Soccer is not just a spectator sport, at least not the way it's played at new, loud Allianz Field.
It's interactive — or so it was during Minnesota United's 3-2 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday when rookie Hassani Dotson scored his first MLS goal on his first shot.
His sharp half-volley strike from 20 yards out on the left side eluded the outstretched fingers of diving Union goalkeeper Andre Blake and glanced off the near post to tie the game at 1 in the 28th minute.
When the stadium game announcer called out "Hassani," fans piled high on the Wonderwall answered "Dotson" in return.
In the swirl of the occasion, the former second-round pick from Oregon State barely heard it.
"I think it was like, 'Oh, my God, you just scored,' " he said. "It was that kind of moment."
A midfielder by nature, Dotson has played both outside back spots out of necessity recently. On Sunday, he again started at left back and played productively at both ends.
"It was a nice moment, but it doesn't feel good, because we lost today," Dotson said. "Everyone put in a good shift and we were unlucky not getting three points."
United coach Adrian Heath called Dotson "fantastic again" and a "really good finisher" on an afternoon when his team had many scoring chances but finalized at least one too few.
"He's maybe one of the best finishers we have in training," Heath said. "He can be pleased with his contributions these last seven, eight days."
Now you see him ...
Defender Romain Metanire returned to the starting 11 after he missed Wednesday's game because of yellow card accumulations. So, too, did striker Angelo Rodriguez and Ethan Finlay while Abu Danladi, Rasmus Schuller and Michael Boxall went to substitute roles.
Metanire, Schuller, Jan Gregus and Kevin Molino all will leave this week to play for their national teams for most or all of June. Collin Martin will be recalled from the USL to help.
"It's never ideal, but we're not the only team," Heath said.
Rewarded
Molino scored his first goal on the road back from a second ACL surgery in the 77th minute, just before he joins Trinidad and Tobago this week for Gold Cup training that will bring him back to play at Allianz Field. He has been sidelined recently because of a tight hamstring.
He called the goal "confidence to take me into the Gold Cup," where he hopes to improve his fitness before he returns.
Words
United defender Brent Kallman exchanged words with referee Allen Chapman after he complained an opponent had held him and ripped his jersey. He said Chapman told him he couldn't talk to the referee with "that attitude" because Kallman had already received a yellow card.
"That's ridiculous," Kallman said. "I didn't really like his demeanor towards me at all. I thought it was unprofessional."
Etc.
A second-half sub, Danladi came off at game's end holding his hamstring. "I think he's OK; I hope so," Heath said. "He gave us a spark when he came on. He gave us that dynamic athleticism he has, so we'll see."
