Minnesota United has reached the Leagues Cup quarterfinals without a goal from its projected top scorer.
Teemu Pukki has produced one assist across the four matches and his penetrating runs have created threats and openings for teammates, but the Finnish forward has put only three of 12 shots on target during the new North American tournament. He has been subbed out before MNUFC advanced through two knockout-round, penalty-kick shootouts.
Pukki scored once in his opening three MLS matches before the competition began, but as the stakes of the tournament increase, a club’s best players are needed in the biggest moments.
With a spot in the semifinals on the line, MNUFC faces Nashville SC at GEODIS Park in a quarterfinal match at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Loons manager Adrian Heath said Pukki would be the “first to admit he probably should be sitting on four or five goals” in all competitions. But Heath has faith those goals will come eventually.
“I have zero, and I say zero, worries that Teemu Pukki is not going to be outstanding for us over the next few years,” Heath said.
Winger Bongi Hlongwane has a tournament-high-tying seven goals for Minnesota United through four games. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence Bongi keeps scoring because Teemu’s movement off the ball and away from the ball, dragging people out of good spots, is exceptional,” Heath said.
The stakes
One of the MNUFC’s preseason goals for 2023 was to advance to the Concacaf Champions Cup (formerly known as the Champions League).
If the Loons win Friday, they will play in either the tournament’s championship or third-place match. There are three berths in the Champions Cup on the line for the winner, runner-up and third-place finisher.
“We are one game away from potentially making Champions (Cup), which we always talked about before the season starts,” Heath said. “And we are that much closer to winning … a really big tournament.”
A reported estimate of $40 million prize money also is up for grabs.
Scheduling crunch
The Loons-Nashville match originally was scheduled for Saturday before being moved up to Friday, creating one less day for both teams to recover from Tuesday’s round of 16 victories.
“I’m at a loss for words to that,” Heath said.
One reason for the date shift is the city of Nashville is also hosting more events for the Big Machine Music City Grant Prix on Saturday. A Leagues Cup spokesman did not reply to the Pioneer Press on Thursday for more information on the schedule change.
Fellow quarterfinalists Los Angeles FC and Monterrey also were expecting to play Saturday but are kicking off Friday at the Rose Bowl. And Monterrey president Jose Antonio “Tito” Noriega also voiced his displeasure with the tournament’s format and the taxing travel for Mexican teams forced to criss-cross the U.S. and Canada.
If MNUFC and Monterey both win Friday, Loons would host the elite Mexican club in a semifinal next Tuesday. If Loons and LAFC advance, the Loons would head to Los Angeles to play Tuesday.
‘Scarface’ Taylor
Fullback D.J. Taylor initially thought his nose was broken when Kei Kamara kicked him in the face on July 27.
“When I felt the blood gushing everywhere, I knew it was pretty bad,” Taylor said Tuesday.
Taylor’s nose was fine, but he needed “a lot” of stitches for gashes to his cheek and chin. He didn’t have a concussion and was grateful it wasn’t anything worse. He returned to the starting XI in the Toluca win.
“I get called Joker and Scarface nowadays,” Taylor said. “Luckily I just got married in the offseason, so my wife didn’t have a choice to leave me.”
Briefly
With Hassani Dotson suspended for Friday’s game after a red card againat Toluca, Heath indicated for Nashville that Joseph Rosales is likely to move from fill-in left back to a more natural spot in central midfield and Ethan Bristow is in line for his first start at left back. … If MNUFC wins Friday, its Aug. 20 MLS match against New York City will be rescheduled to later in the season. … MNUFC2 edged LAFC2 1-0 on Wednesday. Cam Dunbar converted on a penalty kick.
Push for Pukki
(Date, match — expected goals scored)
July 23 vs. Puebla — 0.61
July 27 vs. Chicago — 0.49
Aug. 4 at Columbus — .016
Tuesday vs. Toluca — 0.17
Source: LeaguesCup.com
