Minnesota United striker Tani Oluwaseyi is relishing his first-team opportunity ahead of their clash with Sporting Kansas City.
The Loons are off to a strong start to the MLS season and are in fifth place in the Western Conference.
Sporting KC, meanwhile, are three points behind them in 10th place after winning just two of their first nine games.
Oluwaseyi scored the opening goal in Minnesota’s 3-0 win over Charlotte last weekend, ending a three-game winless streak.
When asked how it feels to break into the starting XI after spending his first year on loan at the club, Oluwaseyi, who has scored three goals in total, said:
“I’ve been waiting for this, probably for three years.
“I was hoping that I could do it in the first year and that was kind of the goal, but everyone has a different path, which is very clear in the game.
“So it took a few years, but I think being here now and getting the chance, the biggest thing for me is just taking a chance and making the most of it.”
Chow pic.twitter.com/ICKps10kEb
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) April 25, 2024
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota-Robin Lod
Lod was involved in all three of Minnesota United’s goals in Sunday’s win over Charlotte, scoring once and assisting twice, one of which was assisted by Oluwaseyi. Lod is the sixth player in Loons history with a goal and two assists in an MLS regular season game and the first since Emanuel Reynoso in November 2020.
Sporting KC – Erik Thommy
Thommy is Sporting KC’s top scorer this season, scoring four goals in eight games so far. Against St. Louis City last weekend, he had the most shots (five) and posted the second-highest xG (0.62), scoring the third goal.
MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA WIN
Sporting Kansas City has won four straight games against Minnesota United, the longest winning streak of either team in the series, scoring at least three goals in three of the four wins.
However, Minnesota United has set the best start in club history with 14 points from eight games (also in 2022). The Loons have never collected 15 or more points in their first nine games of an MLS season.
At least five goals have been scored in four of Sporting Kansas City’s last five games, with a total of 26 goals scored in those games (13 goals, 13 conceded). The total of 26 goals is the most in five games for Sporting since September-October 2019 (27).
OPTA PROBABILITY OF WINNING
Minnesota – 46.1%
Draw – 27.5%
Sporting KC – 26.4%