PORTLAND, ORE. – A year ago, young Minnesota United sophomore striker Mason Toye played 820 minutes, scored six goals, had three assists and started nine of the 17 games he played in something of a breakthrough season.
When its MLS season opened Sunday against Portland, United started newly signed striker Luis Amarilla and subbed veteran Aaron Schoenfeld for him late, in the 86th minute.
Schoenfeld's appearance was strictly strategic and situational: He entered to protect a 3-1 lead after United had just scored twice within two minutes. Experienced and 6-4, Schoenfeld was called upon because of his ability to possess the ball and play long balls in the air with his head as well.
He did so after Amarilla scored the first of those 25 goals he has promised for this season, a back-post header off veteran midfielder Ethan Finlay's deft crossing pass from the right sideline in the 76th minute. In the 78th minute, Kevin Molino scored his second goal of the game.
Eight minutes later in stoppage time, Schoenfeld did his job, protecting the ball from two Timbers players in the corner deep in their end that ticked off time and forced a corner kick.
Amarilla, Schoenfeld and Toye all give United coach Adrian Heath different options, different looks up front now that Angelo Rodriguez is back home in Colombia and Abu Danladi was chosen by Nashville in the expansion draft.
Amarilla, a 24-year-old Paraguayan and gifted finisher, could be the scorer United lacked late last season. Schoenfeld, 29, is back in MLS after four seasons in Israel. Toye is the young, fast promising attacker who now finds himself watching from the sideline since Amarilla was acquired from Ecuadorian team in January.
"Obviously, there's no way we can only have one forward," said Toye, who turned 22 in October. "Anything can happen — international stuff, injuries, whatever the case might be. So there's no way we can have only one striker. I knew they were going to have to go out and get somebody. I wasn't naive about it. I'm just taking it as best I can, trying to learn from Luis, trying to push him and compete for his spot.
"Then when I get my opportunities, whether it's starting or off the bench, just take care of whatever I can."
United coach Adrian Heath said he had a "chat" with Toye early in preseason. He said he told Toye he needed to "realistic and philosophical" as well as ready to be called upon during a long season when anything can happen.
Heath said he has talked with Schoenfeld as well about his specific veteran's role.
"They've been great," Heath said. "I've been in that situation where they bring a frontman in and he starts off scoring goals straightaway and you think, 'Here we go again.' But the one thing about football is there's so many twists and turns. You don't know what's going to happen one game to the next."
Another option for Heath is playing Amarilla and Toye together if the circumstances are right.
"Who's to say we don't play two up top?" Heath asked. "We've got that option now. As usual, he's been training really well. That's the one thing about Mason: He does work really, really hard at his game."
Toye said he will continue to do that, both to push himself and push Amarilla. Minnesota United's next game is Saturday at San Jose.
"We'll see how the season pans out and what we do for formations," Toye said. "If we do play together, that'd be great because Luis is a really good footballer and he seems like he's really easy to play with. It'd be awesome to be up there with him, but whatever happens I'm just happy to have him on the team."
