ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Ike Opara, Hassani Dotson and Ethan Finlay scored their second goals of the season in the first half and Minnesota United coasted to a 7-1 victory over expansion FC Cincinnati on Saturday, the most goals in a game for the third-year club.
Opara opened the scoring in the 19th minute for the Loons (7-7-3) when he pushed in a ball from point-blank range after a free kick.
Dotson followed in the 23rd minute with a long volley from outside the box. Just seven minutes later, Finlay was clear in the box to tap in a pass from Darwin Quintero. It was 4-0 at the half after Angelo Rodriguez scored his fifth goal in the 43rd minute.
Cincinnati (3-13-2), which has lost five straight and 11 of 12, got on the board in the 56th minute on Emmanuel Ledesma's first goal.
Opara added another goal in the 70th minute, Mason Toye picked his first MLS goal in the 75th and Kevin Molino his second in the 87th as Minnesota stayed about the playoff line in the tight Western Division.
Minnesota snapped a three-game losing streak.
