What’s that I hear? Sounds like Wonderwall to me! Minnesota United completed the club’s first-ever season sweep over the Seattle Sounders tonight, taking down Brian Schmetzer’s squad by a score of 1-0 in a tightly contested match. Two distinct, defined styles of play were on full display in this one, making the club’s Heritage Celebration game one to remember.

There weren’t any surprises in either team’s starting eleven or tactical approach to this one. Seattle’s 3-4-3 ended up mirroring MNUFC’s own shape in many ways, as the Loons’ 5-4-1 on paper played out in much more of a 5-2-3. Likewise, the positioning of Seattle’s Jesus Ferreira turned his side’s shape into something more akin to a 3-5-2. The formational fluidity of both sides highlighted their respective strengths and priorities, as the Loons once again excelled at collapsing into a nigh-impenetrable low block while the Seattle midfield dominated the ball and set the pace of the game.

The visiting Sounders maintained the majority of possession and would ultimately end up with more than twice as many completed passes when compared to their hosts. Their constant movement, while threatening, proved fruitless. On the other end, the Loons’ commitment to aggressive set piece execution ultimately kept them from getting overwhelmed, taking some sting and pace out of the flow of the match.

The Boys in Black and Blue were at their best when they slowed things down in this one, taking their time on dead balls and making sure each restart was deliberate. A few scattered attempts for both sides failed to find their mark, leaving the scores knotted at 0-0 at the halftime whistle.

The second 45 saw much of the same from a tactical standpoint, as Ferreira, Cristian Roldan, and Obed Vargas continued to stand out and dictate the pace of play. Joaquín Pereyra sent a few dangerous free kicks into the box, curling them like he was auditioning for the Winter Olympics. It wasn’t until after a pair of substitutes that the breakthrough came, though, and it was Pereyra who delivered it.

After a short corner found his feet at the top-right of the box, Pereyra put in what appeared to be a secondary cross, changing the angle to give his teammates a better chance to get on the end of it. Instead of finding a teammate, his ball went past everyone, gliding through traffic untouched and straight into the far corner of the net for the 1-0 lead. Accident? Lucky? No. Perfection.

Despite some nervy moments and an expected goals tally that heavily favored the visitors, the Loons stood tall to earn this crucial win. Some fantastic saves from Dayne St. Clair in stoppage time sealed the result, as the Canadian international rewarded his teammates for their efforts across the 90 minutes.

This was a perfect example of Minnesota United’s game plan going exactly as it’s meant to: weather the storm, take your moments, and rely on your preparation to see you through whatever comes your way. It wasn’t pretty, but it was intentional, well-executed, and worthy of three points.

After dropping points at home against Colorado last time out, tonight’s win will go a long way toward proving to the squad that they belong in the conversation of the best teams in the west — and the league, at that. Sweeping Seattle is another step toward success, and this Loons side is proving time and again that they refuse to stay down for long. That mentality is keeping them in the hunt for trophies, and this performance certainly felt like a comma in the context of the season, leaving plenty of possibilities for what’s to come.

Your Loons end the night in second place in the Western Conference, with San Diego and Vancouver set to play tomorrow. This win opens up a six-point gap over Seattle and with just seven matches remaining, sets them up for an exciting finish. The MLS schedule continues in Salt Lake City next weekend, as the boys will be facing RSL on Saturday, August 23, at 8:30 p.m. CT.