Slow start dooms Minnesota United in 3-1 loss at Dallas

Lightning delayed Minnesota United's 3-1 loss at FC Dallas by nearly an hour at halftime Saturday night in Frisco, Texas.

The Loons couldn't make it strike once more in the remaining 51 minutes, no matter how hard they tried or how much coach Adrian Heath sizzled in anger afterward.

Even an armada of second-half substitutes swapped for Heath's attackers couldn't save his team after it fell behind 2-0 after only 12 minutes.

By halftime, Heath had seen enough. He sent in four substitutes to start the second half and pulled his four attackers. Thomas Chacon, Hassani Dotson, Mason Toye and Raheem Edwards all entered and Luis Amarilla, Robin Lod, Kevin Molino and Ethan Finlay all left.

Afterward, Heath fumed, criticizing his team for playing without enough energy, enough passion, enough pride. He called the loss "as disappointed as I've been with this group in a couple years" and said the halftime substitutions "certainly helped us."

"Second half, we made a fist of it and we played with a little bit of pride in the shirt," he said.

The long delay allowed Heath more time to say more.

"Trust me, nothing said at halftime I could have repeated here," he said in a video conference call with reporters. "If we had more substitutes, trust me, I would have made more changes."

Heath called the loss "food for thought" about lineup changes he might make Wednesday at Houston. Newly signed attacking midfielder Emanuel Reynoso could make his MLS debut that night.

Until Saturday, FC Dallas had used five different starting lineups in six games this season and hadn't scored in 270 minutes in three regular-season games back. Then it scored in both Saturday's 11th and 12th minutes when Loons defenders allowed the opposition too much room.

An FC Dallas penalty kick in the sixth and final minute of second-half stoppage time finished it for the home team.

"Just trying to regroup and continue our Orlando form," Edwards said. "We were really good down there. We need to get back to that from, quickly."

It took Dotson just 10 minutes into the second half to bring the Loons within 2-1 when his two-touch, left-footed strike from 25 yards out curled by FC Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer.

Instantly energized, the Loons pressed on and more than once nearly found the equalizer. But Edwards, captain Ozzie Alonso, Jan Gregus and Jose Aja all were denied by post, save or referee's whistle.

Edwards had the best chance of all with a powerful left-footed strike that hit the far post three minutes after Dotson scored.

"Did you see me?" Edwards said. "I was running away. I thought I had it. It hit inside the post, too. I don't know how it didn't go in."

The Star Tribune did not travel for this game. This article was written using the television broadcast and video interviews before and/or after the game.