Minnesota United’s contract to play home matches at TCF Bank Stadium limits when the Loons will be able to play at the University of Minnesota’s on-campus football stadium.

After hosting their inaugural home opener Sunday against fellow Major League Soccer expansion franchise Atlanta United, the Loons won’t be able to play at TCF Bank Stadium on weekday nights during the U’s spring or fall semester or on the same weekends as Gophers home football games.

The terms of that contract, along with the wishes of MLS schedule makers, will have the Loons playing five of their first seven matches on the road through mid-April.

“Not easy,” United coach Adrian Heath said Tuesday. “We’ve got a very difficult start and we knew that even before last Friday (for the 5-1 season opening defeat at Portland). The most important thing is that we stick to what the game plan is and stay comfortable in what we are trying to do, what we are trying to build, and get better each week.” Related Articles Minnesota United’s injury list won’t shrink much in near future

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United also will finish the season with five of seven matches on the road. The contract has United paying the U a minimum of $1 million per year and can run through the 2018 season.

While their planned stadium in St. Paul is being constructed, United will play 17 homes games at TCF Bank Stadium this season, with a five-game homestead from July 4 to Aug. 5.

Per the contact, United will only be able to temporarily paint over the block “M” at midfield and the “MINNESOTA” markings in the football end zones, which stitched into the artificial turf, for up to five nationally televised games this season. The other games will need to have soccer markings around or through those images. Sunday’s game against Atlanta will be on ESPN2 at 4 p.m.

At the end of the contract, United will have to pay up to $735,000 for a replacement turf for the U. In anticipation of leasing to United, the U in 2016 installed a turf more agreeable to soccer, which prefers to be played on grass.

BAD TIMING

United center back Vadim Demidov said Portland’s first three goals in Minnesota’s 5-1 loss Friday came at the worst times.

Portland’s first goal in the 14th minute came as a rhythm was still being established for the expansion franchise in its first game. With United trying to reboot just after halftime, the Timbers doubled the lead to 2-0 in the 46th minute.

Then, after United’s Christian Ramirez cut the Timbers’ lead to 2-1 in 79th minute, Portland made it 3-1 less than three minutes later.

“Those were tough blows,” said Demidov, the team captain.

The floodgates opened with two more Timbers goals in stoppage time.

“I don’t think the game showed the result of 5-1, but it felt like 5-1 in the end,” Demidov said.

Heath said reaction to the loss overshot the actual impact. “Some of the things I read over the weekend, you would think we are playing the last game of the season and we were going to get relegated (to a lower league),” Heath said. “That is not the case, and until the 82nd minute, we were doing OK.”

THIESSON AVAILABLE?

New defender Jerome Thiesson is en route from Switzerland to Minnesota and could arrive as soon as Wednesday.

Heath said Thiesson’s ability to play Sunday is to be determined.

“He’s fit and everything is good,” Heath said. “We’ll assess his fitness later in the week.”

PERPLEXED BY HEX

United could be without three key players during CONCACAF World Cup qualifying games later this month.

The Loons are one of three MLS teams that will play during conflicting games for six North and Central American teams in a tournament known as “The Hex.”

The Loons will play at New England on March 25, while defender Francisco Calvo and forward Johan Venegas could be with the Costa Rican national team for two qualifiers, on March 24 and 28.

Meanwhile, Loons attacker Kevin Molino could be with the Trinidad and Tobago national team for games those same days.

“The Hex will be an issue when it comes around,” Heath said. “I’m more concerned with Atlanta this Sunday.”

THE SCHEDULE