What is Robin Lod’s role in Minnesota United’s two-striker formation?

Robin Lod led Minnesota United with a combined 20 goals and assists in MLS play last season, but the Loons started preseason without one of their top playmakers.

Coming off an illness, Lod started in the second preseason friendly Wednesday at the Coachella Valley Invitational in Indio, Calif. The Loons lost to Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-1, with Tucker Lepley netting a brace for the MLS Cup champions.

Anthony Markanich scored for United.

Head coach Eric Ramsay continued to implement a two-striker formation, which behind them, he said, will be two central midfielders — known as a No. 8 — and a defensive midfielder — No. 6.

“(Lod) will very likely play as one of the two eights,” Ramsay said. “Obviously, Robin is a more offensive than defensive player and he wants to play off the No. 9s (strikers). He wants to break. He wants to create.”

If that’s the set-up for the season opener at LAFC on Feb. 22, it will create a pinch between Lod, Hassani Dotson and Joaquin Pereyra.

The Loons, who started mostly back-ups on Wednesday, will stretch most of its first-choice players in the final preseason game Saturday vs. New York City FC. The Loons (1-1-0) throttled Sporting Kansas City, 6-0, in their first official preseason match on Sunday.

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The Loons have four college players trying to make the team this preseason, and Logan Dorsey appears to be most-likely candidate.

But all are longshots.

The forward from Kentucky, and younger brother of Houston Dynamo player Griffin Dorsey, was taken with the 55th pick in December’s draft. He started at right wing-back on Wednesday after being one of the top finishers in the “beep” fitness test in Blaine last week.

Ramsay said Dorsey has been playing in defense out of necessity (DJ Taylor is injured, and Matus Kmet is on loan behind starter Bongi Hlongwane).

“(Dorsey has) done well over the course of preseason, but I don’t think he will be one that we will be relying on for too many more minutes,” Ramsay said. “We hope that he can raise the level of the second team (MNUFC2) and certainly be a part of the first-team training group from time to time.”

Kieran Chandler, a Connecticut defender taken with 43rd pick, subbed into the friendly Wednesday. Behind that pair are Creighton midfielder Roman Torres (25th pick) and Wake Forest attacker Babacar Niang (67th pick in 2023), who have been training with MNUFC2 in preseason.

Rutgers defender Nick Collins (85th pick) and West Virginia forward Marcus Caldeira (20th in 2023) have decided not to join MNUFC.

Briefly

New signing Hoyeon Jung made his Loons debut Wednesday, but Ramsay didn’t put much stock in the performance considering the South Korean had just traveled to Canada to obtain his work visa. When Jung subbed in during the second half, he was untidy on the ball, giving it away a couple times in the defensive third. … Newcomer Owen Gene has joined the first team in California, and has been doing some training work, but is not expected to debut against New York on Saturday. … Former MNUFC player and broadcaster Jamie Watson is back in the stable of commentators on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV this season. He called games for FOX and other places in 2024. … Joseph Rosales did not suffer a significant hamstring injury on Sunday and could have played if needed on Wednesday.

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