Minnesota United settles for draw against undermanned FC Dallas but stretches unbeaten run to eight games

For the second week in a row, the Minnesota United defense was impenetrable — but its offense was punchless, and the game Saturday at Allianz Field ended in the Loons’ second consecutive 0-0 draw, this time with FC Dallas.

The Dallas starting lineup was missing former MLS MVP Lucho Acosta and a designated player, striker Petar Musa. Dallas was also missing two former U.S. national team players and several other recognizable names.

So, easy pickings for Minnesota United, undefeated in seven games and returning home from a two-game road trip as conquering heroes?

Not hardly.

The visitors managed to drag the heavily favored Loons into a game that at times looked less like a soccer game and more like a scrum after the whistle in hockey. The Loons couldn’t find a way to escape the fight and find a goal.

“When we’ve done so well the previous few games, particularly on the road, and then to come home to feed off the crowd’s energy — to come home with one point, it’s pretty disappointing,“ the Loons’ Michael Boxall said.

When the pregame lineups came out, and the FCD lineup was missing not only all of the team’s injured players but also Acosta, a former All-Star, it seemed like the Loons might have an easy ride.

For the first quarter-hour or so, the Loons played like they thought so, too.

After 10 minutes, FC Dallas had the only two decent scoring chances, and Loons keeper Dayne St. Clair — so often bored during first halves this season — had to make two pretty good saves to keep the game even.

That — and a fair amount of chippiness between Minnesota captain Michael Boxall and Dallas defender Osaze Urhoghide — seemed to wake up the Loons, who mostly controlled the remainder of the first half. But if anything, Minnesota came out flat, and it affected the first-half performance.

By the middle of the second half, Dallas had succeeded in dragging the Loons into a scrappy, contentious battle, with repeated physical confrontations after the whistle.

“I’d much rather be in a position where, this many games in, we are asking real questions of the opposition that they’re having to adapt to, as opposed to us fighting to keep our heads above water in games,” Loons coach Eric Ramsay said. “That’s just not been the case over the course of almost any period of any game so far.”

Give or take a few minutes of stoppage time, it’s been more than four hours of game time since Minnesota scored a goal. Minnesota hasn’t found the net since Wil Trapp scored in the 29th minute in New York City, two weeks ago.

Left center back Nicolás Romero got his first start as a Loon four weeks ago, when Minnesota needed to use its depth with Boxall gone for international duty.

After five games in the starting lineup, it seems like the 21-year-old might never leave the starting 11 again.

MATCH SUMMARY: Minnesota United 0, FC Dallas 0

MLS standings

Despite his youth and lack of MLS experience, the Argentinian has stepped in with the calmness of a veteran. He is physical, and his anticipation is excellent, and he is one of those defenders who seems to always be in the right spot.

Romero did end up being substituted in the second half, though, after getting a yellow card for a shoving match with Dallas attacker Logan Farrington. As scrappy as the game was, any player on a yellow was in danger of turning that into a red.

“I don’t think anyone on our team is willing to back down, and when we get pushed we have three or four guys that are willing to stand for each other and back each other up as well,” goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair said.

The Loons stay at home next week, for a Sunday match with Vancouver. The Whitecaps have been the best team in MLS this season, leading the overall standings coming into Saturday night but has to contend with a two-legged CONCACAF Cup semifinal against Inter Miami, with the two games in midweek either side of their visit to Minnesota.