United hopes to end eight-match winless streak vs. Cosmos

While every North American Soccer League team yearns to beat defending champion New York, Minnesota United FC could make team history by earning three points Saturday.

Since joining the NASL in the 2013 fall season, the Cosmos are 4-0-4 against Minnesota. That's zero victories for the Loons. But who's counting? Some players claim they're not. Jeb Brovsky, however, admits to some added motivation.

"We take it as a challenge," Brovsky said. "It does add a little fire."

A defensive midfielder signed by the Loons this season, Brovsky played for New York City FC in 2015. His former Major League Soccer club was upset by the Cosmos in the U.S. Open Cup tournament, providing extra incentive for Saturday.

"New York is a great city and most professional teams want to beat a big-market team," Brovsky said.

Minnesota will see new franchises Miami FC, Puerto Rico FC and Rayo OKC later this season. But New York is the only returning league team that Minnesota never has defeated.

Eight fruitless attempts at victory call to mind past Minnesota failures against the Big Apple in other sports. The North Stars' 1981 Stanley Cup Final loss to the New York Islanders. The 41-doughnut Vikings debacle in the 2001 NFC Championship. And Twin killings by the Yankees in the 2003 and 2004 division series.

Kevin Venegas, who joins Kallman on the back line, added, "There is no curse or anything like that because teams change so much every year."

New York, however, has sustained its success in soccer. The rebooted Cosmos were champions in 2013 and 2015, hearkening back to dynastic days when the original club won NASL crowns in 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1982.

So what keeps recent New York teams on top? Kallman said the Cosmos start with defense. They allowed the fewest goals in the 2013 fall season and finished second in fewest goals allowed the past two seasons. New York started this season with two consecutive shutouts.

"They don't get scored on much," Kallman said. "If you can do that, you're picking up points every week, which at the end of 30 games adds up."

Minnesota coach Carl Craig said the results are a product of relentless play.

The lesson has proved painful for Minnesota. Three times in their past four meetings, the Loons scored first — each time in the eighth minute, oddly — yet conceded the tying or go-ahead goal in the game's final 16 minutes.

New York uncharacteristically came unglued in the late stages of last week's game at Indy Eleven, allowing a goal in the 90th minute and another in stoppage time in a 2-1 loss.

Minnesota, meanwhile, looks to run its winning streak to three matches as the team seeks a spring season title. Putting a first check in the victory column against the Cosmos would be a bonus.

"More than anything this week, we want to keep building," Brovsky said. "We know we have to put in a 90-minute performance because the Cosmos will punish you for lapses."