Previewing Sounders FC Match at Minnesota

With the World Cup draw buzz in the air soccer players worldwide will now quickly turn their attention to club duties.

For the Rave Green the close of the  International break has seen the return of Jordan Morris(USA) , Cristian Roldan ( USA, Xavier Arreaga ( Ecuador), and  Nouhou ( Cameron).  Arreaga and Nouhou will see limited minutes because they met the team in Minnesota after their country duties. Morris and Roldan were able to practice with the team at Starfire before the journey to Minnesota

CAUTIOUS MINUTES

Saturday for the most part will mark the first-time head coach Brian Schmetzer will have a full squad to pick from. The return of Raul Ruidiaz and Nicolas Lodeiro had the coach beaming and bouncing all week. With Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions  Tournament Semi-Final Leg One match with NYCFC looming Schmetzer will field a strong lineup but manage minutes.

BACKING UP THE TALK

The Sounders have spoken of being a big club that is out to win all competitions. The club is on the course when it comes to the Champions League tournament. MLS not so much. Saturday’s game against an undefeated Minnesota team that is third in the Western Conference can change that.

This game will give the Sounders an opportunity to back their talk. In turn, the Loons are out to prove they are a legitimate early title contender.

EXPLOSIVE CONTEST

Schmetzer has said all week he intends to play Lodeiro, Ruidiaz with the intent of being goal dangerous.  

“We intend on staying compact, press high on goal kicks and try not to give up and goal.”

Look for the Sounders to try and absorb a lethal Minnesota attack led by Emanuel Reynoso a classic center midfield with vision, pace, and a good reader of the game. What is different from years past for the Loon is that they have a legitimate number 9  striker in Luis  Amarilla.  Amarilla scored the game-winner in the Loons 1-0 over the San Jose Earthquakes on March 19^th.

The Sounders will try to keep the ball from Reynoso and make the Loon’s attack one dimensional.

PRE-GAME NOTES

The Sounders have won eight of their 10 matches against Minnesota United (D1 L1), including a 3-2 win in the 2020 Western Conference Final. Seattle’s 80 percent win rate over Minnesota is tied for the best in any matchup played at least 10 times in MLS history (also LAFC vs. Real Salt Lake).

Minnesota United has recorded consecutive 1-0 wins, beating the Red Bulls and Earthquakes before the international break. The Loons haven’t won three straight regular-season matches since opening the 2020 season with victories over Portland, San Jose, and Sporting Kansas City.

Seattle is winless in six straight away matches (D3 L3), failing to score more than once in any of those matches. The Sounders haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last 10 away from home, equaling the second-longest regular-season streak in club history (15 straight from June 2016 to April 2017).

Luis Amarilla has scored the lone goal in Minnesota United’s last two matches, both 1-0 wins. The Paraguayan could become the third player to score in three straight MLS matches for the Loons after Kevin Molino (3 times) and Darwin Quintero.