By Our Man in the States
MINNESOTA UNITED 2
Chancalay 16’, Yeboah 60’
PORTLAND TIMBERS 0
FORGET the Northern Lights—the brightest stars in Minnesota right now are wearing Black and Blue.
Minnesota United turned on the style at Allianz Field on Saturday night, dispatching a toothless Portland Timbers 2-0 with a performance that screamed “playoff contenders.”
It wasn’t just the scoreline that did the talking; it was the telepathic link-up between the Loons’ big-money stars that left the visitors looking like they’d been hit by a St. Paul snowstorm.
The night belonged to Tomás Chancalay. The Argentinian playmaker finally opened his account for the season, and he did it in spectacular fashion. In the 16th minute, Jefferson Diaz did the dirty work on the right flank, cutting a pass back to the edge of the area.
Chancalay didn’t need an invitation. With the poise of a seasoned assassin, he picked out the top corner, leaving Timbers keeper James Pantemis clutching at thin air. It was a goal of pure quality that set the tone for a night of dominance.
YEBOAH’S REIGN
If Chancalay provided the elegance, Kelvin Yeboah provided the inevitability. The forward, who has been in scintillating form, doubled the lead on the hour mark to effectively kill the contest.
The goal was a masterclass in counter-attacking football. Joaquín Pereyra—the third member of Minnesota’s devastating attacking trident—lofted a sublime cross-field ball that found Chancalay in stride.
Chancalay turned provider this time, squaring the ball across the face of goal for Yeboah to tap home into an empty net. It was Yeboah’s second goal in as many games, further cementing his status as the Loons’ go-to man.
Portland, for all their 55% possession, were utterly devoid of a cutting edge. While they huffed and puffed, they only managed two shots on target all night. Minnesota’s Drake Callender had one of the easiest shifts of his career, strolling to a third clean sheet of the season with minimal fuss.
The result marks three wins on the bounce for Minnesota (4-2-2), who have remarkably transformed their fortunes since a humiliating 6-0 drubbing by Vancouver last month.
For the Timbers, it’s a long flight back to Oregon and a fifth loss in seven matches.
On this evidence, the Loons aren’t just winning games—they’re doing it with a bit of “Star” quality.
MINNESOTA (4-3-3): Callender; Diaz, Boxall, Tapias, Rosales; Lod, Dotson, Pereyra; Chancalay, Yeboah, Sang-Bin.
PORTLAND (4-2-3-1): Pantemis; Mosquera, Araujo, Miller, Bravo; Chara, Paredes; Moreno, Evander, Rodriguez; Mora.
