Loons fail to score multiple goals late in 2-1 loss to Houston Dynamo

Minnesota United’s run of late, game-changing goals could not be duplicated on Saturday night at Allianz Field.

The Loons found the equalizer in the 70th minute, but Houston responded in the 77th to lead MNUFC to a 2-1 defeat.

Franco Fragapane scissored a shot in the 8th minute of stoppage time and then Jordan Adebayo-Smith’s header almost went in, but Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark denied both chances.

The Loons players fell to the grass in disappointment when the final whistle sounded.

MNUFC (3-2-2, 11 points) snapped a nine-game unbeaten streak against Houston (4-2-1, 13 points).

Trailing 1-0 after 70 minutes, Wil Trapp’s pass sent Robin Lod into space. Lod had the patience to wait for Franco Fragapane’s late entry into the area and Fragapane scored.

The Loons’ lead didn’t last, as Houston’s Sebastian Kowalczyk shot past Dayne St. Clair in the 77th minute.

Tani Oluwaseyi equalized late in the 1-1 draw with Real Salt Laka last week, but his 80th-minute header came off the post, while Clark also appeared to connect with the attempt.

United’s attack was much better than in the first half, when their best scoring chance of the first half came as Teemu Pukki’s high press forced a Houston turnover in the 34th minute. Trapp took advantage of the move and shot, but a video review determined that the ball did not fully cross the line.

Four minutes later, Houston’s corner hit Loons midfielder Alejandro Bran’s thigh for an own goal.

The Loons’ attack failed to make much headway in the first 45 minutes. Pukki had MNUFC’s only other shot on goal, while Houston only had one shot on goal in the first 45 minutes.

Bongi Hlongwane slipped twice in the attacking third and failed to find teammates on other entries into the 18-yard box.

Houston allowed six goals in six games and a league-high 61 percent possession rate was a big reason why they allowed so few, according to Loons coach Eric Ramsay.

The Loons created more chances to start the second half and the fans responded with encouraging cheers. The best chance was Sang Bin Jeong, in the 60th minute, shooting from close range.

MNUFC needed to fill two gaps on the left side of their defense on Saturday, with defender Micky Tapias suffering a hamstring injury and Joseph Rosales suspended for a red card in the draw with Real Salt Lake last weekend.

Rookie defender Hugo Bacharach made his MLS debut and started, with Devin Padelford moving to left-back after filling in at left-back in the previous two games.

Bacharach lost a one-on-one duel to Kowalczyk to score the winning goal.

Briefly

Emanuel Reynoso remains sidelined with MNUFC this weekend, but there is some movement about him potentially returning to Minnesota next week, the Pioneer Press heard Saturday. The All-Star midfielder left the team to travel to Argentina to work on his US green card on March 18. He then skipped the immigration meeting in Argentina on March 25 and remained in his home country, creating an unexcused absence from the Loons. … Bran was replaced at half-time, with the entry of Hassani Dotson. Bran replaced Dotson in the 45th minute last weekend in the 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake. … Bacharach replaced Victor Eriksson, who had a shaky debut in a 2-0 loss to Philadelphia on March 30. MNUFC are working to regain Eriksson’s confidence after difficult opening minutes a few weeks ago. … Saturday’s game fell on the five-year anniversary of the first contest at Allianz Field, a 3-3 tie with New York City … The game ball was delivered by Maurice Hargrow, the former Gophers men’s basketball player of St. He now works for the nonprofit TOUCH Outreach.