The Seattle Sounders suffered a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Loons, both emotionally and physically. Before the game began, Sounders FC players wore t-shirts to protest the lack of communication between the players, the Major League Soccer Players Association, and the Owners’ Groups regarding the players’ inequity in pay for the team’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup. After making their off-field statement, the Sounders players turned their focus to making a statement on the field. The Sunday night match was an opportunity for the fourth-place Sounders to leapfrog the third-place Loons in the Western Conference Standings.
SHUFFLED LINE UP
With Jesus Ferreria missing the game to be at his partner’s side as she gave birth to their first child, head coach Brian Schmetzer started Danny Musovski up top in the nine position. Paul Rothrock, Albert Rusnák, and Pedro De la Vega completed the attacking line with Cristian Roldan and Obed Vargas behind them in the attacking and holding field positions. Nouhou started at left back with Jonathan Bell and Jackson in the left and right center back positions. Kalani Kossa- Rienzi started at right back with Stefan Frei in between the posts.
LETHARGIC AND HEAVY-FOOTED
From the start, the Sounders were heavy-legged when advancing the ball downfield, which made it easy for the visiting Loons to thwart any offensive threat. Minnesota nearly took the early lead in the eighth minute. Right back Julian Gressel crossed the ball to a streaking Tani Oluwaseyi, whose free header bounced off the crossbar. The attempt was the Loons’ best look at a goal in the first half.
SOUNDERS HAD TWO GOOD OPPORTUNITIES
The Sounders dominated possession in the first half and had two good chances that went begging. Musoviski ‘s header in the 21st minute went just wide of the Loons’ goal. Jackson Ragen’s right-footed cross from the left side whizzed past the Minnesota goal mouth to a charging Rothrock, who shot the ball high and wide. The two sides went into the halftime break goalless, with the Loons outshooting the Sounders 6-4.
FAST AND FURIOUS
Minnesota coach Eric Ramsey inserted Bongokuhle Hlongwane for Gressel, who was on a yellow card. The move brought more speed to the Loons’ counterattack. The Sounders looked like they were up for the fight after a halftime pep talk. Musovski had another shot at goal, but his header two minutes into the second half went wide, just like his previous attempt in the first half. Soft defending by the Sounders allowed the Loons to take the lead in the 51st minute on an Oluwaseyi right-footed shot inside the box.
The Sounders’ backline was caught ball-watching and lost track of Oluwaseyi. The Loons doubled their lead when Jon Bell conceded a penalty after crashing into Hlongwane in the Sounders’ goal box. Robin Lod converted the penalty kick. The Sounders narrowed the deficit one minute later when Pedro Dela Vega galloped down the right flank and slid to the ball into the Loons’ goal mouth to an onrushing Koss-Rienzi.
PHOTO GALLERY BY FRANCINE SCOTT
LACK OF PHYSICALITY AND COMMUNICATION
The Sounders’ soft defense and lack of communication continued, which allowed the Loons to regain their two-goal advantage three minutes after the Sounders’ goal. Joaquin Pereyra was given time and space to shoot from the Sounders’ 18-yard line. Frei made the save but parried the ball to Oluwaseyi, who pounced on it and blasted the game winner past the sprawling Frei.
The Sounders narrowed the deficit to one goal in the 83rd minute on an own goal that was forced by substitute Georgi Minoungou’s cross. Minougou’s cross from the right flank bounced off Loons defender Nicolas Romero’s foot and into the back of the goal. The Sounders hunted but were never able to find the equalizer, giving Minnesota its first points at Lumen Field in eleven attempts.
“You know, the first half you were able to fend off some of their pressure, but it kind of broke down in the second half, ” said head coach Brian Schmetzer after the game. ” What broke down was that we showed them clearly who Minnesota is, who they are, which is a team that concedes possession, drops off, plays on counterattacks, and we fell right into their trap. right in their trap.”
BIG TAKE
To say the Sounders’ show of solidarity before the game was the distraction that led to the loss would be an overstatement. The FIFA World Club payment discussion is on the players’ minds. How much is anyone’s guess. What is clear is that the Sounders continue to play soft and individual defense when defending the counterattack. In the last three games, opposing teams have been given too much space and time in the counterattack.
The Sounders have lost their bite when defending and must regain it quickly. The team is fourth in the Conference and has one more game to finish a three-game stretch, during which they will have played the team ahead of them in the conference.
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POST GAME NOTES
- With the result, Seattle is now 12-2-2 against Minnesota in regular-season action and 14-2-2 across all competitions.
- Sounders FC sits in fifth place in the Western Conference with 26 points (7-5-5).
- Today’s loss is the first time Seattle has ever dropped points at home against Minnesota since the Loons joined MLS in 2017, now holding a 10-1-0 record in all competitions.
- Kalani Kossa-Rienzi scored his second goal of the season in the 55th minute, also recording a strike against LAFC on March 8.
- Pedro de la Vega and Obed Vargas recorded assists on Kossa-Rienzi’s goal, their second and fifth in all competitions, respectfully.
- Today’s result is the first time the Rave Green have lost at home this season and are now 6-1-3 at Lumen Field.
- Brian Schmetzer made several changes to the lineup from Wednesday’s matchup against San Diego, with Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Jackson Ragen, Ryan Kent and Danny Musovski replacing Alex Roldan, Kim Kee-hee, Pedro de la Vega and Jesús Ferreira.
- Seattle now travels to Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday, June 8 at BC Place (6:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Minnesota United FC 3
Sunday, June 1, 2025
Venue: Lumen Field
Referee: Lukasz Szpala
Assistants: Cory Richardson, Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
Fourth Official: Malik Badawi
VAR: Daniel Radford
Attendance: 31,491
Weather: 67 degrees and sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
MIN – Tani Oluwaseyi (Robin Lod) 51’
MIN – Robin Lod (penalty) 54’
SEA – Kalani Kossa-Rienzi (Pedro de la Vega, Obed Vargas) 55’
MIN – Tani Oluwaseyi 58’
SEA – Own Goal (Nicolás Romero) 83’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
MIN – Julian Gressel (caution) 19’
MIN – Joaquín Pereyra (caution) 40’
MIN – Anthony Markanich (caution) 69’
SEA – Danny Musovski (caution) 90’+1’
MIN – Robin Lod (caution) 90’+6’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei – Captain; Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Jackson Ragen (Stuart Hawkins 59’), Jonathan Bell, Nouhou (Reed Baker-Whiting 75’); Obed Vargas (Osaze De Rosario 80’), Cristian Roldan; Pedro de la Vega (Georgi Minoungou 60’), Albert Rusnák, Paul Rothrock (Ryan Kent 59’); Danny Musovski
Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas, Alex Roldan, Danny Leyva, João Paulo
Total shots: 10
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 13
Offside: 1
Corner-Kicks: 9
Saves: 3
Minnesota United FC – Dayne St. Clair; Anthony Markanich (Kelvin Yeboah 70’), Nicolás Romero, Michael Boxall, Carlos Harvey, Julian Gressel (Bongokuhle Hlongwane HT); Robin Lod, Wil Trapp, Owen Gene (Joseph Rosales 69’), Joaquín Pereyra (Morris Duggan 89’); Tani Oluwaseyi
Substitutes not used: D.J. Taylor, Alec Smir, Alisa Randell, Jefferson Diaz, Hoyeon Jung
Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 15
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 0
Saves: 0
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