Minnesota United and MLS on Friday announced three more regular-season games through September's end that left Loons coach Adrian Heath puzzled.
The Loons will continue to play their games at Allianz Field without fans in attendance "for the foreseeable future," the team said in a news release. It said it will "continue to monitor and evaluate the situation" with the input of government and health officials.
The next three games follow the first six "Phase 1" regular-season games that for the Loons end Sunday at Sporting Kansas City. The next three include another midweek game and two more on the road: next Saturday at Houston; Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Columbus Crew; and Sunday, Sept. 27, vs. Real Salt Lake at Allianz Field.
The Loons will travel to and from Houston on the same day for the second time in three weeks. Real Salt Lake will visit Allianz Field for the second time in this regular-season restart during which teams have paired regionally for ease of travel. Columbus Crew is the only team the Loons haven't already played in the restart.
By the time they play Real Salt Lake again, the Loons will have played four of their first 11 regular-season games in market at home.
"A little bit bemused by it all," Heath said. "Same opponents, three out of 10 (sic) at home, which I don't get. Hey, I know it's not easy. I know we're in difficult circumstances. … It's the same for everybody. We have to understand that. Is it ideal? No, it's not ideal, we know that. I'm a bit bemused we can go on Saturday and it's 106 in Dallas and then they go, 'Tell you what, we'll send them to Houston, where it's only 96 degrees, on Wednesday.' "
More 2020 MLS regular-season games will be announced pending developments regarding travel protocols.
MLS' playoffs expand to 18 teams in 2020: Eight of the Western Conference's 12 team will qualify for the first round. Six of the East's 14 teams qualify directly, and seeds 7-10 will compete in a play-in game.