After a four-match winless start as a Major League Soccer expansion franchise, Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath has placed a big onus on Saturday night’s game against Real Salt Lake at TCF Bank Stadium.

“It’s a huge game for us, probably the most important game in this club’s history, I would think, because we need to get a win at home,” Heath said after Tuesday’s training session at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

With Minnesota soccer history dating to the 1970s, these Loons (0-3-1) have given up an MLS-record 18 goals in four games, including a 6-1 loss to fellow expansion club Atlanta in Minnesota’s home opener on March 13.

“We need to give our fans something to cheer about,” Heath said.

Last week, Real Salt Lake fired head coach Jeff Cassar after three games. Overall, Salt Lake (0-2-2) has scored one goal across four matches and has a 12-game winless streak dating back to August 2016. Related Articles Minnesota United acquires striker Kei Kamara in trade with Colorado

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United started its fourth defensive foursome in four games in last Saturday’s 5-2 loss at New England. The Loons’ defeat came after an encouraging 2-2 draw with the Colorado Rapids on March 18.

“I know this team is capable of beating Salt Lake at this weekend,” Heath said. “I know it is.”

Heath saw the same setbacks in defending within the 18-yard box that he witnessed in the first two games, which included a 5-1 loss to Portland in the season opener March 3.

United, which was without five starters against New England, could see a return of starting goalkeeper John Alvbage. After missing the past two games with a gash on his knee, he participated in training Tuesday.

“He’s training hard,” Heath said. “We’ll have to see where we are towards the end of the week. We’ve got to come up with a shape that we think will suit the game against Salt Lake, and we have to come up with the individuals that we feel can naturally affect the game.”

Kevin Molino, Francisco Calvo and Rasmus Schuller are with their national teams for games on Tuesday. They are set to return to Minnesota as soon as Wednesday.

VENEGAS BACK

Johan Venegas left Calvo and the Costa Rican national team to return to Minnesota after his wife, Kimberly, gave birth to their son Eythan on Saturday.

After his national team played in Mexico on Friday, Venegas was traveling to Costa Rica when his son was born. He then flew to Minnesota to be with his family and will miss Tuesday’s Costa Rica-Honduras match.

“It’s a blessing to have a kid,” Venegas, who has another child with another woman, said Tuesday as teammate Miguel Ibarra translated. “(I’m) really excited. It’s another step to make (me) even play harder on the field for the kid.”

BRIEFLY

On Tuesday, United added trialist Abdoulaye Diallo, 24, a Senegal native who most recently played with Jelgava in Latvia’s top league. “He’s big and athletic, you can see that, but we will evaluate a bit more as the week progresses,” Heath said. … Goalie Pat McLain (concussion) is improving but remains somewhat limited in training. Goalie Billy Heavner, who is on a short-term contract, remains with the team. … Defender Joe Greenspan (concussion) trained Tuesday and could continue to work his way back to full-go if he doesn’t have a setback in the concussion protocol.