Just two games remain in the 2025 MLS regular season, and your Loons are sitting pretty heading down this narrow final stretch. With just two points separating them from the top of the conference and a top-four finish nearly clinched, these final matches could be huge for the club. And, with the bottom two teams in the west next up on the schedule, the Black and Blue should be feeling confident in their ability to turn a strong finish into a strong start to the postseason. But we’ll have to see what our friendly rivals have to say about that first.
Minnesota United (15-7-10)
Run of Form: D-L-L-W-D (All Competitions)
As the regular season draws to a close, form becomes the single most important measure of a team’s playoff potential. Lucky for us, form is an incredibly ambiguous metric, with enough factors involved to make my take completely different from the next soccer-obsessed writer. Your Loons have given me a headache in this one, and all season long, really, as they’ve never really had a period that I could comfortably define as “bad” form. They’ve only lost consecutive games twice, and never in the same competition. An admittedly tough week of results against Austin and Chicago could’ve derailed the vibes quite easily, but a spirited road point in Colorado saw the Loons keep the car from skidding too far. With time running out in the regular season, Saturday’s match will be huge in determining what kind of mentality the Loons will be carrying into the postseason.
Sporting Kansas City (7-19-6)
Run of Form: L-L-L-L-W
We may not be playing Mario Kart, but this is a banana skin if I ever saw one. Conventional wisdom and logic have shaken hands ahead of this one, agreeing that in all likelihood, the Loons should walk away with an easy three points. No matter who you’re playing against, though, anything can happen between the first and final whistles. Sure, SKC just lost 4-1 to the Galaxy, the worst team in the west this season — so far, at least. They haven’t won a game in a month, and they’ve been outscored 10-3 in their last four games. It’s been an abysmal season in Kansas City, and recent form only reinforces that fact. But with a threat like Dejan Joveljić up top (along with former Loon Mason Toye), there are goals in this team. The only question is, will they be able to find them?
Keys to the Match:
Elevated Atmosphere
This isn’t just another regular-season match. What story should we pick first? Not only is this the final home game until the playoffs, but it’s a rivalry match that also carries a hint of possibility, as the Loons await any slip-ups from Vancouver, San Diego, or a resurgent LAFC to swoop in and take the Western Conference title. It’s a chance to get back to winning ways and start building positive form ahead of the postseason, a final tune-up to turn Allianz Field into a fortress for a solid Cup run, and a day to jockey for hosting priority. The longer you think about it and the more ways you slice it, this weekend’s match is a routine-buster through and through. With a relatively young group coached by the league’s youngest coach, your Loons are going to need to rely on the experience and steadiness of the veterans who have been here before. While SKC hasn’t had the best season (currently 13th in the west on just 27 points), this doesn’t feel like the right time for Minnesota to rotate players in, at least not until the regular starters have already fired a few into the back of the net. Expect to see a strong lineup to start this one, and look out for an extra-motivated Loons side.
It’s a Spectrum, You See
Where the Loons are chasing form and positioning, SKC comes into this game with nothing to play for. They were among the first teams eliminated from postseason contention this year, and the only thing they could win in 2025 is the Wooden Spoon. Games against these kinds of opponents go one of two ways, both of which have the potential to get ugly: Either the team having the poor season gets absolutely steamrolled, putting up very little fight, or they play with reckless abandon, leading to a needlessly chippy and heated affair. Given our history with SKC, I doubt the former is on the cards, meaning that your Loons are likely in for a long game on Saturday, regardless of the score. Moving the ball quickly, getting it off their feet, and opting for a direct approach over finesse will keep the home side from taking any extra-hard hits and could prove to be a good test ahead of the physicality that the postseason atmosphere always brings with it. Bring your yellow and red cards to this one, everyone; you just might need them.
X’s and O’s
In Colorado, Coach Ramsay flexed his team’s tactical muscles by switching to a 4-2-3-1 at halftime. This shift naturally produced a more attacking style of play, generating more chances and giving the Loons’ new signings a chance to do what they do best. Nectarios Triantis appears to be a number eight with the positioning of a six, making him an incredibly effective springboard from which his side can launch attacks. Though he had a few moments he’ll want back, Dominik Fitz showcased an energy and ability to make things happen that should encourage his coach and teammates. Much like Joaquín Pereyra, I imagine that his influence in this team will only grow as he gets to know his teammates better. But the tactical shift didn’t merely get the best out of the new guys, as the shift to the right of an attacking midfield three brought a spark out of Robin Lod as well. After a season of disciplined defending, every single player on this roster knows what’s expected of them when their team loses possession. Going forward, I’d love to see more of this attacking setup, especially as the focus shifts from sustained success over a regular season to isolated dominance in the knockout format of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
