Minnesota United FC can secure a spot in the playoffs with a win at Real Salt Lake

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Minnesota United FC introduced Eric Ramsay as its new head coach at a press conference at Allianz Field on Wednesday.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – It's been a season full of ups and downs for Eric Ramsay and Minnesota United FC, but that can change on Wednesday night at Real Salt Lake.

The Loons face Real Salt Lake in Utah and can secure a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs with a win or a loss/draw against FC Dallas at the San Jose Earthquakes. Minnesota United is currently in 8th place with a record of 13-2-6 (45 points), but is seven points and eight points ahead of the underdogs in the postseason. With a win on Wednesday evening they can secure their place.

“It would be phenomenal. (Wednesday) is pretty much the turning point. We have a really good chance tomorrow to make a statement, to raise our hand and say we can beat the top teams, we.” “We can beat the top teams away and when we get there at the end of the season “To get to where we want to go, hopefully we have to do it,” Ramsay said on Tuesday via Zoom.

Why it matters

The Loons missed the MLS Cup playoffs last year for the first time since the 2018 season. They parted ways with Adrian Heath at the end of last season as Minnesota United finished 12th in the Western Conference. They lost in the first round of the 2022 and 2021 playoffs after reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2020.

Ramsay eventually replaced Heath at the start of that season and Minnesota United went on a nine-game winning streak.

Wednesday's game is so important that Ramsay had the team travel to Utah early to practice in that atmosphere. The Loons have won four of their last five games.

“It feels like the group is in a really good place. We come with a real sense of mission and a real sense of purpose. Everyone is anchored in it for sure,” Ramsay said.

What's next?

They are away this week against Real Salt Lake and Vancouver, two teams that are currently ahead of them in the West. They close out the regular season with St. Louis. All eyes are on securing one of the final playoff spots and they control their own destiny in that regard.

“We now have to decide how this season ends. We did what was the big question mark hanging over us: Would we be able to regain our form and get back in the race for the title?” “The top seven? We have done these things, now we just have to fight through the last three games and finish the job,” Ramsay said. “That’s the challenge at the feet of the players.”