Once Minnesota United takes the pitch Saturday, its three-week MLS hiatus will be over and the stakes ramp up immediately.
The Loons are in the seventh and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 6-7-3 record. Two teams are right behind them as United embarks on the second half of the season with a 3 p.m. Saturday match against FC Cincinnati at Allianz Field.
It's back to the playoff push for the Loons. There's extra motivation for Adrian Heath's squad, considering it has yet to reach the MLS postseason.
United left off MLS play with a three-game losing streak, a funk that saw it outscored 7-2. On June 8 a 1-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids, with the worst record in the Western Conference, left a bitter taste as the Loons entered their break.
Since then the perfect remedy as the team picked up U.S. Open Cup victories over Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo.
"We were excellent against Sporting Kansas City and incredible for 45 minutes against Houston Dynamo," Heath said. "I expect us to carry on exactly the same way. I don't care about the opposition or what other people say."
United scored seven goals between the two U.S. Open Cup games. Forward Darwin Quintero broke out of a slump, scoring four goals between the two contests. Angelo Rodriguez had one goal and three assists.
Through the losses and the tournament play, the team's confidence hasn't wavered, defender Michael Boxall said.