Eric Ramsay defended his decision to rotate after Minnesota United’s Leagues Cup exit, which they will attempt to bounce back from at home to Colorado Rapids in MLS.
San Luis eased to a 2-0 away win over Minnesota on Thursday, eliminating Ramsay’s side from the competition with just one victory and two defeats.
Minnesota are challenging at the right end of the Western Conference table, however, sitting third and just two points behind San Diego FC.
Ramsay suggested his selections for the Leagues Cup had rotation in mind, and hopes that decision will pay off as the season progresses.
“I’m really prioritising preservation, freshness and of course that has its drawbacks,” Minnesota head coach Ramsay said.
“Ultimately, I’m the one who has the responsibility and decision, over the course of the coming months we hope that pays off.”
“You got an opportunity to put it right.”
Coach Dennis on our Leagues Cup run and shifting to league play on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/UC006Py3hL
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) August 7, 2025
Minnesota struggled to break past a resilient San Luis side, and Ramsay wants his players to also take a lesson from their profligate showing.
“I’m convinced that we will continue to improve, the players will hopefully relish the challenge to be better in those situations where you are attacking relentlessly,” he added.
“Players have the chance to go and show that they can decide a game.”
Colorado also suffered a similar exit in the Leagues Cup, having already been eliminated before their penalty shoot-out defeat against Cruz Azul on Friday.
The Rapids are down in ninth in the same MLS division as their next opponents, though head coach Chris Armas believes his side can build on their Leagues Cup experience.
“These games are so valuable for what’s ahead in these last nine games,” he added. “Think about the next one in Minnesota. None of them gets easier.
“We finished the year at home against LAFC. But in between that, there’s a Rocky Mountain Cup on the line, and these pressure situations, guys stepping up for penalties, facing this type of opposition, tremendous.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota United – Kelvin Yeboah
Kelvin Yeboah recorded his second brace of the 2025 MLS season, converting two penalty kicks on July 26 at St. Louis City SC.
Yeboah became the first Minnesota player with multiple penalty-kick goals in a single MLS match.
When he heads to the spot
And the goalie’s distraught
That’s Yeboah pic.twitter.com/upZQ4PRTEZ— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) July 27, 2025
Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro
Rafael Navarro scored his 25th career MLS regular-season goal on July 26 against the Philadelphia Union.
He is the only Rapids player to score at least 25 league goals over the last five seasons and the 12th player in club history to reach the mark.
MATCH PREDICTION – MINNESOTA UNITED WIN
The Opta supercomputer struggled to see past Minnesota winning against Colorado, with the hosts coming out on top in a massive 57.4% of pre-match simulations.
Indeed, Minnesota have scored multiple goals in all seven of its matches against Colorado in all competitions over the last four seasons.
The Loons have also earned results in six (W5 D1) of those meetings, with their only loss a 4-3 road defeat in August 2022.
Colorado, by contrast, have not won a road match since recording back-to-back wins on March 8 and March 15, with a winless stretch of nine games (D3 L6).
Only LA Galaxy (13), Atlanta United (11) and St. Louis (10) have longer road winless streaks in MLS play this season, though Minnesota lost their last home game in league action.
However, the hosts have followed each of the previous home losses this season with wins by multiple goals, while Minnesota have not lost consecutive home league matches since last August and September.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Minnesota United win – 57.4%
Draw – 22.1%
Colorado Rapids win – 20.5%