You can’t score five goals in one game without getting quite the presence in the Team of the Matchday. After finding their shooting boots against San Jose, three of your Loons have earned much-deserved spots on TOTM 22, with all three of MNUFC’s lines represented. Congratulations to Kelvin Yeboah, Joaquín Pereyra, and Kyle Duncan on this week’s honor! Now, let’s take another look at how they got here.

For Yeboah, Matchday 22 saw the end of an eight-game scoring drought, and he ended it in style. Playing in a striker partnership up top allowed the Loons’ leading scorer to really flex his muscles, bagging a brace in the first half to not only give his team the lead, but tally his 10th game-winning goal in a Minnesota United jersey — the most of any player in club history. His first finish in the 40th minute was a fantastic finesse shot from the top of the box, curled through two defenders and leaving the keeper without a chance. The second came in the 44th, when a cheeky chip doubled the lead and saw Yeboah return to his best.

In the middle of the park, Pereyra put on yet another masterclass, having been given the reins to the team’s creativity as the lone 10 in their 5-2-1-2 formation. His rabona goal to equalize in the 10th minute has to be a contender for MNUFC goal of the year — maybe even MLS. His class was positively oozing off of him in this match, setting teammates up and finding more and more opportunities of his own as a result of the freedom allowed him by the team’s shape. The cherry on top was his corner kick assist to Mauricio González in the 86th minute, wrapping up the win with an exclamation point. 

For Duncan, Saturday’s win was probably his best performance in a Loons shirt. The right wingback was extremely active, timing his overlapping runs forward to perfection and serving in some absolutely perfect crosses to create threatening opportunities, including Yeboah’s first goal. His heads up play in the 65th minute saw him help the Loons win the ball high, after which he set Marcus Caldeira’s first MLS goal, bringing Duncan up to two assists on the night. 

Early PK aside, the Loons put together a near-flawless performance on Saturday, thanks in large part to the quality and precision each of these three brought to the match. They’ll need that form to continue against Orlando this weekend, as Antoine Griezmann and company are set to come to town on Saturday, August 29, at 7:30 p.m. CT. Congrats again, boys; let’s keep it going!

F: Kelvin Yeboah (MIN), Brian White (VAN), Antoine Griezmann (ORL)

M: Pep Biel (CLT), Hany Mukhtar (NSH), Joaquín Pereyra (MIN), Miguel Almirón (ATL)

D: Édier Ocampo (VAN), Dante Polvara (STL), Andy Nájar (NSH)

GK: James Pantemis (POR)

Coach: Yoann Damet (STL)

Bench: Andrew Thomas (SEA), Maya Yoshida (LA), James Sands (NYC), Kyle Duncan (MIN), Gabriel Pirani (SD), Cavan Sullivan (PHI), Peyton Miller (NE), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Josh Sargent (TOR)