Minnesota United’s string of late, game-changing goals couldn’t be doubled on Saturday night at Allianz Field.

The Loons found an equalizing goal in the 70th minute, but Houston answered in the 77th to send MNUFC to a 2-1 loss.

Franco Fragapane had a scissor kick in the 8th minute of stoppage time and then Jordan Adebayo-Smith’s header nearly went in, but Dynamo goaltender Steve Clark denied both chances.

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

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

Trailing 1-0 in the 70th minute, Wil Trapp’s pass played Robin Lod into space. Lod was patient to wait for Franco Fragapane’s late run into the box, and Fragapane scored.

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

Tani Oluwaseyi produced a late equalizer in the 1-1 draw with Real Salt Laka last week, but his header in the 80th minute went off the post, while Clark appeared to get a touch on the attempt as well.

United’s offense was much better than the first half, when their best first-half scoring chance came with Teemu Pukki’s high press forcing a Houston turnover in the 34th minute. Trapp pounced on the giveaway and shot, but a video review determined the ball didn’t fully cross over the line.

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

The Loons attack failed to get much else going in the opening 45 minutes. Pukki had MNUFC’s only other shot on goal, while Houston had only one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.

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

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

The Loons created more chances to start the second half and fans responded with encouraging cheers. The best chance was Sang Bin Jeong putting a close-range shot off the post in the 60th minute.

MNUFC needed to fill two holes on the left side of its defense Saturday, with center back Micky Tapias out with a hamstring injury and Joseph Rosales suspended for a red card in draw with Real Salt Lake last weekend.

Rookie center back Hugo Bacharach made his MLS debut and first start, with Devin Padelford bumping out to left back after filling in at left center back the previous two games.

Bacharach lost an individual duel before Kowalczyk to set up the winning goal.

Briefly

Emanuel Reynoso remains away from MNUFC this weekend, but there is some movement on 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 U.S. green card on March 18. He then missed his immigration meeting in Argentina on March 25 and has stayed in his native country, creating an unexcused absence from Loons. … Bran was subbed out at halftime, with Hassani Dotson coming in. Bran replaced Dotson after 45 minutes last weekend in the 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake. … Bacharach started over Victor Eriksson, who had a shaky debut in the 2-0 loss to Philadelphia on March 30. MNUFC is working to build back Eriksson’s confidence after a rough 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 draw with New York City … The game ball was delivered by Maurice Hargrow, the former Gophers men’s basketball player from St. Paul. He now works for non-profit TOUCH Outreach.

Related Articles

Minnesota United vs. Houston Dynamo: Keys to the match, projected starting XI and a prediction

What will Loons do with talented but flighty star player Emanuel Reynoso?

Loons have holes on left side of defense. Who will fill them versus Houston?

Minnesota United finds late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake

Charley Walters: Time is now for Vikings to get a franchise quarterback