At the coldest regular-season game at Allianz Field, Minnesota United sent its bundled-up fans home with a warm feeling of gaining all three points on Saturday. With an official temperature of 21 degrees at kickoff, the Loons edged FC Cincinnati 1-0 at Allianz Field. Kelvin Yeboah #9 of Minnesota Un ited celebrates scoring his team's first goal against FC Cincinnati in the second half at Allianz Field on February 28, 2026 in St Paul, Minnesota. Minnesota defeated Cincinnati 1-0. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) Kelvin Yeboah scored the winner in the 66th minute. The Loons striker was in the right spot when Tomas Chancalay’s free kick from 19 yards out took a deflection off a player, ricocheted off the post and Yeboah was able to head it into the net. Yeboah said he actually wanted to take the free kick, but settled for positioning himself at the back post instead. “I said, ‘OK, you guys can take it,’ ” Yeboah said. “Then, yeah, I guess it was a goal that was supposed to come to me.” Minnesota (1-0-1, 4 points) remained unbeaten, while FC Cincinnati (1-1-0, 3 points), one of the top teams in MLS last season, took their first defeat of 2026. Minnesota United FC goalkeeper Drake Callender (12) makes a save against FC Cincinnati in the second half of an MLS game at Allianz Field in St. Paul on Saturday, Feb 28, 2026. The Loons beat FC Cincinnati, 1-0. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) “Really challenging group to play against,” said Loons coach Cameron Knowles, who earned his first win as a permanent head coach. “For our group to execute the way they did is outstanding. Difficult conditions with the weather. … Credit to everyone who put the shift in for that 90 minutes. It’s a heavy lift to get three points off of them.” Loons captain Michael Boxall was subbed out in the 77th minute after he appeared dazed from receiving contact to the head from Cincinnati forward Tom Barlow. The play did not result in a card from referee Marcus DeOliverira; Knowles said post-game he had not had a good look at a replay to give an opinion. PRO, the Professional Referee Organization, said postgame: “The referee deemed it to be a careless pushing offense with incidental contact.” Boxall showed he was OK after the match, thanking fans on a lap around the field and participating in a postgame TV interview. Minnesota United FC defender Michael Boxall (15) keeps the ball away from FC Cincinnati forward Kévin Denkey (9) in the first half of an MLS game at Allianz Field in St. Paul on Saturday, Feb 28, 2026. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) James Rodriguez was on the Loons bench for the first time, but the Colombian superstar did not make his MLS debut. Knowles said it was a “hard game to come into” and with the game state of the game being 1-0 did not require another goal. “Him having sat there for 75 minutes, having not played and one week of full training, I don’t think that was the ideal circumstances to bring him into,” Knowles said. Cincinnati controlled the opening 25 minutes of the match with five corner kicks and seven shots to one corner and one shot for Minnesota. But MNUFC didn’t allow a set-piece goal, an improvement from conceding one in the 2-2 draw with Austin. Loons goalkeeper Drake Callender made four saves and earned a clean sheet in his first home game in St. Paul. Briefly The coldest Loons games in MLS came at TCF Bank Stadium against Atlanta in both 2017 and 2018. The official temps were 19 degrees at kickoff, according to the league office. … FC Cincinnati played without creative attacking midfielder Evander, whose hamstring injury forced him out of the 2-0 win over Atlanta last weekend. Related Articles Loons vs. FC Cincinnati: Keys to the match, storylines and a prediction Why Minnesota United didn’t say more about local ICE raids Minnesota United fans embrace rebel loon logo to help community hurt by ICE For 10th anniversary season, Minnesota United identifies 63 top moments Former Loons coach Eric Ramsay fired at West Bromwich Albion ...read more read less