Finland's national team called up Minnesota United's Robin Lod and Rasmus Schuller to play Euro 2020 qualifiers Oct. 12 at Bosnia and Herzegovina and home Oct. 15 against Armenia.
MLS condensed its regular season and will fit one of two autumn FIFA international breaks between Sunday's regular-season finale and MLS Cup playoffs that now don't begin until Oct. 19. Previously, that international break came in the middle of playoffs that didn't end until December. Now the MLS Cup is Nov. 10.
Expect United's Jan Gregus (Slovakia), Romain Metanire (Madagascar) and Kevin Molino (Trinidad and Tobago) to be recalled by their national teams as well. That international break complicates options for a United team that could have a home playoff game and a St. John's-St. Thomas football game played on Oct. 19 at Allianz Field's newly replaced grass field that weekend.
A MLS playoff game on Friday, Oct. 18 would be a better option if not for Loons players' international commitments during that FIFA window.
JERRY ZGODA
