Reynoso’s goal lifts Loons over Colorado in U.S. Open Cup
Down to 10 men and with all finishing prowess seemingly washed away by Wednesday's storm, Emanuel Reynoso took matters into his own hands.
The star midfielder, subbed in midway through the second half, received a pass from Kervin Arriaga in the 87th minute. He danced through the right side of the box, dipped left and fired a grounder past goalkeeper Clint Irwin.
The goal broke the 1-1 deadlock from Wednesday night and propelled Minnesota United 2-1 past Colorado Rapids in the U.S. Open Cup round of 32.
The Loons will learn their Round of 16 opponent at 7:30, when the draw is announced.
Suspended in the 18th minute Wednesday, this match resumed at 1 p.m. Thursday with 17 minutes, 30 seconds on the clock and the score tied 1-1, the game scenario when it was stopped for severe weather. Lightning strikes within an eight-mile radius of Allianz Field forced a suspension Wednesday that lasted three hours, eight minutes before the clubs agreed to push the final 72 minutes to Thursday.
The first 18 minutes Wednesday night were enough for each side to find the back of the net— Abu Danladi connected for the Loons in the eighth minute and Nicolas Mezquida answered for the Rapids in the 15th.
Both sides trotted out the same 11 on Thursday that they had on the field at the time of Wednesday's stoppage. Loons coach Adrian Heath experimented with a three-man backline in a new 3-4-3 formation and gave Tyler Miller the start in goal, a spot he lost to Dayne St. Clair earlier this season. Several key starters received rest with players like Reynoso, Wil Trapp and Robin Lod starting on the bench and St. Clair left out of the squad.
Miller corralled his first save since March 5 in the 23rd minute off a shot from Michael Barrios but went untested the rest of the first half. Miller finished the game with three saves against nine shots.
After losing the possession battle in the first 18 minutes Wednesday night, the Loons flipped the switch Thursday with an aggressive pressing approach in the attacking third. They closed the first half with 56% possession and the game at 57.5%.
Colorado manufactured its best opportunity since the restart in the 33rd minute when Diego Rubio sent a cross from the right corner across the box to Anthony Markanich whose header glanced wide right.
Minnesota created a solid chance of its own three minutes later with fancy footwork from Oneil Fisher. Franco Fragapane looked to have Adrien Hunou in the middle, but the pass came in behind. The Loons kept it alive in the box long enough to open a shot for Fragapane that he fired wide left.
Continued finishing struggles into the second half prompted heavy attacking reinforcements in the 64th minute when the Loons brought in four subs at once, switching Reynoso, Lod, Trapp and Bongokuhle Hlongwane onto the pitch.
That group threatened in the 77th as Reynoso found Lod in the box. Lod opened space on the left side for Hlongwane, but he couldn't finish.
Eventually, it proved to be exactly the injection of talent the squad needed when Reynoso connected late.
These teams combined for six yellow cards in a chippy match in MLS play three weeks ago. Minnesota's Brent Kallman and Colorado's Max Alves da Silva each saw yellow in the early going of the second half Thursday, and Gustavo Vallecilla's heavy collision with Fisher in the 56th minute drew calls for another from the stands.
The physicality flared up again in the 83rd minute when Kallman trucked Jonathan Lewis as he raced into the attacking third, an infraction that incurred his second yellow of the day and a sending off.
