Minnesota United aim to snap five-game MLS winless skid Saturday in Kansas City

The Loons have struggled over the years at Children's Mercy Park, but Sporting Kansas City is 1-7-3.

May 12, 2023 at 8:27PM
Luis Amarilla, left, competed against FC Dallas on April 30 at Allianz Field. (Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

LOONS GAMEDAY

Saturday: 7:30 p.m. at Sporting Kansas City * Apple TV's MLS Season Pass * 1500 AM

Preview

The Loons have won only once at Children's Mercy Park and that was during the 2020 MLS Cup playoffs. They take a five-game MLS winless streak with them, Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup round of 32 victory in penalty kicks over Philadelphia not included. ... The Loons are 3-4-3, including 3-3-0 on the road, and Sporting Kansas City is off to an unexpected lousy start with a 1-7-3 record that includes an 0-3-1 record at home. But Sporting KC won 2-1 at Seattle last Saturday their last time out. They're 8-4-4 against the Loons in MLS regular-season play and are 7-0-0 against them at home. ... Striker Luis Amarilla and central midfielder Kervin Arriaga trained Thursday and Loons coach Adrian Heath called both available for selection.

Newcomer Miguel Marques trained with the team on Thursday after being out because of an ankle injury. He was acquired from his Swedish team in January and hasn't yet made his MLS debut. "Another body, we're going to need them all for sure," Heath said about a busy May. The Loons currently are in a stretch where they play six games in 17 days. The last of those six is their next U.S. Open Cup game May 23 at Houston. They'll play the Dynamo twice in six days after a MLS regular-season game May 17 at Allianz Field.

Injuries

Loons list D Bakaye Dibassy (ruptured quadricep tendon), D Ryen Jiba (knee) and MF Emanuel Reynoso (suspended) as out. SKC lists D Tim Leibold (hamstring) and F Khiry Shelton (adductor) as questionable, D Kortne Ford (Achilles surgery), D Kayden Pierre (hamstring) and F Willy Agada (tibia stress fracture) as out.

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about the writer

Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

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

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