Minnesota United gets rematch against FC Dallas, this time in MLS playoff opener

The last time the two teams played, FC Dallas scored three goals in four second-half minutes that Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath called "madness."

That was Labor Day weekend at Allianz Field.

They'll meet again Monday night in a first-round MLS Cup playoff game, this time in suburban Dallas in a meeting of third- and sixth-place teams.

The Loons won the first time the teams played this season, 2-1 at Dallas in late May.

The next time, Loons defender Michael Boxall's own goal triggered the avalanche after he tried to redirect a crossing pass in the 55th minute. Alan Velasco's curling strike from the edge of the 18-yard box 92 seconds later beat Loons goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair to the lower right corner. Then Jesus Ferreira's flicked-on header from inside the 6-yard box went upper right corner in the 58th minute.

And it was all over, 3-0 in the Loons' first game without veteran center back Bakaye Dibassy. He suffered a season-ending ruptured right quadriceps three days earlier at Real Salt Lake.

"If you look at the game, we had a mad five, six minutes," Heath said after his team's 2-0 home victory over Vancouver secured a playoff spot. "You look at the 90 minutes as a whole, there was nothing in the game [for FC Dallas]. In fact, we probably had the better chances and probably had more of the possession and we were the better team that day.

Loons newcomer Jonathan Gonzalez acknowledged that fleeting madness "wasn't great," but vowed better this time.

Gonzalez scored Sunday's second goal on a left-footed shot from 10 yards out on a deflected cross in the 77th minute. He was a second-half sub in that September loss to Dallas.

"Everyone just be on spot, be ready to go," said Gonzalez, who has played in Mexico's Liga MX playoffs but will play his first in MLS on Monday. "We're going to work really good this week to prepare for the game over there in Dallas. We'll be ready."

Heath noted his team has won at Dallas, LA Galaxy and Nashville — all teams seeded ahead of the Loons in these playoffs — already this season and has won at top-seeded Los Angeles FC in previous seasons.

"This group can win games anywhere and we've proven that in the past," Heath said. "Now is it going to be easy in Dallas? No, it's not. But do I think we can go down there and win? For sure, I do. Anything's possible."

MLS' 10-year, $2.5 billion global broadcast partnership with Apple begins next season.

Sunday's final broadcast included a blooper reel compiled through the years and a surprise pregame appearance in the booth from club CEO Shari Ballard in which both broadcasters wore Loons heads. The supporters section said farewell with a Thank You tifo.

"It has been sensational," Williams said on air before a game that drew a record standing-room-only crowd. "I think we can take an element of pride knowing what this has become."

Heath after Sunday's game left open the possibility forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane could return Monday after being sidelined by a knee injury since that Sept. 3 game against FC Dallas.

Hlongwane has been running full speed in straight lines and now will add twisting and turning.