No three-center-back formation for Minnesota United FC this week. While the Loons used it at the end of last week's 5-2 loss at the New England Revolution to some defensive success, coach Adrian Heath is back to his standard and favorite 4-2-3-1. The starting lineup for United against Real Salt Lake is:
Bobby Shuttleworth
Jerome Thiesson, Brent Kallman, Francisco Calvo, Justin Davis
Collen Warner, Ibson
Kevin Molino, Johan Venegas, Bashkim Kadrii
Christian Ramirez
Bench: John Alvbage, Vadim Demidov, Jermaine Taylor, Miguel Ibarra, Abu Danladi, Rasmus Schuller, Ish Jome.
Schuller begins a match on the bench for the first time so far this season.
Heath said Friday that Shuttleworth would start over John Alvbage because he's been playing well and also because Alvbage only had two full days of training after recovering from his knee laceration endured March 12. So it would probably be too soon to put Alvbage in goal right away anyway.
Salt Lake is also playing a 4-2-3-1 with Nick Rimando; Chris Wingert, Demar Phillips, Justin Schmidt, Aaron Maund; Luke Mulholland, Kyle Beckerman; Sebastian Saucedo, Albert Rusnak, Brooks Lennon; and Yura Movsisyan.