Minnesota United v St. Louis City: Ramsay excited by Loons´ home form

Minnesota United boss Eric Ramsay feels his team are a match for anyone at Allianz Field, ahead of welcoming St. Louis City to the venue for Saturday’s regular-season finale.

The Loons are guaranteed a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs, sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference standings.

Should they beat St. Louis, they will avoid a play-in fixture by preventing the eighth-placed Vancouver Whitecaps from leapfrogging them at the last opportunity.

Speaking ahead of the game, Ramsay said he had enjoyed the opportunity to work with some of his players for an extended period during the international break.

“We’ve wanted to make sure that we train properly and get some real intensity into the sessions, I feel like you can be lulled into a false sense of security in two weeks,” he said.

“Everyone is absolutely raring to go on Saturday, I think we’ve achieved that. Hopefully the internationals come back with the bit between their teeth and ready to add to that energy.

“If I was an opposition coach analysing us, I’d be worried in the sense that we can score on the counterattack, we can score from organised play, we’re a threat on set-pieces.

“We’ll come good in that sense. If we’re a good version of ourselves we’re more than a match for anyone that comes here.”

St. Louis are unable to make the postseason, sitting 12th in the West and nine points adrift of the playoff picture.

Asked what he wanted to get out of the game, interim head coach John Hackworth said: “Just a good performance. We have been in good form.

“One of the only teams in the league that has been in better form than us is Minnesota. Kudos to them, they’ve gone a fantastic job.”

today’s training in emojis: pic.twitter.com/f0VhzhXih5

— x – Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) October 17, 2024

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Minnesota United – Kelvin Yeboah

Yeboah has hit 17 shots on target for Minnesota this season, with only Bongokuhle Hlongwane (26) registering more despite Yeboah not appearing in his first match for the Loons until late August.

St. Louis City – Cedric Teuchert

Teuchert has recorded a team-high nine goal contributions (five goals, four assists) despite playing in just nine matches this season.

The fewest games played by a player who led a team in goal contributions for a season is 10 (Clint Mathis for the MetroStars in 2001 and Danny Koevermans for Toronto FC in 2011).

MATCH PREDICTION – MINNESOTA UNITED

The visiting side has won all three meetings between Minnesota and St. Louis, including a 3-1 win for the Loons on September 14. However, a home victory could be in the offing this time.

St. Louis have only won one of their last 20 away matches in all competitions (eight draws, 11 defeats), while Minnesota have won three of their last five on home soil.

The Loons enter the final match of the season with 49 points and are looking to cross the 50-point mark for the second time in club history (53 in 2019). A victory would be their 15th for the season, equalling their club record also set in 2019.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Minnesota United – 48.8%

St. Louis City – 25.5%

Draw – 25.7%