Scorpions ready to take on NASL leaders

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SAN ANTONIO — Scorpions manager Alen Marcina has no interest in streaks and trends. All that matters is the next practice, the next match, the immediate task at hand.

“If you put too much stress on (one match), the guys build up anxiety,” Marcina said. “The goal is always to get the three points.”

So, instead of presenting sports-speak about whether or not Saturday's opponent, Minnesota United, “owns” the Scorpions, here are the facts:

Minnesota is the best team in the NASL, leading the second-place Scorpions by eight points with just three losses and a league-best goal differential of plus-20 in 25 matches.

Minnesota already has clinched the top seed for the upcoming playoffs, while the Scorpions need no more than one point from their last two outings to secure second.

Christian Ramirez, who paces the NASL in goals with 19, leads first-place Minnesota United against the visiting Scorpions tonight in what could be a postseason preview. Christian Ramirez, who paces the NASL in goals with 19, leads first-place Minnesota United against the visiting Scorpions tonight in what could be a postseason preview. Photo: Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-News Photo: Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Scorpions ready to take on NASL leaders 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Minnesota has won the past four meetings, with the Scorpions' last victory coming in June 2013. And unless the fourth seed — currently Fort Lauderdale, which hasn't beaten Minnesota since May 2013 — pulls off a massive upset in the first round, the Scorpions will have to snap their streak in order to claim their first championship.

Minnesota's formula is simple: An organized, physical defensive backbone complemented by NASL scoring leader Christian Ramirez (19 goals) and lethal winger Miguel Ibarra, who recently became the first lower-division domestic player selected to the U.S. national team since 2005.

The Scorpions shut down Ramirez in the most recent meeting, but Ibarra — whom defender Greg Janicki describes as having “three lungs” — ran wild with both goals in a 2-0 United victory. It marked the third straight meeting in which the Scorpions have failed to score.

The Scorpions chalk up at least part of their poor run to bad breaks — including Julius James' questionable red card in the season opener, another 2-0 victory for Minnesota, and what they viewed as defensive breakdowns leading to both of Ibarra's goals.

“I think we've played fairly well against them,” Janicki said. “We've created some good chances, we just haven't gotten one to go in.”

But at some point very, very soon, words won't matter much, and it will come down to what sports always does: Can you get a result, or not?

dmccarney@express-news.net

Twitter: @danmccarneysaen