Latest news with #MichaelBoxall
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
The most aggressive set piece team in the world plays in Minnesota
Not many soccer players are as passionate about dead balls as Anthony Markanich. Then again Minnesota United, under the 33-year-old first-time head coach Eric Ramsay, don't play soccer like most teams. 'All the guys get really excited about set pieces, especially myself,' Markanich gushed last Friday after scoring a goal off a long throw-in by the center back Michael Boxall for the second time in a week. 'I told Boxy I love when he has the ball for throw-ins and stuff – I get so excited about that.' The wingback's match-winner against FC Dallas marked the third straight game Minnesota have scored from a long throw into the penalty area. It was their sixth throw-in goal before the MLS All-Star break – which falls about two-thirds of the way through the season. That's as many as Brentford's famous long throws produced all last season in the Premier League. Even though they're chucking more balls into the box than any Major League Soccer side in at least a decade, long throws might not be the Loons' most distinctive set piece routine. They've also borrowed a page from Sean Dyche's playbook by bringing their goalkeeper up to wallop free kicks into the opposition's box from around the halfway line, where almost any other team would tap the ball sideways to resume ordinary midfield possession. Minnesota's oddball tactics aren't just outliers in MLS. According to an analysis by Soccerment, a soccer data company, they take more long throws and deep free kicks than any other club in 30 of the world's top leagues, from the Bundesliga to the Brasileirão. The low-budget overachievers sitting third in the MLS Western Conference just might be the most aggressive set piece team on the planet. Ramsay's commitment to putting any possible dead ball into the mixer may look strange, even old-fashioned, but there's evidence to support continuing to do it. Across leagues, seasons and playing styles, long throws into the box are twice as likely to lead to a goal in the next 30 seconds as other throw-ins in the final quarter of the pitch. The same goes for deep free kicks into the 'Dyche Zone' at the top of the opponent's box, which are twice as valuable as other free kicks taken between the edge of a team's defensive third and the halfway line. Like the Moneyball-era Oakland A's, Minnesota found an analytical edge out of financial necessity. Ramsay's squad ranks 26th out of 30 MLS teams for player compensation, which has put an expensive passing game all but out of reach. 'It's not that we're a club that is unwilling to spend, but since I've been here, there's been a real efficiency drive,' he said. 'Ultimately where we use set plays, it comes from wanting to squeeze every advantage that we possibly can from the group of players that we've got.' Ramsay joined the MLS side last year from an assistant role at Manchester United, where he studied how teams like Brentford, Newcastle and Dyche's Burnley used direct set pieces to punch above their weight in the Premier League. 'Obviously it's not escaped my attention that teams with smaller budgets can out-compete teams right at the top end through set plays,' he said. 'It was one of the things I looked at from afar and thought prior to coming in that we could find an advantage.' In the Twin Cities, he found a squad well suited for long set pieces. Their strengths are a sturdy defensive line and a pair of tall strikers who excel on fast breaks, so there hasn't been much downside to bypassing midfield possession for booming free kicks from the goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair or throw-ins from the New Zealand international Boxall, who can hurl the ball 30 yards from a near-standstill. 'I think particularly when it comes to how we use throw-ins and deep free kicks, we probably give away between five and 10% what would be very easy possession in order to be high value in those situations,' Ramsay explained. 'If we wanted to have 47% of the ball consistently, we could do it like that. We would just choose to use set plays in a different way.' Their unstoppable long throw-ins can look hilariously easy. Markanich's two goals last week came from near-mirror image throws to a trio of Minnesota players jostling for position at the near corner of the six-yard box while he waited behind them in the center of goal and the striker Kelvin Yeboah peeled off from the penalty spot to help hunt for a flick-on header. 'Everyone's just wanting to flick the ball on,' Markanich said. 'I think everyone knows their roles, especially on set pieces.' Deep free kicks have more tactical variety depending on where they're taken, but every set piece starts from principles that Ramsay rattles off like a pop quiz: 'Do you have the right number of players in the contact area? Is the thrower or the set piece taker able to, with a real degree of accuracy, put the ball into a certain spot? Are you really well set for the second contact, and are the players on the move for the second contact? 'How is it that when the ball breaks to the edge of the box for a second, third or fourth phase, you can recycle the ball in order to get a second or third chance and continually upgrade the quality of your opportunity as you go?' Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion This is the big idea behind Ramsay's set pieces: not that they'll score every time from a perfect routine, but that by using each stoppage to cram a bunch of bodies and the ball into a small area around the opponent's goal, his side can force errors, win second balls and string together chance after chance, set piece after set piece, always ratcheting up the pressure. New phase-of-play data from the livescore app Futi supports this line of thought. (I co-founded Futi with the data scientist Mike Imburgio, who consults on Minnesota's recruitment but isn't involved with set pieces.) Though only 14% of Minnesota's throw-ins into the box produce a shot, they lead to another set piece 20% of the time. Similarly, 45% of the team's deep free kicks reach a second phase where the ball bounces around the box while the defense is still disorganized. The Loons haven't managed a single shot in the first phase of a Dyche Zone free kick but they've scored three goals during those dangerous second phases, plus another from a subsequent corner kick. Add it all up and the value of Minnesota's aggressive set pieces is astonishing: their 10 goals within 45 seconds of a long throw or deep free kick represent nearly a third of the team's season total. Though their entire squad earns about half of Lionel Messi's salary at Inter Miami, Minnesota are perched above Miami in the Supporters Shield standings and doing a pretty good job of recreating Messi in the aggregate just by lobbing dead balls into the box. Fans have bought into a style that might have been a tough sell if it weren't so hard to argue with results. 'There's a bit of an aura around us in set plays, particularly at home,' Ramsay said. 'Our crowd are wild for set plays. At corners, every single member of the crowd is swinging the scarf around.' After years of decline, long throws into the box are on the upswing in MLS and the Premier League. A new generation of managers such as Eddie Howe and Graham Potter are reconsidering deep free kicks, which like Dyche himself had fallen out of fashion as too 'pragmatic.' What looks exotic now may one day be as normal as putting kickoffs out of bounds near the corner flag or building out of the back from a short goal kick. 'I don't think anything we do is rocket science. I don't think it will take the opposition long to work out what sits behind our success,' Ramsay said of his team's extraordinary set piece record after the win in Dallas. 'But stopping it is very different.'
Newsweek
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
How to Watch Minnesota United FC vs Chicago Fire: Live Stream U.S. Open Cup Soccer, TV Channel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup continues on Tuesday as Minnesota United takes on Chicago Fire FC in the quarterfinals. The winner will head to the semifinals in September to face the winner of the San Jose Earthquakes vs Austin FC game. Tune in to CBS Sports Network on Tuesday night to see which team advances in the U.S. Open Cup. Michael Boxall #15 of Minnesota United FC jumps for a header over Fonseca Pedrinho #20 of FC Dallas during the MLS soccer game between FC Dallas and Minnesota United FC at Toyota Stadium on July... Michael Boxall #15 of Minnesota United FC jumps for a header over Fonseca Pedrinho #20 of FC Dallas during the MLS soccer game between FC Dallas and Minnesota United FC at Toyota Stadium on July 4, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. More Photo byHow to Watch Minnesota United FC vs Chicago Fire Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025 Time: 8:00 PM EDT Channel: CBS Sports Network Stream: Fubo (Try for free) Minnesota United beat Louisville City FC 1-0 in the Round of 32, then took down fellow MLS side St. Louis City SC in the Round of 16 3-2 to advance. The team has never won the U.S. Open Cup but did finish second in 2019. Chicago Fire FC opened play in the Round of 32, knocking off USL Championship team Detroit City FC 4-0, then defeated the New England Revolution 3-1 in the Round of 16. The team last won this tournament in 2006. Outside of the U.S. Open Cup, Chicago currently sits ninth in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with 28 points, while Minnesota United is in third place in the Western Conference with 37 points. Live stream this U.S. Open Cup match on Fubo. You can also stream Wednesday's matchup between the Philadelphia Union and the New York Red Bulls, which will also air on CBS Sports Network. Start your free trial now to catch the soccer action. Live stream the Minnesota United FC vs Chicago Fire FC game on Fubo: Start your free trial now! Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
CBS News
26-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Minnesota United's Dayne St. Claire, Michael Boxall named to all-star team
The Minnesota United announced Wednesday that two of their players — Dayne St. Claire and Michael Boxall — were named to the all-star team. It was just another day at practice for Boxall. Until he got some news, brought by kids from a non-profit he's involved with: "Boxy" is an all-star. "I wasn't expecting it," said Boxall. "I saw them before training. Seen them a lot of times over the years. And then when they unveiled the sign, that was pretty cool. Pretty special." At 36 years old, this is a first for Boxall, 14 years after his first MLS game. "I've never been disappointed when I haven't made it," said Boxall. "So, I think making it doesn't really ring like the opposite of that. Me being there, it feels more like a team award." "To be able to do it day in and day out for 15 years and have the lack of injuries is pretty remarkable," said United midfielder Wil Trapp. Boxall, a New Zealand native, joined the United in 2017. He has the most appearances of any Loons player in the MLS era. "This year he's gone on to another level in what is a really important time for him," said United manager Eric Ramsay. "He's staring down the barrel of a World Cup. He's a really important part of a team that's competing at the top end of the table." An uncharacteristic emotional moment, celebrating with family, for the always stoic defender. Boxall embraced his wife and two kids on the training field after learning the news. "Just unexpected," he said. "Everything I do it for my kids. So, seeing them happy for me is pretty cool."
RNZ News
05-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
How All Whites 'act and behave' on field to be tested
Players of both teams (Michael Boxall and Bill Tuiloma) argue during the New Zealand All Whites v Qatar friendly football match in Austria, 2023. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Nearly two years ago to the day, All White Michael Boxall was central to a moment that captured the attention of football players around the world and the sports global governing body. On 20 June, 2023, the All Whites refused to take the field for the second half of a friendly game against Qatar after Boxall was allegedly racially abused by an opposition player late in the first half. The referee took no action on the field and New Zealand Football believed the All Whites had done the right thing by abandoning the game at half-time. It was a situation the All Whites had not faced before. Boxall said he moved on "pretty quickly" from the incident and does not look back at it. A "non-issue", he said. Just another thing that happened during an international career that began 14 years ago and involves tales of disruptive tactics by opposition fans and 50 hour travel days, amongst the winning moments such as his goal for the All Whites in March. Boxall could add more memories at his first Football World Cup next year. The centre-back, who captains his club side Minnesota United in Major League Soccer and has worn the armband for the All Whites, said despite his experience, he was not the loudest voice in the lockeroom. "I've never really been one of the more vocal people but if something needs to be said I won't shy away," he said. Boxall has played 55 times for the All Whites and tentatively said that some of his younger New Zealand team mates look to him as a leader. New Zealand captain Michael Boxall leads the All Whites team out against Mexico in 2024. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2024 "Because this is such a good group and we have so many players who also lead at their own clubs, that it's not often that things need to be said. When things are going right it's any easy group to be a part of because everyone 99 times out of 100 does the right thing. "In the upcoming few months, we're going to come up against some top opposition and be in some tough circumstances where we will look to players like Chris Wood and, perhaps players will look to myself as well. We will have to do a bit more than just lead by example and kind of steer the ship a little bit, but we'll cross those bridges when we reach them." The All Whites are competing in the Canadian Shield against the higher ranked Côte d'Ivoire (world number 41) in Toronto on Sunday followed by world number 25 Ukraine on Wednesday. It is part of NZF's push to get the All Whites playing against nations from each confederation in the build up to the world cup. "Over the last few years, we've kind of carved out an identity and how we want to play and how we want to act and behave on the field and I think against the the island teams when we're qualifying for the world cup it's easy to show those attributes. "But then when you're really in the fire against top 40, top 20 teams, which we'll be facing the next week, it's when we'll really be tested so if we can carry on those attributes in to these games against world class opposition then that'll be the true test of where we stand and what we need to work on heading into the 2026 world cup." Part of what Boxall said he liked about international football was witnessing how the game was treated by fans in countries where the round ball was most popular. Michael Boxall takes a header for the All Whites. Photo: PhotoSport "I think back to when we were in Peru, the fun and games that they would play, they wouldn't allow our plane to land in Peru so we had to stopover in Chile for three hours landed at 1am, there's no cars on the highway and they give us a police escort going 20km an hour just to screw up our whole travel day. "The night before the game they've got people letting off fireworks outside our hotel every hour starting at 2am. "It upsets your preparation but it's just an eye-opening experience to how other nations treat this game and how big it is around the world." Boxall could expect a warmer welcome in the USA, Canada or Mexico next year, when the three countries share the hosting of the world cup. He has been a mainstay in the MLS with Minnesota having an option to extend his contract next season and is confident his performances will keep him in All Whites coach Darren Bazeley's thoughts for the global event. "Ticking on eight or nine years at the club, playing almost pretty much week in week out I'd say as long as I can keep myself at the my current level and stay healthy, then I don't see a whole lot changing in the near future." Given his base in the American midwest, getting into the current All Whites camp for the Canadian Shield games in Toronto was one of the shorter travel days he has encountered. "Just a two hour flight for me and a one hour time difference was a stark contrast to the March window, where I had a few missed flights and connections gone awry, so it ended up being like a 50 hour travel day. So this was much better received." The trip to Norway in October will be a bit longer but again it is all part of build up over the next few international windows that will include different nations. "[It's] really just to open our eyes to the way those teams play, and then once the draw happens, then we can narrow down and really refine our preparation for who will be facing at the World Cup." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
New Zealand returns to action in Toronto at Canadian Shield Tournament after punching 2026 World Cup ticket
Minnesota United defender Michael Boxall (15) runs during the second half of an MLS soccer match against CF Montreal in St. Paul, Minn., Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) TORONTO — Michael Boxall has scored just one goal for New Zealand, but it was one of consequence. Rising high, the Minnesota United defender headed home a corner from substitute Francis de Vries in the 61st minute to open the scoring March 24 in 86th-ranked New Zealand's 3-0 win over No. 151 New Caledonia in the Oceania Football Confederation qualifying final at Auckland's Eden Park. 'It took a long time to get there,' a chuckling Boxall, who made his New Zealand debut in 2011, said of opening his scoring account in his 55th international appearance. The victory sent New Zealand to the 2026 World Cup, its third trip to the soccer showcase after 1982 and 2010. The All Whites' first games since their qualifying success come at the four-team Canadian Shield Tournament, against the 41st-ranked Ivory Coast on June 7 and No. 25 Ukraine on June 10 at Toronto's BMO Field. New Zealand won't play host Canada, ranked 30th in the world, at the tournament. 'To face two top 50 sides, in a tournament situation, in one of the FIFA World Cup 2026 host venues, is the perfect challenge for us,' said New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley. The 36-year-old Boxall, whose long throw-ins add to the attack options for both club and country, relishes the chance to represent New Zealand again. 'Obviously competition in Oceania isn't the stiffest but New Caledonia made it a tough test for us,' said Boxall. 'And yes, we definitely excited to get back (in action) now that we've punched our ticket for 2026.' And like Canada, he welcomes the chances to face elite opposition at the new Toronto tournament. 'The last few (FIFA international) windows, we've kind of only been up against teams from our confederation,' Boxall said in an interview. 'So we need to prepare ourselves to play against world-class opposition … It will be a huge step up and it will be a good marker to see where we're at and what we need to work on heading towards the World Cup.' New Zealand failed to get out of the group stage in its previous trips to the World Cup. In 1982, the All Whites lost all three games to Scotland (5-2), the Soviet Union (3-0) and Brazil (4-0). In 2010, they fared better, drawing Slovakia (1-1), Italy (1-1) and Paraguay (0-0) but still went home early. New Zealand is unbeaten in seven matches, having won six straight — including five in World Cup qualifying — since drawing the United States in an international friendly. Its last loss was 3-0 to Mexico in a friendly at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 7. The famous win over New Caledonia came some 33 months after New Zealand lost 1-0 to Costa Rica in an intercontinental playoff in Doha, Qatar, for the last berth at the 2022 World Cup. Boxall started his MLS career with the Vancouver Whitecaps, who selected him first overall in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft out of University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) where he was the Big West Defender of the Year in 2010. In 2012, Boxall he returned home to join Wellington Phoenix in the Australian A-League. In 2105, he joined South Africa's SuperSport United, helping the team to back-to-back Nedbank Cup titles. He returned to MLS in 2017 with Minnesota United, also home to Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and forward Tani Oluwaseyi. Playing for the All Whites in Toronto comes with a bonus of reduced travel time. Boxall is a road warrior when it comes to playing for New Zealand. 'The last window I missed a flight on the way to New Zealand and had a flight cancelled on the way back,' he said. 'So I'm not seeing too many flight issues in the hour-and-half trip of whatever it is from here to Toronto (one hour 58 minutes in actuality). So that will be nice.' Bazeley's 23-man Toronto roster features five changes to the squad called up for the Oceania Qualifiers. Saint-Etienne attacker Ben Old returns from injury with Portland Timbers defender Finn Surman also back after missing the previous international window by agreement with his MLS club. There are recalls for goalkeeper Nik Tzanev (Northampton Town) and defenders Callan Elliot (Auckland FC) and Bill Tuiloma (Charlotte FC). New Zealand is slated to face Norway in October in Oslo in an international friendly that will likely feature two top scorers from England's Premier League in All Whites captain Chris Wood, who plays his club football for Nottingham Forest, and Norway star Erling Haaland (Manchester City). With New Zealand enjoying its highest world ranking since October 2013, Boxall believes his team is indeed on the rise. 'The talent's there. And it's just about us getting all on the same page against teams that are ranked higher than us and doing the job against them.' Boxall, wife Libby and their two kids split their off-season between Minnesota and their home in New Zealand. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025. Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
