SEATTLE 鈥� Not only did Minnesota United lose again in Seattle on Sunday. The Loons coughed up another lead on the road to the Sounders.
Minnesota infamously gave up a two-goal lead at Lumen Field in the 2020 Western Conference final to lose 3-2. In a regular-season game, MNUFC gave up a 1-0 halftime lead to fall 3-1 to Seattle.
ADVERTISEMENT
Minnesota sank to 0-8-0 in all MLS games in Seattle since 2017.
The Loons took a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute when Robin Lod capitalized on Nouhou鈥檚 failed clearance of Franco Fragapane鈥檚 cross. It went through the Seattle defender鈥檚 legs and Lod鈥檚 left-foot slotted it past Stefan Frei.
Lod had at least three other scoring chances, but his glancing header off a corner was palmed away by Frei in the 25th and had two shots go wide.
The Sounders had a few quality chances of their own in the first half, including Jordan Morris鈥� chip of Dayne St. Clair going off the post before Bakaye Dibassy cleared it a beat before Raul Ruidiaz pounced on the rebound.
Early in the second half, Brent Kallman鈥檚 poor first touch allowed a Sounders counterattack. Scrambling, Loons Bakaye Dibassy and Wil Trapp fouled Cristian Roldan in the penalty area.
Dayne St. Clair, who hadn鈥檛 allowed a PK in the four he faced in MLS regular season, got a hand on Ruidiaz鈥檚 low and left attempt, but it had enough power to make it 1-1 in the 50th minute.
Cristian Roldan scored banger for the Sounders in 74th minute. Niko Lodiero makes it 3-1 in the 94th minute.
ADVERTISEMENT
MNUFC (4-4-2) have slipped to 10th place in the MLS Western Conference. Loons had a chance to move into a five-way tie for sixth with a draw on Sunday or hold it for themselves with a win. Instead, they are outside the playoff picture with one-third of the season gone.
Seattle (3-5-1) presented the CONCACAF Champions League trophy it won in late April. The Sounders had its first-choice starting XI, minus Joao Paulo, as they look to make up ground in the Western Conference their primary focus.
The Loons started their 11th different starting lineup in 11 MLS games this season. The biggest change was starting center back Michael Boxall ill, with Brent Kallman coming in.
Minnesota also continued to tinker with the front four. After Franco Fragapane and Abu Danladi combined for a goal in the 2-1 win over Colorado Rapids earlier this week, they will earn their first MLS starts together as wingers around Emanuel Reynoso in the attacking midfield.
ADVERTISEMENT
______________________________________________________
This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here.
The Trust Project
