Back to Puget Sound, arguably the best sound in all of MLS. I’m an especially big fan of that area after the Loons 3-2 win out there back in June, but hey, that was then and this is now. Let’s not dwell on the past when postseason advancement is on the line! After their Game 1 shootout victory, your Loons are one win away from eliminating the Sounders from the playoffs, and with Game 2 heading back to the land of orcas and rain, it’s going to take another road win to wrap things up this Monday.

Minnesota United (16-8-10)

Run of Form: W-L-W-D-L

Your Loons are versatile. That’s not something I thought I’d be saying a few months ago, when every game started and ended with an unwavering style of play that stymied even the most creative of attacking attempts. But the opening 30 minutes of Game 1 were open, end-to-end, and truly entertaining. After producing a few clear chances, the Loons switched up the pacing of the game to frustrate the visitors, and after nearly finding a set-piece winner in a far more controlled second half, they relied on their excellent goalkeeper to get the shootout win. They’ve proven that they’re resilient, adaptable, and disciplined, and that just might be the perfect combo to sweep this series.

Seattle Sounders (15-9-10)

Run of Form: L-W-W-W-D

Alright, technically they tied their last match, but if we count the shootout, the Sounders have officially lost their unbeaten streak. Monday’s 0-0 draw was also the first time in 10 games that Seattle has been held scoreless, a feat that the Loons have now accomplished twice in the same season. For a team that is normally so good at creating and using space, the Sounders have truly met their match against this Loons side, who have made it their mission this season to control space, remain disciplined, and frustrate even the most creative of opponents. After a lackluster performance from Jordan Morris and relatively little help for Jesus Ferreira and Cristian Roldan in Game 1, the Sounders will need an injection of energy if they want to extend their season beyond Monday.

Keys to the Match:

Forward Thinking

One of the biggest decisions for Coach Ramsay to make ahead of Game 2 is at the very tip of the spear: Who’s our number nine? With Kelvin Yeboah back in the fold, the most traditional option is available. Bongokuhle Hlongwane got the start in Game 1, though, and his speed helped to open up the field and stretch the opposition a tad more than Yeboah normally does. There’s always the option to move either Robin Lod or Joaquín Pereyra up front as well, and with a versatile squad, the rest of the lineup would be easy enough to backfill. The way I see it, Yeboah enables the Loons to play their more defensive, disciplined style, while Bongi up top makes for a much more back-and-forth, shootout kind of match. Lod or Pereyra are probably both more valuable in their usual attacking midfield spots, but they offer yet another kind of profile that could change how the game unfolds if placed up top, facilitating and holding the ball up rather than making runs in behind. The man up front on Monday will say a lot about Coach Ramsay’s approach to Game 2 from a stylistic perspective, and it could be the key to whether or not we’ll see a Game 3.

We Can Always Shoot It Out

Last season, Minnesota United won two straight shootouts to take down RSL in Round One. This year, the Loons are even stronger defensively, allowing 10 fewer goals than they did in 2024 and establishing one of the league’s most stubborn, immovable styles of play. They tied for the second-highest drawn matches in the Western Conference this season with 10 and put together one of the league’s best away records in 2025 (30 points from 17 games). That statistical, historical cocktail combines to tell me one thing: If any team in this league should be confident in their ability to get to a shootout and win it, it should be this one. Few teams have had as much success as the Loons have when it comes to defending on the road, as evidenced by their +8 goal difference in their away exploits this season. With the likes of Dayne St. Clair holding down the fort in the back, a shootout begins to look even more appealing, especially with a home game waiting for you if things don’t quite fall your way. The Loons don’t necessarily have to go for the throat in this one; they just have to weather the storm.

On the Line

The Sounders are officially in season-saving mode from here on out. Their year ends next time they lose, meaning we’ve just put one of the league’s most dynamic teams on high alert. Hooray! With that extra fuel to fire them, there’s little doubt that Brian Schmetzer’s squad will be putting out an extremely attacking lineup in Game 2, as they need goals to keep them alive. After their Leagues Cup triumph this season, they’ve not only proven that they can score goals; they’ve shown that they can do it in high-pressure situations. Maybe they needed the added pressure of impending elimination to grease their wheels. Maybe they need Jordan Morris to run around a little bit more than he did in Game 1. Regardless, this Seattle team is going to need to bring more to this game than they have for any of the previous three meetings between them and the Loons, and that means trouble. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a slight change in formation and perhaps the introduction of Giorgi Minoungou a little earlier in the match to wreak a little more havoc with his speed and one-on-one ability.