Dynamo visit skidding Minnesota United (Apr 26, 2018)
If it wasn't for bad luck, it seems, Minnesota United FC would have no luck at all.
The latest body blow for the Loons -- who have already lost four straight matches -- is a season-ending knee injury to midfielder Ethan Finlay, a situation that has put Minnesota United on its heels as the Houston Dynamo head to the Twin Cities for a match on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
Finlay went down in the first half of Minnesota United's 3-1 loss at Seattle on Sunday, and it was confirmed on Tuesday that he would miss the rest of the season with the injury, surgery and rehab.
Minnesota United (2-5-0) was already without forward Kevin Molino, who is also out for the year with a knee injury, and Sam Cronin (headaches related to a neck problem), who has yet to play in 2018.
"For Ethan, it's a devastating blow," Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath said. "But he's a great professional, trains every day 100 percent. I have no doubt he'll take that into his rehabilitation."
The Loons have allowed 10 goals in their four-match losing streak and has surrendered at least one tally in 19 straight games, the longest active streak in MLS. Minnesota has conceded 40 goals over their last 19 games.
Christian Ramirez came off the bench to score the Loons' lone goal in the 66th minute in the loss to Seattle. It was his first goal of the season and had Heath considering moving Ramirez into the starting lineup.
"I thought Christian was very good when he came on. I think he certainly gave us a lift," Heath said. "I would think that Christian's done enough to maybe get himself played at the weekend."
Ramirez said Finlay's injury just presents more opportunity for other players to move into more prominent roles.
"(Finlay's loss is) a blow to us because he's such a lively guy in the locker room, on the field," Ramirez said. "He brings so much experience in this league. It'll be a tough loss."
While Minnesota United is ice cold as it looks to defend its home pitch on Saturday, the Dynamo is a team full of confidence after routing reserve-heavy Toronto FC 5-1 last week in Houston.
Mauro Manotas and Leonardo scored in the in the first seven minutes for Houston (2-2-2), which doubled the lead on second-half goals by Eric Alexander and Alberth Elis added second-half goals. Romell Quioto scored in the 77th minute, capping a night in which he also add two assists. Quioto was named to the MLS Team of the Week for Week 8.
Quioto became the fourth Dynamo player since 2010 to record at least one goal and two assists in a league game. It was also the first time this season he's been on the pitch for the full 90 minutes of a match, simply due to match fitness.
"I came (from the offseason) without game rhythm and spent three weeks with an illness (in preseason)," Quioto said. "The staff and coaches had a lot of patience with me. I'm thankful to them for that, and all that's left is to keep working and keep showing why I'm here."
The victory over Toronto snapped a four-game winless run in which Houston had scored a total of five goals and conceded multiple goals in each game.
"It was good, but still, I believe we can do better," Houston coach Wilmer Cabrera said. "We have to be more solid defensively, and we allowed only one goal but it could have been two goals against a team that's very young."
Houston has never lost to the Loons in three matches, winning once and playing to draws in the other two, including a scoreless match last July in Minnesota in the most recent contest between the two teams.
