It was very nearly a storybook night for Minnesota United.
With United's match with the New York Cosmos tied 0-0 and 5 minutes remaining, striker Christian Ramirez was pushed over in the New York penalty area, drawing a penalty kick. United had already clinched home-field advantage for the playoffs earlier in the evening, when San Antonio lost to Indy, but a goal and a win in Blaine would clinch the fall championship — and give Ramirez a share of the league single-season goal-scoring record to boot.
That storybook will be left without a final page. Ramirez sent goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer the wrong way but missed his penalty high and wide, leaving United to settle for a 0-0 draw.
"It's just knowing that [a goal] could have wrapped everything up," said a visibly dejected Ramirez. "I knew I was going to have [Maurer] beat, I just went a little higher than normal in case he dove that way — but that's the game."
Even ignoring the implications for the fall title, a win would have given Minnesota a shot of confidence with two games to play before playoffs begin. United failed to beat New York yet again, its fifth game against the Cosmos all-time without a single victory. With the Cosmos all but certain to make the postseason, it's very possible the two teams will meet again. It's not a good time for Minnesota's New York-sized mental block to continue.
"It's not necessarily that we're cursed," captain Aaron Pitchkolan said. "It's nothing on the soccer side, it's just putting away the chances we create."
Ramirez had the game's second best chance as well. Ten minutes before the penalty, he headed the ball wide from a free kick, with only a flat-footed Maurer to beat. Miguel Ibarra, returning to Minnesota for the first time since his U.S. national team call-up, also created several good chances from his position on the wing but couldn't find the back of the net.
United is left on the cusp of the fall championship, with a five-point lead in the standings, but head coach Manny Lagos wasn't ready to think about the importance of more hardware. "I'm not sure, psychologically," he said. "Two of our goals have been accomplished, winning the spring championship and getting home-field advantage. Right now, we should absorb those and think about that one later."
Though dejected, Ramirez at least was philosophical. "[Missing] was bound to happen once this year," he said. "I'd rather have it happen now than later on."
