MLS Minnesota United FC

MNUFC Clinch Home Playoff Game

Published on October 6, 2019 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SEATTLE, Washington. -- After two years of trying to convince themselves that playing spoiler was enough motivation on Decision Day, Minnesota United at last found themselves going into the final game of the regular season with something at stake. Win, and the Loons would secure the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs and the first-ever home game in their first-ever playoffs at Allianz Field. Lose, and MNUFC would be at the mercy of results from LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake to see if they would be hitting the road for Round One. After 90 back-and-forth minutes between the two teams, Minnesota United would not be able to answer Seattle's opening goal and will head home on the wrong end of a 1-0 loss but with a home playoff game at Allianz Field to look forward to.

"I was a bit disappointed," said Head Coach Adrian Heath. "I don't think we did ourselves justice enough today considering what was at stake for us. But, I have to look at the body of work that we've done over a 10-month period. As I said before, I don't think or I didn't read anybody saying that we would make the playoffs. For us to be where we are, to get a home field game in the playoffs, we'll take a lot of satisfaction from that. At this moment, my overriding feeling is more of disappointment about today."

Sounders FC came out of the gate looking to start on the front foot and early on, forward Jordan Morris wreaked havoc down the left wing. In the sixth minute, Morris caromed down the side of the pitch, putting pressure on Minnesota's defense and forcing Seattle's first corner kick of the game. Two minutes later, Morris got his head on a cross from the right wing but send it over the bar. His marauding runs were a major headache for the Loons in the first half.

But by the 10th minute, Minnesota began to settle into the game and started to show some patience in possession when in Seattle's half. The Loons worked the ball around from right to left and then back again without finding an opportunity before setting up again and getting their first corner kick in the 11th minute after midfielder Ethan Finlay's cross was deflected over the byline by a Sounders defender.

In the 15th minute, midfielder Darwin Quintero - playing out wide on the left in the 4-3-3 formation but often floating centrally - picked out forward Angelo Rodriguez in the middle and put a ball through at his feet. Rodriguez went down near the edge of the box but couldn't get the call.

On the other end, Minnesota's defense had to withstand an energetic Seattle attack. In the 25th minute, midfielder Osvaldo Alonso - making his first return to CenturyLink since joining Minnesota prior to the season - managed to block a shot from forward Raul Ruidiaz after Ruidiaz wriggled his way free on the left side of the box.

The tenor of the game changed markedly in the 25th minute when Seattle opened the scoring. A corner kick from midfielder Nico Lodeiro sailed over the box and bounced out to defender Joevin Jones. Jones sent it back across the box and picked out defender Roman Torres on the far post. Torres nodded it past goalkeeper Vito Mannone to make it 1-0 in favor of the home side.

For the next 15 minutes, Seattle dominated the ball and got the better of the chances, but midfielder Ethan Finlay nearly squared the game in the 40th minute. He challenged a Sounders defender for a long aerial pass and got the better of it, settling the ball and finding himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the box. He beat the keeper to his left but the ball ricocheted off the far post, leaving the Loons frustrated. The teams headed into the locker room with Seattle a goal up.

"We've huffed and puffed a lot tonight," said Heath. "I don't think we had enough quality in their half of the field because we had enough of the ball in the middle third of the field but we just didn't have enough quality in the final third. I don't think we created enough for the amount of the ball that we had."

The second half began much as the first half ended, with neither team giving quarter as each pushed forward with urgency - Seattle attempting to put the game away with a second goal and Minnesota aiming to level the score and get back into it. Twenty minutes in, the energy expended by the Loons pushing forward flagged and they found themselves pushed back into their own half and forced to defend a plethora of corner kicks.

In response, Heath looked to get fresh legs on the pitch and change the look of the team, putting in midfielder Kevin Molino for Jan Gregus and forward Mason Toye for Quintero. The substitutions shifted the visitors to a 4-4-2 and the effect was noticeable. With two targets up top in Toye and Rodriguez, long balls looked more dangerous and the group in midfield proved a bit tougher to break down. Gradually the Sounders pulled their foot off the accelerator and sat back more to absorb pressure.

Down the stretch, Minnesota United threw everything it had at Seattle's goal, including bringing up Mannone for a late corner kick by Molino that sailed safely into the waiting arms of Frei. The win all but secured, Frei resisted the temptation to launch a quick counterattack and instead held onto the ball to drain the clock.

"I thought they probably would've felt hard done to if they hadn't won the game," said Heath. "They had a lot of possession and I don't think that we did enough with our possession certainly in their final third - not enough quality. We didn't create as much as I'd like. You look at the second sort of, 35 minutes of the game. The second half has been virtually played in their half of the field. When you have that much possession and that many bodies forward, for us to not really create an awful lot was disappointing."

In the end, the Loons would go home empty-handed on the day, but secure in the knowledge that Houston's win over the Galaxy would give them a home playoff game in a few weeks against that same LA Galaxy team.

When Allianz Field hosts Minnesota United's first-ever playoff game, season ticket members will be guaranteed their season seats, so long as they did not opt out earlier. For everyone else, the best path to getting tickets right now is to join The Preserve, the official waiting list for season tickets at Allianz Field, or by signing up for our newsletters. Both those groups will get access to presales before tickets go on sale to the general public. Visit mnufc.com/preserve for more info on the former and mnufc.com/newsletter for more info on the latter.

Lineups

Minnesota United FC Starting XI: GK Vito Mannone; D Romain Metanire, Ike Opara, Michael Boxall, Chase Gasper; M Osvaldo Alonso, Jan Gregus (Kevin Molino 70'), Hassani Dotson, Ethan Finlay (Robin Lod 83'), Darwin Quintero (Mason Toye 71'); F Angelo Rodriguez

MIN Unused Subs: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Wilfried Moimbe-Tahrat; M Lawrence Olum, Miguel Ibarra

Seattle Sounders FC Starting XI: GK Stefan Frei; D Brad Smith, Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee, Roman Torres; M Cristian Roldan, Gustav Svensson, Joevin Jones (Jordy Delem 79'), Jordan Morris, Nicolas Lodeiro (Saad Abdul-Salaam 88'); F Raul Ruidiaz (Luis Silva 90')

SEA Unused Subs: GK Bryan Meredith; M Alex Roldan, Emanuel Cecchini, Harry Shipp

Game Events

Goals

29' - Torres (Jones) - SEA

Discipline

23' - Opara (YC) - MIN

MINNESOTA UNITED QUOTE SHEET

MINNESOTA UNITED HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On balancing the disappointing result with getting a home playoff game ...

"Well, I'm still thinking more about the game today. I was a bit disappointed. I don't think we did ourselves justice enough today considering what was at stake for us. But, I have to look at the body of work that we've done over a 10-month period. As I said before, I don't think or I didn't read anybody saying that we would make the playoffs. For us to be where we are, to get a home field game in the playoffs, we'll take a lot of satisfaction from that. At this moment, my overriding feeling is more of disappointment about today."

On Ethan Finlay's shot that was inches from going in the net ...

"We've huffed and puffed a lot tonight. I don't think we had enough quality in their half of the field because we had enough of the ball in the middle third of the field but we just didn't have enough quality in the final third. I don't think we created enough for the amount of the ball that we had."

On CenturyLink Field being a tough place to play ...

"They were [a good team] but I think it comes more down to our quality. Ethan's had a couple good chances. Mason's had a couple good opportunities elsewhere. When I look at the big picture of what was at stake for us today, I was a little bit disappointed in one or two."

On if the change of formation did what he wanted it too ...

"I thought for long periods of the game, we looked comfortable. They had plenty of possession but I can't remember Vito [Mannone] having to come up with anything big to do today. Poor marking from the corner, the second phase. Ethan's had a chance and then we had a couple opportunities from headers. Overall, little bit disappointed with what was at stake today."

On Osvaldo Alonso putting his body on the line ...

"As you expect. He got a fantastic reception as he should for what he's done since he's been here. Now we move on. We've got a couple of weeks to get ourselves together, get our thoughts together, and then go and prepare for a really difficult game against the Galaxy."

On how tough of an opponent the Galaxy will be ...

"Their away for in the year hasn't been great. We played them earlier in the season at home and I thought that we were the better team and as I said before, I fancy us against anybody at Allianz Field. It's a big opportunity for us and we have to go and try to take it."

On how the next two weeks will play out ...

"We've got plenty of guys who will be away with international duties and we have one or two banged up. This week will be a bit of rest and recuperation to give ourselves a good full week moving into the Galaxy game."

On if he's gotten an update about Romain Metanire yet ...

"That's still to be determined."

On if he will send Christian Ramirez a thank you for scoring two goals against the LA Galaxy ...

"I will. He's always looked after us, Chris. I'll send him a nice bottle of wine in the post."

On his overall thoughts of the game ...

"I thought they probably would've felt hard done to if they hadn't won the game. They had a lot of possession and I don't think that we did enough with our possession certainly in their final third - not enough quality. We didn't create as much as I'd like. You look at the second sort of, 35 minutes of the game. The second half has been virtually played in their half of the field. When you have that much possession and that many bodies forward, for us to not really create an awful lot was disappointing."

On playing more open and not coming out and bunkering in ...

"We had a good shape, there was no need for it [bunkering in]. I thought we were going to score all day. I thought we were going to catch them on the break but it wasn't to be but I think that was more down to us at times because of our quality. They're a good side. They're going to be difficult to beat here as they always are. Before the season started, would we have settled for where we are and what we've got coming up next week? You bet."

On subbing Darwin Quintero and Ethan Finlay out ...

"I was just trying to get some fresh legs and fresh bodies on and see if we could have unsettled them with a different look but it wasn't to be."

MINNESOTA UNITED MIDFIELDER OSVALDO ALONSO

On balancing the emotions of a tough loss but still going home for a playoff game at Allianz Field ...

"We lost. We have to focus now on LA [Galaxy]. We have to now think about LA. I think we played a pretty good game today. We gave everything we had but unfortunately, we lost. Now we have to move forward. Now it's LA and we have to go home and then win away."

On if it felt weird to play in Seattle but in black and blue ...

"It's a little weird, you know. I spent 10 years in Seattle and coming here and playing today. It was great to come back home and see friends and family but now focusing on the next game. We have to keep going. We have one more game at home and we have to give everything that we have to keep going."

On Ethan Finlay's shot that hit the post ...

"I think it's part of the game. They scored the first goal and then we got a chance but we missed. Like I said before, it is what it is. We have to look forward and now it's LA and we move forward."

On if he felt like the team had enough quality in attack today ...

"I think we fought. We gave everything we had to win the game but sometimes you're unlucky to not score. Like I said, we have to keep going. We have to put today aside and look forward now."

On putting his body on the line ...

"I always give my best for the team to win the game. Doesn't matter if it's Seattle or anything else. I have to always give my best."

On facing the LA Galaxy in the First Round of the playoffs ...

"It's very tough. Every playoff game is tough. We can have a bunch. We play at home. We played them in the season and tied zero-zero. Now it's one game. It's like a final, every game now is like a final. We have to play at a high level like we did today and we have to go home and win the game."

On having an extended layoff before the playoffs this year ...

"It's good for people who got injured. They can rest now and with international break, everyone can be fit. I think it's great for the playoffs."

On having a lot of guys who will travel for international break ...

"We have a lot of players that have to go overseas so it's good for them to get a rest and be ready for the playoffs."

MINNESOTA UNITED MIDFIELDER ETHAN FINLAY

On today's game...

"We are disappointed obviously. We created a handful of chances and had some good opportunities to get back in the game and we were just not able to do so. So, disappointing obviously to not at least get a point and take second. We have a home playoff game and it is single elimination from here. We have proven we can win on the road. And so, we would like to be in the second spot, we are in the fourth spot, and we know LA Galaxy is our next opponent and we have two weeks to prepare."

On if the players on the field were aware of other scores...

"No, the focus was obviously on the game and staying in the moment. There was no communication going back and forth."

On if the team created enough chances in the match...

"Yeah, I mean I think we had our moments. I think we knew what we were going to be up against. This is a tough place to play. I think we had our chances. I think we defended well for the most part and made some adjustments there in the second half obviously. Their goal comes off a recycled ball. It goes on a corner and gets out the back side and they put it back in. Besides that, I can't think of many that where I felt like we were under pressure where Vito had to make a big save or they had a big miss. We were right in it. The chances were very equal. In fact, I think we out dulled them. There is a lot of stats I think that would say we had a very nice performance today. A lot of positives despite a loss."

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Soccer Stories from October 6, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central