Minnesota United has little room for error heading into Saturday's game at last-place San Jose

Loons Gameday

9 p.m. at San Jose * BSN and The CW Twin Cities, 1500-AM

Preview

The Loons will clinch a playoff spot if they win and Real Salt Lake doesn't win at LA Galaxy in a game that starts 30 minutes later. If RSL wins, the Loons need Portland to lose or tie LAFC in its Sunday afternoon home game to clinch a spot. … Victories in both the Loons' remaining games, including the Oct. 9 match against Vancouver, could secure a home playoff game, although Nashville, the Galaxy and Portland all are in their way. … Veteran midfielder Robin Lod didn't train fully during the week because of a calf injury. Loons coach Adrian Heath called Lod day-to-day. … The Loons are 2-2-1 at San Jose since they entered MLS in 2017. They're 2-0-1 in the past three games there, dating to March 2019. "This has been a particularly good hunting ground for us," Heath said. … The last-place Earthquakes lost 3-2 to LA Galaxy last Saturday and drew with third-place Dallas 1-1 before that. They also lost 6-0 at Cincinnati earlier in September.

INJURIES

For Minnesota, D Bakaye Dibassy, MF Hassani Dotson, MF Jacori Hayes, F Patrick Weah and F Bongokuhle Hlongwane all are out. San Jose lists Will Richmond as questionable and Ousseni Bouda, Gilbert Fuentes and Emi Ochoa as out.