Minnesota United ends losing streak at six with 1-1 draw at Houston

Minnesota United ended its six-game losing streak on Saturday night in Houston by extending its winless streak to eight games.

The Loons did it with a weather-delayed 1-1 draw in which All-Star Robin Lod broke a scoreless game in the 70th minute. Dynamo forward Sebastian Ferreira scored the tying goal 12 minutes later.

Ferreira finished off a corner kick that came through to him at the 6-yard box with a powerful left-footed strike he buried deep in the net. It came only three minutes after Houston had a tying goal waved off because of offsides.

The ninth-place Loons still haven’t won since June 1 against Sporting Kansas City. But they took home the one point, only their second since beating SKC.

The eighth-place Dynamo is unbeaten in their past six games at home, with four of those draws.

Loons coach Eric Ramsay called the night a “really disciplined, workmanlike performance” that yielded few real scoring chances for either side. He said his team could have won with some of the quality opportunities it had, but it couldn’t finish.

“We leave in one sense disappointed we weren’t able to see the game out and we weren’t able to execute the fine details we need to defend our box toward the end,” Ramsay said. “It’s bittersweet in that sense, because I think it’s a really important point. I’m really pleased with the players and their intent to stop the run we’re on at the moment, so we take a lot from that. But again, it’s probably one of those we could have won.”

Lod started as a striker up front with Bongokuhle Hlongwane before moving back more into the midfielder to strengthen the defense.

It didn’t prevent the Dynamo from applying pressure as the game progressed and scoring off that corner-kick set piece that has vexed the Loons this season.

“We’re one of the best teams attacking on set plays and one of the worst defending set plays, which is a strange position to be in,” Ramsay said. “It’s something we really have to improve on. Unfortunately it’s turned into a bit of an Achilles’ heel for us.”

The Loons continued to play on with seven regulars now missing because of international duty and injury.

Reserves Carlos Harvey (Panama) and Alejandro Bran (Costa Rica) have returned from Copa America duty to starting roles. But the Loons still played without starters Dayne St. Clair and Tani Oluwaseyi, both of whom remained with Canada in the Copa America. Both players started for the first time in the tournament in Saturday’s third-place game against Uruguay in Charlotte, N.C. Oluwaseyi went 67 minutes before he was subbed out.

“I’m not sure of the specifics, but as soon as possible they’ll be back with us and available midweek,” Ramsay said, referring to Wednesday’s home game against D.C. United.

With backup goalkeeper Cliff Irwin out injured as well, second-team keeper Alec Smir started his third consecutive game.

The Loons played without four other injured players: defensive midfielder Wil Trapp (leg), right back DJ Taylor (leg), Moses Nyeman (ankle) and rookie Hugo Bacharach (knee).

With Taylor out and the team lacking a replacement, Ramsay moved striker Sang-Bin Jeong back to play right-side wing back.

“As much as he’s probably loathe to play that position because he’s a front player, we really need him to do that,” Ramsay said. “I really have to give him credit for being willing to play a role he needs to do for the team.”

A moment of silence was observed before the opening kick for the flooding and damage done by Beryl a week ago. Nearly 3 million residents initially were left without power in stifling heat during the days afterward.

Saturday’s start was delayed by lightning for about 45 minutes. The game-time temperature was 77 degrees with 86% humidity.

“It’s tough,” Ramsay said. “They’re of course more acclimatized to it than we were. It’s very difficult to really find changes of rhythm, how you press and how to be really aggressive. They use short pass, a slow rhythm. That way of playing really suits them here.”