If Major League Soccer's two-week break in July for the CONCACAF Gold Cup was looking a little bleak, Minnesota United has eased the separation anxiety a bit.
The Loons announced Wednesday a friendly with Mexican top-division team Club Atlas for 7:30 p.m. July 15 at TCF Bank Stadium.
"Mexico and the U.S. have long enjoyed a soccer rivalry that has grown the game," United sporting director Manny Lagos said per a release. "And matches like this bring out fans from all nationalities in the spirit of competition."
United has actually played a Liga MX opponent for the past three years, having faced midfielder Miguel Ibarra's old team Club Leon in 2015 and 2016. The Target Field match last season drew 18,505 fans.
"First, [this game] is an opportunity to get closer to our fans in the United States," Atlas coach Jose Guadalupe Cruz said per a release. "This game is very good for us, because we want to prepare against quality teams that have great tactical order. That's why facing Minnesota United — a team that wants to show itself, that has great players and, above all, is a club that's improving day by day — is important."
Tickets are available now on the team's website. Season ticket holders already have this match included.
National team roundup
Two Loons scored on the international stage Tuesday.
In Costa Rica's 2-1 win against Trinidad and Tobago in a World Cup qualifier, center- back Francisco Calvo scored first early on to give his team the lead.
But midfielder Kevin Molino eventually answered his club teammate, equalizing for his T&T.
Calvo and Molino both started and played 90 minutes while midfielder Johan Venegas started and played 60 for Costa Rica.
Defender Jermaine Taylor also started and played 90 minutes in Jamaica's 3-1 loss to Peru in an international friendly Tuesday. All of these players should be back to United in time for Saturday's Real Salt Lake match but not for the U.S. Open Cup match at Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night.
