With several top players hurting, Loons coach keeps looking for spark

Three games into their 34-game season, Minnesota United remains MLS' only team that hasn't yet earned a point, while getting outscored 7-1.

Star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso has a hurting calf muscle but not a single assist to start this season after he set a MLS Cup playoff record for them with seven in three games to end the past season.

He has been smothered at times by opposing defenses and slowed in Saturday's 1-0 loss to expansion Austin FC. Afterward, Loons coach Adrian Heath said Reynoso has been "struggling again" with a "tight" calf with which he struggled in training last week.

"All that showed again today," Heath said.

Reynoso played into Saturday's 58th minute before he was substituted out, limping off the field. Former Boca Juniors teammate Ramon Abila came off with him after an unremarkable first MLS start.

"It was difficult for him," Heath said, referring to Abila. "We didn't give him an awful lot in the box. We didn't have enough sustained attacks. He'll be better for having some minutes."

Reynoso and Abila connected beautifully for the Loons' best scoring chance on a night when Austin FC's Diego Fagundez's goal in the 17th minute stood all night as the deciding one.

But his dominant left-footed strike from inside the 18-yard box hit the left post squarely and bounded away.

It wasn't much space in which to work, but it was enough for a playmaker against whom opponents are plotting.

"When you're as creative a player as he is, it's knowing the other teams are scouting," Loons midfielder Hassani Dotson said. "That's pretty normal."

Heath afterward lamented the absences of injured defender Bakaye Dibassy for the third consecutive game to start the season and midfielder Robin Lod, who didn't play Saturday because of a chest injury.

He called his team "passive" and unsure."

Heath is looking for more, even from those not fully fit.

"When you're playing with your best players not 100%, you need them to give you that little bit of quality, that little bit of spark," Heath said.

In Saturday's game, he turned to rookies Justin McMaster and Patrick Weah, looking for some spark in the second half — and nearly got the equalizer on Weah's header from close range that Austin keeper Brad Stuver stopped late in the game.

"I said last week we don't do enough going forward," Heath said. "Overall, I'm disappointed we're certainly not playing with the same energy we did last year. We have to address that."

Heath shuffled his starters and subs Saturday both out of necessity and instinct. He started veteran and captain Ozzie Alonso alongside Wil Trapp in a defensive midfield that often included Dotson dropping down to join them in a three-man unit. Heath brought usual starter Jan Gregus into the game as a second-half sub.