said. “Uncharacteristically so, just in terms of the basics, of the giveaways, the turnovers. [It] was certainly not the team that we want to be.”

The move meant midfielder Alejandro Bran had to depart in favor of another forward, Franco Fragapane, to replace Lod, but it also meant the Loons attack immediately looked more composed — and it led to the game’s first goal, in the 38th minute. Lod intercepted a pass to give Minnesota possession in their own half. 18 passes later, give or take a couple of duels, the Loons moved the ball slowly down the field and found Sang Bin Jeong on the right wing.

Minnesota still hadn’t had a shot on target, but Jeong’s cross was low and impossible to handle for Beason, whose clearing attempt flew into the top corner.

BOXSCORE: Minnesota United 2, San Jose 0

The goal, and the substitution, helped give the Loons control of the game in the second half. After nearly an entire half without a shot on target, Minnesota started peppering the goal — including Bongokuhle Hlongwane, who achieved the rare feat of attempting three shots in a 10-second period. The first was saved, the second blocked — and the third landed approximately halfway up the Wonderwall at the south end of Allianz Field.

A dozen minutes later, though, Hlongwane redeemed his misses. Joseph Rosales had a first corner kick turned back, but his second attempt landed right on Hlongwane’s forehead in the center of the penalty area, and the South African planted an unsaveable header in the corner of the net in the 75th minute. It was Hlongwane’s seventh goal of the season and fourth in eight games.

Ramsay said it felt like his team had forgotten they were quite good this year, at least before the winless run started. “There’s nothing that puts that in perspective more clearly than that first 25 minutes tonight,” he said.

For the rest of the night, the Loons remembered who they used to be. And while Minnesota doesn’t play an MLS game again until Aug. 24, as the Leagues Cup takes center stage, the manager was already looking forward to the end of the summer.

“We will look a different team when we come back from the Leagues Cup,” he said. “And of course we’ll have some reinforcements in. I’m keen for it to feel very different, and I know that we’ve got a good chance of going on the run that we need to.”