MATCH RECAP: MNUFC Rout Quéretaro; Sit Among Leaders in Leagues Cup Standings

By Justin Ruderman

Just like that, the Loons are top of the table!

Minnesota United wasted no time hammering visiting Querétaro 4-1 in their Leagues Cup opener at Allianz Field on Wednesday night to take one of the top spots in the early MLS Phase One standings.

Bongi Hlowngwane picked up Leagues Cup 2025 right where he left off Leagues Cup 2023 (ignore Leagues Cup 2024), in which he scored seven goals in five games, only eclipsed in hype by the Inter Miami mania of Lionel Messi’s debut tournament that year. This season, it took the South African barely ten minutes to hit the back of the net to move into third on the all-time Leagues Cup goalscoring charts.

By the 20-minute mark, lone striker Kelvin Yeboah had added his name to the scoresheet with a pinpoint free kick into the side netting, shooting directly into the space his teammates vacated in a coordinated move.

The pace of play slowed as the game progressed with MNUFC comfortable in their lead, while the visitors maintained belief that 2-0 would prove the most dangerous lead, as the cliché goes. In the 67th minute Jhojan Julio gave Los Gallos Blancos hope with a picturesque curler to cut the deficit in half.

However, substitutes Anthony Markanich and Tani Oluwaseyi quickly slammed that door shut with two more MNUFC goals to ensure the Loons got off to a perfect start in this season’s Leagues Cup campaign.

REACTIONS:

• Minnesota United
  • Head Coach Eric Ramsay
    • "I think we made it possibly more difficult for ourselves than we needed to with that period of defending leading to the goal, but I think in general we played well. We did what the game required,”

PLAYERS OF THE MATCH:

• Minnesota United:
  • Bongi Hlowngwane is playing further back this season but that wouldn’t stifle the South African’s love for Leagues Cup as he scored a quick opening goal.
  • Kelvin Yeboah scoring on an unstoppable free kick goal in his Leagues Cup debut? ‘Nuff said.
• Querétaro:
  • Jhojan Julio scored the visitor’s lone goal to give their traveling fans something to celebrate in style.

GAME NOTES:

• Bongi Hlongwane scored his eighth Leagues Cup goal, moving into third on the all-time tournament goalscoring charts.
• Kelvin Yeboah, the Loons’ top scorer in all competitions, scored his first Leagues Cup goal in his first Leagues Cup game. It proved to be the winner.
• Wing back Anthony Markanich scored his fifth goal in eight games for Minnesota.
• Jhojan Julio scored his first goal for Querétaro in his third game with the club.
• The Loons move atop the early MLS Phase One table in Leagues Cup on goal difference.

CARDS/INJURY REPORT:

• Yellow Cards:
  • Minnesota United: None
  • Querétaro: Omar Mendoza, Kevin Escamilla
• Red Card
  • Querétaro: Ángel Zapata (two yellows)

LOOKING AHEAD:

• Minnesota United: The Loons travel to Houston for a tough test against Club América on Saturday night.
• Querétaro: Los Gallos Blancos head to Portland on Saturday to take on the Timbers.