So that's what Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath means when he wants his team to play what he calls "off the front foot?"
It's a phrase he says often and one with which his team complied in Wednesday's 2-0 victory over Austin FC.
Heath wanted his Loons to give the first full Allianz Field crowd in 612 days — announced a sellout at 19,209 — something to cheer about.
They did so by playing off that front foot, which implies it forced depleted, expansion Austin FC to play off its collective back foot if you follow the soccer vernacular for pushing forward and taking the game to the opponent.
They did so also with newcomers Franco Fragapane and Adrien Hunou scoring both goals before everyone had found a place to park again and waited in line at the turnstiles.
Heath called it a "sign of things to come."
When it was over, the Loons remained undefeated in their past five games — at 3-0-2 — after they started the season 0-4. They also clasped hands afterward and ran toward a packed supporters' section as fans sang their hearts out to Oasis' "Wonderwall."
Loons veteran defender Michael Boxall sprayed water from a bottle and lifted his young daughter Maxwell, who had walked onto the field at game's end.
