Minnesota United versatile veteran Robin Lod on Friday trained fully with his teammates for the first time this week in preparation for Sunday's "Decision Day" finale against Vancouver at Allianz Field.
Robin Lod expected to play in Minnesota United's high-stakes Sunday match
The Loons are looking to win or draw, and they are likely to have Lod on the pitch to help.
October 8, 2022 at 3:24AM
Loons coach Adrian Heath said afterward Lod will be available to play in a game with the season at stake, unless his healing calf stiffens overnight or becomes painful.
"He has joined in with everything this morning," Heath said. "We haven't pushed him too early."
Win or draw and the Loons advance to the MLS Cup playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. Lose to a team that has won three consecutive home games and the Loons will head into an unusually long offseason — thanks to next month's World Cup — 0-6-1 in their final seven games.
Lod has missed duty with Finland's national team and the past two MLS games because of the injury in a season when he has played positions all over the field: right-side attacker, "false" striker up top, central midfielder — wherever Heath needs him.
"He's a really important piece for us wherever we play him," Heath said. "He has been an invaluable player for us all season. We need him certainly."
Lod hasn't played since the Loons' 1-1 home draw with Los Angeles FC on Sept. 13. Heath said he isn't concerned about Lod's conditioning, or lack thereof.
"He's a fit boy and he has played a lot of football," Heath said. "He has managed to do a little bit of cardiovascular work without putting stress on the actual injury. We think he'll be fine.'
Lod has scored six goals this season, but not since a May 22 victory at Dallas. That was the second-to-last game he played in that scoring striker's role. He moved to the central midfield when starter Kervin Arriaga missed a month because of ankle ligament damage.
That was the bulk of an 11-game season stretch in which the Loons went 8-1-2 before their current late-season collapse.
Hlongwane bouncing back
Injured forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane, who had played in Lod's right-side attacking spot, ran full-speed in straight lines in Friday's training, a step forward in his rehabilitation. He hasn't played since Sept. 3 because of a knee MCL sprain.
Heath sounded hopeful Hlongwane could return for the playoffs, if the Loons get there.
"The fact we can see him straight lines at the speed he is running at is encouraging," Heath said.
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
