Lightning delayed Minnesota United's 3-1 loss at FC Dallas by nearly an hour at halftime Saturday night, and by then coach Adrian Heath's team trailed 2-0 after it allowed goals within 90 seconds in the first 12 minutes.
The delay allowed Heath more time to say things at halftime he said he couldn't repeat in a postgame video conference call with reporters.
It didn't, however, provide enough time for players to do the same, not after they fell behind an opponent that hadn't scored a goal in its first three regular-season games back from the pandemic pause.
Heath sent four substitutes into the game after halftime and removed his entire attacking four front.
Afterward, he fumed during his video call and threatened lineup changes — including possibly giving newly signed attacking midfielder Emanuel Reynoso his first MLS action — for Wednesday's game at Houston.
"I don't listen to what they've got to say," Heath said. "They don't have an opinion. I had enough to look at in the first half. This was not a conversation. I know what wins football games. You win games by competing from the very first whistle. You win games by winning your individual battles. You win games by running around. … If you do not run, you don't fight, you don't tackle, you can't win a game of football. It's impossible."
When his team didn't do nearly enough of those things in Saturday's first half, it allowed FC Dallas attackers too much room to create their first two goals, one right after the other.
So Heath sent in substitutes Thomas Chacon, Hassani Dotson, Mason Toye and Raheem Edwards to start the second half for attackers Luis Amarilla, Robin Lod, Kevin Molino and Ethan Finlay.