Minnesota United’s debut season in Major League Soccer has progressed from where road wins were nonexistent to possible and then likely Sunday against Western Conference basement-dweller Los Angeles Galaxy at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

Instead, the Loons reverted back to their early-season form of allowing goals early in matches. That registered a hollow-ringing tone in a 3-0 defeat.

As United’s play has progressed this season — a record of 10-17-6 and 10 points in its previous five games — coach Adrian Heath’s expectations have outpaced the performances, with his attention increasingly focused on next season’s roster.

“We are not going to accept these sort of performances next year; that’s the bottom line,” Heath said. “Certain things that we have to change and certainly on the road, our mentality. If that means we have to change the personnel to get that, then that is what we have to do.”

Los Angeles (8-17-8) was winless in its previous six games and has the worst home record in MLS. The Galaxy had won only two of their 16 matches before Saturday. Related Articles September 19, 2020 Houston Dynamo scores twice in 2nd half to tie Minnesota United

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The Loons kept Christian Ramirez and Abu Danlaidi — the club’s leading scorers — as a two-striker lineup for a second consecutive game, but that shape was abandoned after they gave up the lead. Heath said trailing wasn’t the catalyst, however.

“Goal scorers get a lot of praise, but there also comes a lot of responsibility with playing in that position,” Heath said. “I just didn’t think competed hard enough. Changed the shape and it did help us, we got the extra man in (midfield) and we started to dominate possession, which is important.

“We put two guys up top, thinking we would cause them problems,” Heath continued. “When you don’t want to run around as much as you should, you invariably don’t cause them problems.”

United saw midfielder Kevin Molino and center backs Francisco Calvo and Michael Boxall return from national team duties. But Miguel Ibarra came on for Molino at halftime, the earliest the Trinidad and Tobago attacker has left a game with Minnesota this season.

“I didn’t think (Molino) played well enough,” Heath said. “I don’t think he worked hard enough.”

Romain Alessandrini scored two goals, including giving the Galaxy the lead in the 11th minute. It was the 13th goal Untied has allowed within the opening 15 minutes of matches this season. He added a second goal in extra time.

Jonathan dos Santos had doubled the Galaxy’s lead with a header off the post and over the line in the 22nd minute. The goal was allowed after a video review.

United’s Ethan Finlay had a shot go straight into L.A. goalkeeper Clement Diop in the 31st. Danladi’s rebound was sent wide. Finlay had another shot go straight to Diop in the 38th. The Loons had four shots on target to the Galaxy’s three in the game.

The Loons will finish their first season in MLS at San Jose next Sunday.