Where do I begin? How about with an announcement: WE’RE THROUGH TO THE CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS! Minnesota United pulled off one of Major League Soccer’s greatest playoff triumphs with their shootout victory over the Seattle Sounders tonight, coming back from the brink of elimination to defend their home turf and keep the 2025 season alive. This one had a little bit of everything; strap in for one heck of a recap.
There was no steady ramp-up to the action in this one, with the visitors cutting through the Loons early on to find dangerous positions. Attacking midfielder Albert Rusnák finished off a fluid passing sequence in the 5th minute to grab the early lead for the Sounders, followed shortly by a second goal off a poorly defended corner in the 8th minute, the easiest goal that Danny Musovski will ever get in his career. It was anything but an ideal start, throwing the tactical game plan of both teams out the window and sending the match into what we all wanted to see: playoff mode.
Down two goals under ten minutes in, the Loons began playing with an urgency and directness that showed they didn’t plan on giving up. The running and pressing of Kelvin Yeboah up top helped his side stretch the field, offering an outlet and applying pressure to keep Seattle from ever getting comfortable on the ball. It was him who drew a foul just beyond the penalty box in the 19th minute, giving his side a perfect set piece opportunity to take advantage of.
Joaquín Pereyra didn’t disappoint.
The Argentine midfielder’s curling free kick in the 19th minute dipped perfectly over the wall, slipping through the ball-sized gap between Stefan Frei’s glove and the goalpost. The beautiful strike stopped any potential spiral, giving the home side the footing they needed to get back into this one and slowly shifting the momentum back in their favor.
Pereyra’s goal prompted Seattle to begin pressing high again, as they looked to rediscover the fire that got them out to their dominant start. An increasingly chippy, heated, and entertaining battle ensued from there, with the passion of the players coming through in some hard fouls, determined pressing, and generally fiery interactions in what had turned into a truly end-to-end game.
This high level of passion came to a head in the 41st minute, much to the detriment of the Loons, as Joseph Rosales earned himself a straight red card for an altercation with Seattle’s Jesus Ferreira. The Loons shifted to a four-man backline to compensate for the loss, finishing the half without dropping the level and going into the locker room just a single goal down.
The Loons came out of the break in a 4-4-1, and while Seattle used their man advantage to its fullest in isolated moments, the Loons effectively nullified the difference in numbers through a few key subs in the 59th minute. Yeboah was given a rest after putting in one of his most effective pressing shifts this season, as Anthony Markanich entered the match to bring his side back to a five-man backline. Robin Lod shifted to the front of a 5-3-1, and if you didn’t know the Loons were down a man, you wouldn’t have even asked the question from that point on.
The change paid dividends immediately when Morris Duggan flicked a Michael Boxall cross to the back post, where Jefferson Díaz got a head to it to find the leveler in the 62nd minute. The Loons continued to play a controlled, disciplined style that mirrored their regular-season performances, but with an edge to it that could only be described as playoff magic. That magic came to a head just nine minutes later, and it was glorious.
Set Piece FC — excuse me, Minnesota United FC — struck again in the 71st minute, as Anthony Markanich did what he does best on a corner kick. The defender made a smart back post run while the ball was traveling, getting free and putting his header past a helpless Frei without a defender in sight. ADVANTAGE LOONS.
For brevity’s sake, let’s speed-run this last part: Seattle pushed to equalize, Dayne made some fantastic saves, and a touch of class from Cristian Roldan set Jordan Morris up to send the game to another shootout. Why win in regulation when you can get the dramatic shootout dub instead?
And I mean it when I say dramatic. Seattle subbed on backup keeper Andrew Thomas ahead of the shootout, banking on him to perform better than Frei. DSC stood tall, relishing the chance to get into some heads and make some more saves. The stage was set. The first five kicks taken, and … all square.
Sudden death. After an emphatic ten rounds of PKs, it all came down to the goalies. What did the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year do when he stepped up to the spot? Oh, he buried it, of course. How did the backup keeper from Seattle fare? Well, I think the crossbar might still be ringing.
LOONS WIN.
My coworkers leveled an indirect challenge at me before I started this recap. “You couldn’t write it any better!” They said! Perhaps they were right, but man, was it fun to watch, and even more fun to relive. Fantastic performances across the pitch showcased the kind of hunger, resilience, and composure that wins championships, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t made that much sweeter because the opponent was Seattle. Better luck next year, Sounders.
We’ve got a break coming up, but the action is far from over. Your Loons are moving on, setting up a Western Conference Semifinal match on November 21 against the winner of tomorrow’s Game 3 between San Diego FC and the Portland Timbers. Keep repping the Black and Blue all month long, and get yourselves ready for more playoff soccer. Cuz maybe, just maybe, this is the year.
