In the end, most everyone got what they hoped for at Allianz Field on Saturday. The Loons took down Inter Miami with a comprehensive 4-1 victory. And the Herons’ lone goal was scored by the master himself,

Hlongwane scored his first goal of the season to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute. Hlongwane, who scored a career-high 11 goal last season, slipped behind the defense and perfectly timed his run onto a ball played ahead by Carlos Harvey for a one-touch finish inside the back post from the right corner of the 6-yard box.

After getting things back on track with a victory over the New York Red Bulls, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will begin a road trip that sees them face one of the best teams in the Western Conference, Minnesota United. The Loons have quietly risen to second in the conference behind a stout defense that will be pushed to the limits facing the Herons.