Minnesota United falls into early hole in 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati

Minnesota United, having put together its first winning streak in more than four months, came into Wednesday’s game against FC Cincinnati with a chance to measure themselves against one of the league’s best teams.

As it turns out, the Loons still have a ways to go.

Yuya Kubo and Luca Orellano scored before halftime for the visitors, and while Kelvin Yeboah pulled a goal back for Minnesota from the penalty spot, the Loons couldn’t make a further dent in the Cincinnati defense, and the visitors left with a 2-1 victory.

Postgame, though, the Loons were still looking on the bright side — despite now having a losing record at Allianz Field for the season (5-6-4). “I think if you take the game as a whole, the performance was largely very good,” manager Eric Ramsay said. “We’ve gone toe to toe, and then some, with for sure one of the top three, top two sides across the two divisions, and that largely for me is really positive.”

Kubo opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, thanks to an inch-perfect pass from central defender Chidozie Awaziem. With no Loons forward putting pressure on him, Awaziem hooked in a 50-yard pass that found Kubo, who’d made a darting run in between the Loons center backs. Kubo’s shot just beat keeper Dayne St. Clair and found its way inside the far post.

Just before halftime, Cincy doubled their advantage through the efforts of another defender — left wingback Orellano, who’s been one of the under-the-radar offensive weapons in MLS this season, with seven goals coming into the game. Orellano darted in from the left, put the ball one side of Miguel Tapias while running around the other side, then finished the move with the outside of his left foot.

Minnesota midfielder Joaquín Pereyra had a golden chance earlier in the game to get the Loons out in front, but couldn’t take advantage. Cincinnati defender DeAndre Yedlin, playing the role of last defender on an offensive corner kick, slipped while trying to collect a loose ball. It gave the Loons space to wedge it out to midfield, where Pereyra had an open path in front of him all the way to the Brew Hall at Allianz Field.

In the end, though, the midfielder could only squeeze off a tame, rolling shot, and goalkeeper Roman Celentano had to only fall to his right to hold it — an important grab, given that other Loons were converging on a potential rebound.

BOXSCORE: FC Cincinnati 2, Minnesota United 1

MLS standings

Yeboah got a goal back for Minnesota in the 54th minute, scoring from the penalty spot for the third time in four games. It needed a long, long VAR review by referee Drew Fischer, but he eventually determined that Orellano had caught Sang Bin Jeong in the face with a high kick in the Cincinnati penalty area. Yeboah used his now-trademark stutter-step in his run-up, and once again sent a goalkeeper the wrong way and scored, his fourth goal as a Loon in four games.

Teemu Pukki hit the woodwork in the 88th minute, then tested Celentano again just moments before the end of the game, but ultimately, the Loons couldn’t find a way to claw back a point.