Depleted even before they arrived at Providence Park, Minnesota United became only more so throughout their 3-2 loss at Portland on Saturday night.
The Loons lost their fourth consecutive game on a night they lost another player — veteran midfielder Wil Trapp — not long after pregame warmups began.
With suspended Hassani Dotson among 10 players already missing before Trapp was scratched, the Loons scored twice in the first 38 minutes and then not again against a Portland team that grew more aggressive and dominant.
The Loons were undone by Brazilian star Evander's penalty kick eight minutes into first-half stoppage time, then by two second-half goals: Santiago Moreno's tying 73rd minute goal that he celebrated with a little wiggly dance, followed by Johnathan Rodriguez's winner in the 92nd minute.
Rodriguez's goal came minutes after Portland had a go-ahead goal denied by video review, which ruled Rodriguez was guilty of a hand ball.
The Loons (13-11-10) haven't won a game in a month, since June 1 over Sporting Kansas City.
"That's a really disappointing one for me personally, because I'm gutted for the players," Ramsay said. "They, to a man, left everything on the pitch in a really difficult set of circumstances. I think they showed real character, real personality and a real sense of togetherness, but ultimately it was a stretch too far when you look at the second half and where we are with the players we have available."
The Loons continue to wait for starters Dayne St. Clair and Tani Oluwaseyi, who will remain with their Canadian team that has reached the Copa America quarterfinals Friday after playing to a scoreless draw with Chile on Saturday in Orlando.
The Loons also played on without Dotson as well as the recently transferred Kervin Arriaga and Victor Eriksson.
They played with only seven players on the bench, including MNUFC2 second-team and Minnesotan Rory O'Driscoll. He signed short-term agreement earlier in the day so the Loons would have one more player available on the bench.
He was one of only two substitutions Ramsay made Saturday, and both late in the game. O'Driscoll entered in the 92nd minute for his MLS debut, just before Rodriguez scored the winner. Ramsay said he didn't sub more freely because his roster is so undermanned and the starters were "tuned in" all night long.
"Obviously, we haven't got huge depth, recognized first-team players," Ramsay said. "Sometimes fresh legs aren't always the answer. We don't have the same depth we were able to call on a month ago. It's not the same situation. I can't pretend to have the same tools at our disposal. I stand by that."
Ramsay said he and his team missed Trapp's presence. Moses Nyeman started instead.
The Loons also played a chunk of the game vs. the Timbers (17-13-4) without starter Caden Clark, who left the field for a time because of a rib injury that didn't keep him from eventually returning.
"It does feel like what can do wrong, will go wrong," Ramsay said. "Certainly Wil is a player who is almost the last player you'd want to lose at that point. We're at the point where we really need that leadership and experience, the personal traits he has. It was a difficult one to lose, but Moses really stepped into his shoes really, really well on short notice. If there's a silver lining, then that's certainly him."
BOXSCORE: Portland 3, Minnesota United 2
Clark was off the field and the Loons played with just 10 men when they scored both of their goals. Starting strikers Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Sang Bin Jeong each scored a goal, Hlongwane in the 29th minute and Jeong in the 38th.
The Loons completed a 1-4-1 June and have won only one out of their past eight games. They play another game in only four days, against Vancouver on Wednesday at Allianz Field.
Ramsay was asked what he says to his players or does between now and then.
"You can only say one thing: Be positive," Ramsay said. "Take the best from today. Be disappointed, look at the mirror and move forward in as constructive and pragmatic a way as we can. That's the only thing that can be said. To look at it any other way would be ridiculous."
The Star Tribune did not travel for this game. This article was written using the television broadcast and video interviews before and/or after the game.
