Inter Miami isn't the only club that has benefitted from the midseason arrival of an Argentine
While the world has its collective focus set on Inter Miami’s early days with Lionel Messi, they may have missed another MLS team whose fortunes radically improved this summer thanks to an Argentine playmaker.
His return coincided with the club snagging a worthy partner ahead of him, longtime Norwich striker Teemu Pukki. Finland’s all-time leading goalscorer, Pukki was prolific in England thanks to his reading of space and ability to consistently hit the target while shooting in full stride. It’s a skill set that plays directly into Reynoso’s strengths, as one of MLS’ best at slotting through-balls between or over opposing defenders.
Reynoso’s dribble spins him around his first mark before he knocks the ball beyond Aidan Morris and evades him with a juke that would make Barry Sanders blush. From there, he has ample space to survey his options and find that, well, there aren’t many in front of him. For the first 40% of the season, this fact would often lead to Minnesota recirculating the ball toward goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, allowing the opponent to establish its defensive shape and stymy the Loons’ attack in short order.
In general, this is a team that feasts in transition but suffers a famine with too much time of possession. Even factoring for the slow start to the year, Minnesota has MLS’ second-highest rate of fast break goals per 90 minutes across the league and Leagues Cup, trailing only Los Angeles FC . They also have the league’s highest rate of turning fast breaks into goals, with 7.8% of direct attacks ending with the ball in the net.
When Minnesota signed Hlongwane as its first U-22 initiative player, it was assumed he would need time to settle. There isn’t much of a track record of players moving from the National First Division in South Africa to MLS.
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