With a squad’s top players heading out of the team for multiple games, international breaks can cause headaches for head coaches. But they can also provide opportunities for young players to step up and claim starting roles. In the case of Hassani Dotson, the international break this summer came at the perfect time.
During preseason, the central midfielder impressed his teammates and coaches with his work ethic, leading to the Oregon State University product becoming the first second-round draft pick ever signed by Minnesota United. From there, Dotson began accumulating MLS minutes before his fellow 2019 SuperDraft picks when he came on in stoppage time in the Loons’ season opener against Vancouver.