Depleted even before they arrived at Providence Park, Minnesota United became only more so throughout their 3-2 loss at Portland on Saturday night.
The Loons lost their fourth consecutive game on a night they lost another player — veteran midfielder Wil Trapp — not long after pregame warmups began.
With suspended Hassani Dotson among 10 players already missing before Trapp was scratched, the Loons scored twice in the first 38 minutes and then not again against a Portland team that grew more aggressive and dominant.
The Loons were undone by Brazilian star Evander’s penalty kick eight minutes into first-half stoppage time, then by two second-half goals: Santiago Moreno’s tying 73rd minute goal that he celebrated with a little wiggly dance, followed by Johnathan Rodriguez’s winner in the 92nd minute.
Rodriguez’s goal came minutes after Portland had a go-ahead goal denied by video review, which ruled Rodriguez was guilty of a hand ball.
The Loons (13-11-10) haven’t won a game in a month, since June 1 over Sporting Kansas City.
“That’s a really disappointing one for me personally, because I’m gutted for the players,” Ramsay said. “They, to a man, left everything on the pitch in a really difficult set of circumstances. I think they showed real character, real personality and a real sense of togetherness, but ultimately it was a stretch too far when you look at the second half and where we are with the players we have available.”
The Loons continue to wait for starters Dayne St. Clair and Tani Oluwaseyi, who will remain with their Canadian team that has reached the Copa America quarterfinals Friday after playing to a scoreless draw with Chile on Saturday in Orlando.