When Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath saw Sporting Kansas City’s two back-line changes for Sunday’s game at TCF Bank Stadium, he quickly told Loons left winger Miguel Ibarra to seek and exploit.

Sporting KC was resting right back Graham Zusi, a U.S. national team player, after he played the previous nine games and helped KC take the top spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference. In his stead, Igor Juliao made his 2017 debut.

Ibarra capitalized on the change with a pair of curling crosses from the left side to the front of KC’s net in the first half. His pair of assists earned him a spot on the MLS Team of the Week. Abu Danladi scored the first goal, and Christian Ramirez headed in the second as the Loons upset Kansas City 2-0. Related Articles Minnesota United’s injury list won’t shrink much in near future

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Kansas City was playing its third game in nine days and had made only one lineup change in the season’s first two-plus months. Sporting coach Peter Vermes cut short Zusi’s rest for his nagging injuries and inserted him in the second half, but the damage had been done.

Heath sought a quick start by staking claim in the attacking third; he was satisfied when his players succeeded with goals in the 22nd and 39th minutes.

Ibarra continues to blossom after playing the majority of minutes for a third consecutive game. He scored his first MLS goal two weeks ago in a 1-0 victory over Colorado on April 23.

“I think Miguel now is starting to develop a little rhythm,” Heath said. “The best of Miguel Ibarra is to come, because the simple reason is he’s had 18 months of not playing regular. You don’t just suddenly start now and reach the heights of what everybody expected.”

Ibarra won the Golden Ball, or MVP award, when the Loons played in the second-tier North American Soccer League in 2014. He had nine goals and five assists that season, and was the first lower-level player to be called up to the U.S. men’s national team since 2005.

Midway through 2015, the Loons transferred Ibarra to Club Leon in Mexico’s Liga MX for about $1 million. But as Leon cycled through three coaches, Ibarra played sparingly.

In the offseason, United traded with Portland to obtain Ibarra’s MLS rights and negotiated his transfer back from Mexico.

Ibarra’s return to Minnesota — where the diminutive speedster won over fans with his playmaking and hustle — was muted at the beginning of the season. He played 194 of 630 minutes in the first seven games, with his only full 90-minute game coming against New England on March 25. That start was more a byproduct of the Loons playing without attackers Johan Venegas and Kevin Molino, who were away on international duty.

In the past three games, however, Ibarra has played 264 of a possible 270 minutes. He said he knew his form was improving when he subbed on to play the second half in a 2-2 draw with Houston on April 15.

“There were some runs that I made and I said, ‘I can play this role,’ ” Ibarra said.

In the past, Ibarra tended to stay out wide and use his speed to break down defenses, and put out loads of energy to contribute defensively. Heath wants Ibarra to come inside to fill gaps and receive passes to maintain possession and then attack.

“It’s just about me finding those little holes now instead of staying out wide and make sure I come in and look for the ball,” Ibarra explained. “If they’re out close to me, then make sure I come in and spin off of them. That is how I think the goals came.

“It’s been working for me, and it was just a matter of time for me to learn how to play that style. Little by little, I’m getting back my form.”

Ibarra, nicknamed Batman, connected with his close friend Ramirez, aka Superman, on the second goal.

After the 1-0 shutout loss to San Jose last week, the pair talked about opportunities lost.

“(Ramirez) said, ‘You already know me. I’m always at the second post,’ ” Ibarra relayed. “So, I got that ball and I just saw Christian go to the second post. I said, ‘I’m going to put it there and he’s going to finish it.’ ”

Now that Ibarra’s play has stepped up, Heath said, “I expect a lot more from him.”