After Minnesota United FC's first Major League Soccer win Saturday in a 4-2 result against Real Salt Lake at TCF Bank Stadium. coach Adrian Heath confirmed goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth has preserved his spot in goal for another week.
Shuttleworth took over the starting position from John Alvbage who went down with a knee laceration in the second match of the season. And his performance Saturday was his best. The veteran keeper saved at least two point-blank chances from Salt Lake and kept United's continued defensive mistakes from having too big an impact on the score line.
Heath said based on Shuttleworth's play against Real Salt Lake, his spot in the lineup is safe.
"Bobby's done great today. He will keep his place," Heath said. "I only pick the players. They drop themselves."
Midfielder Johan Venegas also had a memorable match, scoring his first official goal for United in the 68th minute. He dedicated his goal to his newborn son by sucking his thumb during his goal celebration.
"First of all, I want to thank [midfielder Kevin] Molino. He could have finished it himself. He decided to give it to me, and all I had to do was push it in," Venegas said in Spanish through a translator. "The first thing in my mind was dedicate it to my son that was born and to my wife. From now on, every goal celebration is going to be like that. It's going to be toward my son, my wife and everybody in Minnesota."
[Sidenote shoutout to Miguel Ibarra, who has been the "translator" mentioned every time I have used that term. He's translated interviews for me with Venegas and Ibson, and that's above and beyond what's required and expected of him. So big thanks to him, if he's reading, which my guess is he's not. But I'm appreciative nonetheless!]
Check out my Facebook Live replay below, where I answer more of your questions (also, can you believe my side-eye in the thumbnail image lmao):
