Minnesota United faces fellow MLS club Nashville in Leagues Cup quarterfinals

Minnesota United and Nashville both reached the round of 16 by defeating a Liga MX team on penalty kicks.

August 10, 2023 at 11:53PM
Loons midfielder Bongokuhle Hlongwane has scored seven goals in Leagues Cup play, including one against Toluca on Tuesday. (Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

7:30 p.m. Friday at Nashville * Apple TV MLS Season Pass

The Loons will play without versatile midfielder Hassani Dotson, who was ejected from Tuesday's 2-2 penalty-kick victory after his two yellow cards in the game got him a red card. Loons coach Adrian Heath indicated Joseph Rosales could move from left back to Dotson's spot. Heath also said new defender Ethan Bristow has proven himself ready for a bigger role. … Both teams advanced to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals by winning in a penalty-kick shootout Tuesday. The Loons triumphed over Liga MX's Deportivo Toluca and Nashville beat famed Club America in a controversial shootout just when it seemed like Club America had won and was headed to Allianz Field. … Loons attacker Bongokuhle Hlongwane has scored in each of his team's four Leagues Cup games, two each in the first three and a single goal against Toluca. He's tied with Inter Miami's Lionel Messi for most goals in the competition. ... The winner faces the winner of Friday's late Los Angeles FC-Monterrey game. If the Loons advance, they'd play either at L.A. or host Monterrey at Allianz Field. … The Loons are 1-0-2 in their all-time series against a Nashville team now featuring Hany Mukhtar, who leads the MLS regular-season Golden Boot race with 13 goals. … The Loons listed veteran Ismael Tajouri-Shradi as questionable, but Heath indicated he's ready to play. Robin Lod, Kervin Arriaga and Ryen Jiba all remain out for the season.

about the writer

about the writer

Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

Jerry Zgoda covers Minnesota United FC and Major League Soccer for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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