You better be watching the Loons this postseason. CUZ MAYBE THEY JUST TOOK THE SERIES LEAD! Minnesota United got the better of the Seattle Sounders (again), earning a 3-2 shootout win after a scoreless draw in front of the Allianz Field faithful. A classic playoff atmosphere made for a classic playoff match, setting up a chance to advance in Game 2.
It was a breathless opening 30 minutes: end-to-end and dynamic on both sides of the ball. The Loons alternated between spells of possession and absorbing pressure, mixing the style they used for the majority of the season with the front-footed approach they worked on in the final few games of the regular season. This change-up put the visitors on their heels, leading to some truly threatening passages from the Black and Blue.
A rowdy crowd fueled the fire, pushing the Loons forward in full voice. Coach Ramsay’s side applied pressure strategically, picking their moments to pin the Rave Green in their own half and making Stefan Frei earn his money with a few lasers from Nectarios Triantis.
The frenetic start made way for a comparably tame closing quarter of an hour to end the half, and despite having knocked on the door for the majority of the game, the Loons went into the locker room without anything to show for their efforts.
The second half saw a distinct shift back to the Loons’ tried-and-true defensive approach, allowing Seattle to play the game they prefer as well. As time went on, the match resembled the regular-season meeting between these two teams more and more, with the Loons’ best chances coming from set pieces and Seattle trying to use off-ball movement and incisive, quick passing to break the opposition down.
The visitors got the better of the chances in the second half, forcing a few acrobatic saves out of Dayne St. Clair to keep the clean sheet. The Loons added some fresh legs after the hour mark but didn’t change their approach. A last-gasp freekick from Joaquín Pereyra nearly grabbed the victory outright, but the celebrations would have to wait a little longer.
With the score level at 0-0, the fate of the night came down to the spot. The pressure proved to be too much for the Roldan boys to handle, with Alex Roldán sending his shot straight into the waiting arms of Dayne St. Clair while Cristian followed his brother’s lead by clanging his attempt off the crossbar. Danny Leyva hit the other post for good measure, giving the Loons the series lead in front of their home fans.
Where the first half was a soccer symphony, the second half was an exercise in patience and discipline. This was one of those matches that had the potential to turn absolutely crazy, but the lack of an early goal kept the wheels from coming off. The ebb and flow of the opening half-hour was exactly the kind of soccer fans want to see in postseason soccer, with the tactical shift in the closing stages an ultimately savvy move that paid off when the final penalty bounced off the post.
The decision to start Bongokuhle Hlongwane at striker gave the Loons a different look to kick things off, as his speed and willingness to run stretched the opposition just enough to change the game. Once the Sounders caught on, though, the outstanding efforts of Wil Trapp and Nectarios Triantis helped to keep Seattle’s star-studded midfield from running riot, making MNUFC’s double pivot feel like four men in the middle.
Having gotten the better of the Sounders three times in 2025, the Loons will need to make it four before they can advance in this year’s postseason. They’ll look to get the job done next Monday, November 3, in Seattle: don’t miss it.
