On a balmy Fourth of July evening, Minnesota United FC found themselves a bit shorthanded against visiting Columbus Crew SC. Missing a pair of defenders and midfielder Johan Venegas to call-ups and several more players to injury, the team saw reserves step up to provide a solid defensive effort, but with finishing left wanting, the Loons fell 1-0 to Crew SC.
MNUFC began the evening in a 5-4-1, an unfamiliar formation for the team that was previously broken out against Sporting Kansas City in their U.S. Open Cup match. Although certainly due at least partly to having to compensate for the absences of center backs Francisco Calvo and Jermaine Taylor to international duty, the shape wasn’t as defensive as it might have appeared.