Sounders get back back to winning ways with 3-1 victory over Minnesota

The  Rave Green  (3-5-1, 10 points) claimed  the three valuable points against Minnesota United FC (4-5-2, 14 points)  in front of 32,613 fans at Lumen Field on Sunday afternoon. The victory was Seattle’s first after winning the 2022 Concacaf Champions League and the club’s first win in league play since April 2 at Minnesota, snapping a three-match losing skid in MLS. The points helped Sounders FC move from the bottom of the Western Conference into 11^th place, three positions higher than when the day started. Due to their Champions League run, the Rave Green have multiple games in-hand on 12 teams in the conference, with two more matches coming over the course of the next week.

Minnesota got on the board first in the 34^th minute, taking advantage of a Nouhou mis-clearance inside his own 18-yard-box. Robin Lod pounced on the loose ball, slamming it into the back of Stefan Frei’s net for his fourth goal of the season and an early 1-0 Loons lead.

After a first half of close attacking chances that misfired, Cristian Roldan helped get his team back into the match by drawing a penalty in the 49^th minute, charging through Minnesota’s area and drawing a hard foul. Seattle striker Raúl Ruidíaz stepped to the spot and converted his attempt a minute later, good for his first MLS tally of 2022 and his 65^th goal across all competitions since joining the club midway through 2018.

Roldan once again put himself in the center of the action in the 74^th minute of play, receiving a square ball roughly 30 yards from goal, setting himself on a half-turn and firing a blistering right-footed shot that gave Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair little chance of keeping pace. The long-range strike was Roldan’s second goal of 2022 and his 30^th in MLS since being drafted in 2015.

Club captain Nicolás Lodeiro added an insurance tally in second-half stoppage time, receiving a cross from Roldan on the right-wing before converting an easy attempt at the far post. The strike was Lodeiro’s second in league play this season and his 51^st in all competitions for the Rave Green.

The Sounders are currently sitting 11^th in the Western Conference with just nine games played due to the club’s recent Concacaf Champions League campaign, Seattle prepares for a long climb back up the league table as MLS games begin coming fast and furious.

Next week sees the Rave Green play two road contests, with Brian Schmetzer’s side traveling to face the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, May 18 (5:30 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM) before taking on the Colorado Rapids next Sunday, May 22 (5:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13, Prime Video, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).

UP NEXT POSTGAME NOTES