I’m Minnesotan so you must forgive me; when the Vikings started 5-0, I thought we were going to win the Super Bowl. We didn’t make the playoffs. When the Timberwolves drafted Kris Dunn and hired Tom Thibodeau, I thought we would win the Finals. We have one of the worst records in the Western Conference. However, I truly believe the Wild will win the Stanley Cup this year and that Minnesota United, in their inaugural MLS season, will probably win the Cup.
How do I know? Because I am incredibly biased, forever optimistic and I watched their preseason match against Portland last night. Minnesota’s largest move of the offseason has been the acquisition of Kevin Molino from Orlando for $650,000. For MLS, that’s a large sum, but it looks to have been an absolute steal for the Trinidadian international.
Minnesota opened the scoring against the 2015 MLS champions at Providence Park in the 25th minute, and Molino gave us all a glimpse of his awesomeness.
Look at him just blow by his marker and create the opportunity for Johan Venegas to score. We had another Kevin (Garnett) in Minnesota that carried a franchise by himself for 12 years, and this Kevin is going to continue the sacred legacy of Kevins in Minnesota, I just know it.
.@Johan_VenegasCR ON THE REBOUND!!!!!!#PORvMNU | 0-1 pic.twitter.com/OFFIS5sFuW
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) February 13, 2017
But then just look at this second goal. This is a team that’s playing in just their fourth preseason game together, and they’re connecting better than Lego bricks.
.@Johan_VenegasCR is a bad, bad man… #PORvMNU | 0-2 pic.twitter.com/3P8DP14FIs
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) February 13, 2017
In the second half, United cemented themselves as a very Minnesotan team by surrendering two goals and ultimately drawing 2-2. But that’s not important. What’s important is that a month from now, Minnesota will host Atlanta in their home opener on what promises to be a frigid day in March. Top division soccer will be back in Minnesota, and I’ll finally have a club to endlessly disappoint me. I can’t wait.
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