Loons hope Reynoso’s two-goal game was a sign of more to come

Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath has told his star playmaking midfielder Emanuel Reynoso to shoot and score ever since Reynoso arrived from Argentina in August 2020.

In Wednesday's 3-2 victory at the LA Galaxy, Reynoso scored his team's first and last goals — each before halftime — in a display that suggests sometimes he listens.

Afterward, Heath was asked if he takes credit for the goals, particularly the first one, because he has been telling Reynoso to do so all this time.

"I don't know if I take credit for it because the finish was exceptional," Heath said. "I just hope he starts to believe in what we tell him."

The message will continue into Sunday's game against Real Salt Lake, a return to Allianz Field for the Loons for their first MLS home game since May 28.

Reynoso's first goal Wednesday came in the ninth minute on a recycled free kick that he started and finished by moving two strides and one touch with his naturally dominant left foot. He struck a 24-yard shot that curled around defenders and Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Bond and into the net just inside the back post.

Minnesota United chief soccer officer Manny Lagos, filling in as a commentator on the team's television broadcast, called both "world-class" and "so dirty."

Loons right back DJ Taylor created the room Reynoso needed with a run that drew Galaxy defenders toward him, if just for a moment.

Taylor called Reynoso's fourth regular-season goal this season — and his first of two on Wednesday — "goalossal."

"I was right behind him, so I got to see the flight of the ball as it happened," Taylor said. "He's something special." His five goals in MLS play in 17 games are as many as he scored in 29 games last season.

Reynoso's second goal came just before halftime, in the 43th minute when he was the beneficiary of teammate Bongokuhle Hlongwane's vision and generosity. Hlongwane cut back with the ball inside the 18-yard box and played into open space a pass that Reynoso buried with that left foot into an open goal.

It held up as the winning goal on a night when the Loons played the final 65-plus minutes up a man.

Shoot and score, just like Heath and many others keep telling him.

"Sometimes you don't shoot because you don't have the space or because you're trying to provide an assist to your teammate," Reynoso said in Spanish through a team interpreter. "The coach and my teammates always tell me to shoot, and so I'll keep trying to find the space and try to shoot more consistently. Hopefully the goals keep coming and I can help the team."

Two goals scored came Wednesday night. The messages came thereafter, particularly about that first goal.

"Happy for the goal," Reynoso said. "I had a lot of friends and family send me the video. I'm happy for the goal. They're all happy for the goal. The coach [Heath] and the guys are always telling me to shoot from outside the box. Now I'll try to shoot more."

If this is the start of something, it only took time.

"You've heard me say for the last 18 months that Rey has to shoot more," Heath said. "I see it every day in training. I know what he's got. I know how he can finish. He's a really good finisher. He's got a wand of a left foot. Rey has every conceivable finish in the bag: Chipping the keeper, bend it like he did there. Power, pass, he's got everything.

"That will enable him to get another pass. People will start to pressure the ball because they know he's got a good finish in him. Hopefully that might be a lesson learned for him."