Loons ride set pieces (again) in a 2-1 win at FC Dallas

Minnesota United s set-piece success continues to be a driving force this season The Loons scored two goals one apiece on a free kick and long throw-in to propel its - win over FC Dallas on Friday at Toyota Stadium in Frisco Texas The first tied MNUFC with Philadelphia Union for the bulk set-piece goals in MLS this season and the second gave United the league lead outright now with this season MNUFC - - points narrows the gap on first and second-place Vancouver and San Diego while Dallas - - points had only one win in home games this season The Loons peppered Dallas with set pieces in the first half and broke through in the th minute on Carlos Harvey s header from Julian Gressel s quality free kick The set-play goal Friday had two unsung roles First Kelvin Yeboah s long dribble down the left flank was dangerous and forced an FC Dallas foul just outside the -yard box Then Michael Boxall s movement attracted more defenders to leave Harvey all alone at the back post Harvey just returned from Gold Cup duty with Panama number his first MLS goal of the season In the second half Michael Boxall s long throw-in was flicked on from Tani Oluwaseyi and finished by Anthony Markanich in the th minute It was nearly a carbon copy of a Loons goal in the - draw with Red Bulls last Saturday the only difference was Jefferson Diaz had the advancing header Logan Farrington s strong right-foot strike rippled the side netting in the rd minute Dallas had a limited more dangerous scoring chances in the following minutes but weren t able to break through MNUFC benefited from the return of Dayne St Clair with two saves in the first half including a close-range header from Lucho Acosta in first-half stoppage time The Loons started strikers Kelvin Yeboah and Tani Oluwaseyi together up top for the first time since Vancouver in April when Yeboah injured his ankle St Clair and Oluwaseyi returned from Gold Cup duty with Canada the pair and Harvey missed three MNUFC matches