Minnesota United fans were optimistic heading into the 2021 season. Their first appearances in a US Open Cup Final and the MLS Playoffs in 2019 was followed by an impressive 2020 season that ended with them as the only team to make two semi-final appearances. The expectations were high and the Loons were considered a pre-season favorite by some, even notching a top-5 spot in the MLS pre-season power rankings. The season then kicked off and they proceeded to lose 4 consecutive matches to open the campaign.
While the results ultimately failed to meet expectations, there were still reasons to be optimistic heading into the 2022 season.