Minnesota United turns a comfortable lead into a regrettable draw at Sporting Kansas City

A week ago, after a victory in San Jose, Minnesota United coach Eric Ramsay said his team “suffered more than they needed to.”

Saturday night in Kansas City, Kan., the Loons suffered again, throwing away a three-goal lead in the final quarter of the match to draw 3-3 with Sporting Kansas City, a shockingly quick collapse for the normally steady Loons defense.

Hassani Dotson and Tani Oluwaseyi scored first-half goals for the Loons, and Oluwaseyi grabbed a second goal just moments into the second half. But Sporting KC scored three goals in 13 minutes, including a Loons own goal, and what seemed about to be a comfortable road victory against a deflated SKC side turned into an unlikely road draw.

“There’s not a part of me that was expecting the level of drop-off from a concentration perspective, from a decision-making perspective, that we got post the hour mark, post-65 minutes,” Loons manager Eric Ramsay said. “So it’s obviously a sickening result, one that that will live long in the memory for us, I’m sure.”

Early in the first half, Dotson fed an absolutely beautiful counter-attacking through ball past the SKC defense, giving Oluwaseyi a chance to score. The striker shot wide … so four minutes later, Dotson took matters into his own hands.

The Loons takes any opportunity they can get to serve the ball into the opposition penalty area, and in the 15th minute, that meant goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair launching a free kick from the other side of the halfway line. Michael Boxall won the initial header, Morris Duggan won a header from a skied clearance — and Dotson did the rest, with a powerful volley from outside the edge of the penalty area.

His goal will be the favorite to win the league’s goal of the week award, flying into the top corner from more than 20 yards out.

The Loons’ second goal could have come straight out of their playbook for counterattacks. After Carlos Harvey won the ball in the Loons half, he played the ball to Bongokuhle Hlongwane, who quickly worked his way down the field with a pair of give-and-goes.

The second was especially good, as Robin Lod gave the ball back to Hlongwane, even as a defender crashed through his back. Referee Joe Dickerson played the advantage rather than calling the foul, and Hlongwane charged past the defense, then fed a perfect cross to Oluwaseyi while on the run. All Oluwaseyi had to do was beat the goalkeeper.

It was 3-0 Loons when, in the 67th minute, Sporting KC defender Tim Leibold launched a long ball over the top of the Loons defense — seemingly harmless, but substitute forward Daniel Sallói was there to tap it past Loons goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.

It was the first hopeful thing that had happened to SKC all night. The home fans had vociferously booed their own team after the Loons scored only 21 seconds into the second half. But somehow, that one goal was enough to bring the home team back to life.

After an unlucky Duggan own goal four minutes later, Dejan Jovelic took his first chance of the night in the 80th minute, banging the tying goal off the post and in.

“It’s unacceptable to be winning 3-0 and to end it the way we did,” Loons midfielder Wil Trapp said.

Saturday, the Loons return to Allianz Field for an afternoon game against the LA Galaxy. Minnesota will be missing five starters who will be with their international teams, while LA may be missing zero — but the Galaxy will be without three of the front four that destroyed the Loons 6-2 in last season’s playoffs.