It’s time for another preview, but this time, it’s big time. Welcome to the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, where the soccer is even better, the stakes are even higher, and the writing is even more eloquent. We’re turning everything up a notch for the Loons’ Round One showdown with the Seattle Sounders, because if you don’t turn it up for the playoffs, what will you ever turn it up for? It’s almost time for Game One of this Best-of-3 series, and we’re starting things off in the friendly confines of Allianz Field. Now, let’s meet your contenders.
Minnesota United (16-8-10)
Run of Form: L-W-D-L-L
Your Loons are coming into the postseason in funky form. They wrapped up a top-four finish before the final week, and though they statistically had a chance to get up to second spot on Decision Day, it was a long shot. The motivation to pick up points hasn’t been at its peak in recent weeks, giving way to formation-experimentation and integration of new signings. Coach Ramsay has found some success on both fronts, which should theoretically set his team up even better for the playoffs. I’ve always been a believer that form is the ultimate indicator of postseason success, but the Loons will be hoping that their calculated adjustments and preparation over the final few weeks of the season will give them enough of a cutting edge to make a deep run.
Seattle Sounders (15-9-10)
Run of Form: W-W-W-D-L
Three wins in a row, goal scorers all over the pitch, and one of the league’s most dynamic midfields. The Sounders are clicking in all the right ways at the moment, handling the absences of some of their best players without missing a beat. They’ve matured throughout this season into a team that can not only control the tempo of a match but also add just enough goals to grab the points they need. They’re not the highest-scoring team in the league, nor the best defensively, but they’ve created a cocktail between the two that is undeniably effective and frustrating to play against. Each of their last five games has been decided by a single goal (aside from the 2-2 draw against Vancouver), but they won’t mind the tight scorelines. The score seems to be subsidiary to substance in Seattle, and with that substance consistently creating a winning combination, they’re one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
Keys to the Match:
Ghosts of Playoffs Past
Let’s address the massive, ghostly elephant in the stadium — you know what I’m talking about. Minnesota United’s best-ever playoff run came back in the pandemic-ridden 2020 season, and it was ended in dramatic fashion by none other than the Seattle Sounders. That Western Conference Final loss is the cherry on top of what has been an admittedly pretty bleak history for the Loons against the Rave Green orca-lovers. Since joining MLS in 2017, the Black and Blue are 3-14-2 against Seattle, earning just four points against their Western rivals before 2025. This season, though, the narrative appears to be changing. Your Loons went to Lumen Field in June and came away with a 3-2 win, their first three points in the state of Washington. Then, they backed up the hype when the Sounders visited Allianz Field in August, earning a 1-0 win and completing their first-ever sweep of Brian Schmetzer’s men. It’s difficult to beat the same team twice in one season, but the Loons did. Now, after only beating them once prior to 2024, the Loons will have to bring their season win total against the Sounders up to four if they want to advance. Ancient history may be against the higher-seeded Loons in this series, but recent history gives plenty of reason for the Legion to be hopeful.
Return of the Morris
As much as it pains me to admit it, Seattle has one of the league’s most well-constructed rosters. They’ve got talent in every spot, impact players to rotate onto the field, and a playstyle that suits their strengths. When certain high-profile players get injured, they still manage to compete with the league’s best, a truth that is equally frustrating and impressive. One such injury-prone player has returned to the lineup on a consistent basis lately, and the league should take notice. Unfortunately for opposing defenders, Jordan Morris is back, and he’s scoring again. Despite going down with several injuries this season, Morris has slowly gotten back up to fitness since his club’s Leagues Cup triumph, starting with substitute appearances and slowly returning to full starts. His goal in Seattle’s Decision Day matchup against NYCFC was his fifth of the season and his first since early July. Despite just eight starts and 17 total appearances, the Sounders’ all-time leading goal scorer is back and seemingly fully fit, and it’s almost certain that he’ll leave his mark on this series in some way. It’s hard to tell where — or even if — he’ll start, but his availability alone makes a return to the five-man backline very attractive for this Loons side, who should opt to play the style they’re best at in order to nullify his attacking threat.
It Ain’t Broke
In the last few weeks, we’ve seen the Loons experiment with a four-man backline, moving legs forward and playing a slightly more front-footed style. Let’s remember the grain of salt, though; those experiments came after playoff qualification was already secured and against opponents that had…less than satisfactory 2025 seasons. As I alluded to in the last key, a return to the style that brought them this far is probably the best option if the Loons want to get any further in the postseason, but it’s no guarantee. I won’t call Coach Ramsay’s preferred approach “playing it safe,” because it’s not. The Loons have become masters of defensive positioning and discipline under his leadership, controlling the field with and without the ball. Their attention to detail sucks the chaos out of any game they’re playing, allowing them to reintroduce it where they want: set pieces and counterattacks. It worked well in each of the previous matchups against the Sounders, and while it’s easy to predict, it’s difficult to break down. This could be a very cagey series, but sitting back and letting the game come to them might be the best option for the Loons to find success in Round One.
