Minnesota United striker Luis Amarilla starting to flourish as comfort grows

Finally fit and a new father, too, Minnesota United striker Luis Amarilla is finding his way in a new league and new land in his second MLS season.

He has scored six goals in his past 10 games — eight this MLS season — for a suddenly surging front four after he went 12 games without scoring. He also has five assists in those 10 games.

Not coincidentally, his Loons team has lost just twice in the last nine of those 10 games entering Saturday against second-place Austin FC.

Amarilla also has become something of an adopted Minnesotan, learning enough of a new language that he can switch between English and Spanish in the same conversation. Enough that he can make public appearances, including one scheduled for the most Minnesotan of them all — next week's state fair.

"Some words I can't understand," he said in English. "But I keep improving. It's not good enough, but I can understand some."

Amarilla arrived in February 2020 and promised coach Adrian Heath he'd score 25 goals. He scored two during a rookie year shortened by an ankle injury that needed surgery at season's end.

He returned to play in Ecuador in 2021, but returned to Minnesota this season after a season away.

He had what he termed another "small" surgery, this one on his foot before this season. "Even if it's minor surgery, it takes time," said Amarilla, 26. "When I arrived this year, I was still recovering. But now I'm good and I think you can tell."

There was that as well as a bout with coronavirus and everything involved with moving his family to Minnesota this season. His wife gave birth to the couple's first child — a son named Luka — in May.

"It changed [me] a lot, for the good," Amarilla said about fatherhood. "It's a blessing and I feel it's an extra motivation for when I step on the field. … The family is good and that makes me feel more comfortable, more calm."

Finally fit, healthy and probably a bit sleep deprived, Amarilla found his form these last two months leading three attackers — Franco Fragapane, star playmaker Emanuel Reynoso and Bongokuhle Hlongwane — that found their fitness and form maybe not coincidentally about the same time he did.

"Because of our decision-making," Amarilla said when asked about their recent production. "We're learning from each. We have confidence in each other. We complement each other well and our attack now is very dangerous. It's one of the weapons we have to win all our games."

They've been so good, Heath will have to make some difficult decisions because of an abundance at central midfield. It's unlikely he'll rearrange the front four by moving veteran Robin Lod back to his former right-attacking spot that Hlongwane has filled with needed pace.

"The front four has been really good of late," Heath said. "I don't think that will change."

Heath attributes Amarilla's recent play to a return to good health and some success scoring a goal at Miami that ended his scoreless streak, and another goal two games later against Real Salt Lake in early July.

"Fit and healthy, confidence," Heath said. "It's amazing when you start scoring goals, other aspects of your game look better. His holdup game looks better. His movement and pace have looked better. As a center forward who is used to scoring goals, there's nothing like that to bring out the confidence and the best in him."

Heath said he'll consider a change in formation that could get an extra deserving player into the starting 11 now that he has five players competing for two spots when the Loons play his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.

"It's fit, it's healthy, but it's also just guys playing well, right?" said Loons captain and defensive midfielder Wil Trapp, who's back from a hamstring injury. "They're executing at a high level. They're playing forward, doing what we know they're capable of doing."

Amarilla for now will stay where he is, as will the other three attackers who have thrived along with him.

"I really feel good," Amarilla said. "We're doing a good job. That is good because we can enjoy the game. We have to play together to feel good. I know two years I was feeling a little pain in my ankle. But now I really feel good and doing a good job and that makes me feel good."