MNUFC Clinches 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Berth Following 1-1 Draw Against Portland Timbers
MLS Minnesota United FC

MNUFC Clinches 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Berth Following 1-1 Draw Against Portland Timbers

Published on August 30, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota United battled back to earn a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers at Allianz Field on Saturday night. After conceding on an unlucky own goal in the 80th minute, the Loons quickly responded through Robin Lod's composed finish just five minutes later to secure a point at home. With the result, Minnesota now turns its attention to a crucial road trip on Saturday, September 13, when they face MLS expansion side San Diego FC at 9:30 p.m. CT.

4' - Portland Timbers created their first dangerous opportunity through Matías Rojas. The play began with Kristoffer Velde slipping a short pass to Rojas at the top of the box. Rojas turned and fired a shot, but Dayne St. Clair made a crucial save, deflecting the ball out for a corner.

34' - The Timbers were awarded a free kick on the edge of the attacking third. Rojas stepped up and aimed his shot toward the bottom left corner, but St. Clair produced a diving save before Jefferson Diaz cleared the rebound.

38' - Joaquín Pereyra delivered a long switch to Joseph Rosales on the left flank. Rosales carried the ball into the penalty area, where he found himself in space. After a few touches, he unleashed a left-footed shot that forced James Pantemis into a diving save.

49' - Minnesota United created another dangerous opportunity when Bongokuhle Hlongwane slipped a short pass to Pereyra at the top of the 18-yard box. Pereyra struck a first-time shot that was blocked by Pantemis. The rebound fell to Robin Lod, whose left-footed effort was redirected by Pantemis onto the crossbar before the ball was eventually cleared from danger.

64' - David Da Costa, with his first touch of the match, stepped up to take a free kick near the top of the penalty area. His effort curled just wide of the right post.

66' - The Loons created another dangerous opportunity through Finnish veteran Lod. Pereyra slipped a short pass into Lod's path as he ran down the left flank. Lod fired a left-footed shot that forced Pantemis to stretch out a hand to make the block.

75' - St. Clair came up big with a crucial save in a one-on-one situation. Velde slipped a through ball to Anthony, who made a run into the 18-yard box. Facing St. Clair alone, Anthony fired a shot, but the Loons' goalkeeper blocked it with his left foot..

79' (0-1) - Portland Timbers found the breakthrough through an own goal, as a rebound off St. Clair's save deflected into the net.

85' (1-1) - Minnesota United pulled level through Finnish veteran Lod. Wil Trapp sent a long ball from midfield that Lod controlled with his first touch before firing a right-footed shot past Pantemis and into the back of the net.

GOAL SUMMARY

0-1 POR - Nicolás Romero (own goal) - 79'

1-1 MIN - Robin Lod (Wil Trapp) - 85'

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

MIN - Joseph Rosales (caution) - 33'

MIN - Julian Gressel (caution) - 78'

MIN - Joaquín Pereyra (caution) - 90' + 3'

Notable Stats

1 - Striker Mamadou Dieng made his MLS and Minnesota United debut, appearing for the Loons for the first time since joining the club from Hartford Athletic.

1 - Minnesota United clinched a berth in the 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, marking the earliest postseason qualification in club history.

6 of 7 - With their clinched playoffs berth, MNUFC have now earned a spot in MLS' postseason for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, dating back to 2019.

38 - Robin Lod scored another goal, bringing his total to 38 and extending his lead as Minnesota United's all-time top scorer across all competitions.

ATTENDANCE: 19,619

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Dayne St. Clair

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Anthony Markanich, Nicolás Romero, Michael Boxall ©, Jefferson Diaz (Carlos Harvey 61'), Bongokuhle Hlongwane; M Joseph Rosales (Julian Gressel 61'), Robin Lod, Wil Trapp, Joaquín Pereyra; F Kelvin Yeboah (Mamadou Dieng 77')

Substitutes Not Used: GK Alec Smir; D Kieran Chandler, Morris Duggan, D.J Taylor; M Owen Gene

Portland Timbers XI: GK James Pantemis; D Jimer Fory, Dario Zuparic, Finn Surman ©, Juan Mosquera (Eric Miller 83'); M Anthony, David Ayala, Felipe Carballo (Diego Chara 43'); F Matías Rojas (David Da Costa 61'), Kevin Kelsy (Felipe Mora 61'), Kristoffer Velde (Ian Smith 83')

Substitutes Not Used: GK Maxime Crépeau; D Kamal Miller,; M Cristhian Paredes, Omir Fernández

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ SAN DIEGO FC

Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California

09.13.2025 | MLS 2025 Regular Season | Match 30

9:30 p.m. CT (MLS Season Pass/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ERIC RAMSAY

On this match feeling like an opportunity missed or like a point picked up...

"I think it was a fair point. I think if you ask them [the team], they would say, we probably didn't deserve to lose, but we probably didn't deserve to win either. The message I've given to the players in there [locker room] is that I think it was important that we didn't lose tonight. I think it was important that we backed up two wins with at least a point, and we're chipping away as we have done all season. I think the level of consistency has been great in that sense, well beyond expectations in terms of when we've been able to follow-up losses with draws or wins. And I think at this stage of the season, we need to go beyond what we've done so far this year in terms of stringing draws and wins together in quick succession without dropping points. But I think in the grand scheme of things tonight, that's a good point against a very good team. And, as we've picked up on, that's a team that has spent big money over the course of this window. They have a lot of options. They got a lot of players on that top line that can really hurt you, and I feel like it's a really awkward game against Portland every time we play against them, and it's always very close, always very cagey. And, you know, in an instant, the forwards can do what Anthony ultimately did to us and what a couple of the others threatened to do. So I'm more pleased than not pleased I would say particularly with the resilience shown in getting back in the game. And I think that's probably an appropriate moment to put Wil [Trapp] and Rob [Robin Lod] on a pedestal there because I think they played really really well for us and the fact that they combined for that moment was them getting their just rewards I would say."

On what makes the encounter with Portland Timbers awkward...

"I think it's the unpredictability of the front players. They take big risks when you attack in the number of players that they leave ahead of the ball, and you've seen on a couple of occasions tonight when the ball turns over and they've left three or four forwards up that they're really threatening and often very ruthless in those occasions. And we showed a couple of clips from the away game against them [Portland Timbers] where the game was that cliché of it being a basketball game, and it was back and forth and end to end and lots of space open in the middle of the pitch, and we really didn't want the game to be played that way tonight. And I think we did a relatively good job of that not being the case, but the moment that ultimately led to the goal was symptomatic of some of the problems we had tonight. I would say cheap turnovers in the middle of the pitch and them being really well positioned to take advantage of some of the forwards qualities and none more so than Anthony obviously in that moment is very good in those situations. So it was a shame that we gave that opportunity up, but I think in the general balance of play, we handled that fairly well and not a classic performance, but there was a lot of good to it."

On what he sees in Mamadou Dieng going forward and thoughts on his debut tonight...

"I wanted to make sure he had some time on the pitch, and he's obviously not someone who I'm sure we'll count on in the same way that we have done with Tani [Oluwaseyi] up until this point, but certainly someone that has very similar characteristics. And I don't want to fall into the very lazy sort of comparison of them being completely like-for-like, but of course very similar athletic profile, similar profile in terms of the number nine that they are. And certainly when Kelvin [Yeboah] runs out of steam, then Momo [Mamadou Dieng] will be a really good bet to come on and give us some energy in the way that he did tonight. And I think the moments that he was involved in play, he showed strength, athleticism, and I think that running power and the real hunger that comes with being a 21 year old that spent two years in in USL and is stepping up to play in MLS with five games to go in a team that's fighting for titles, that that will help us for sure. Hopefully, the last game for which we are as light as we are tonight, and we hope to welcome a couple of new players in the coming days and weeks. And fingers crossed, we look a little fuller when we get to San Diego."

On what clinching a playoff spot this early means for the club...

"I think it's a double-edged sword because on one hand, I think we've done phenomenally well to get to this point with five games to go and to be in a position that that we are, and I'm very obviously very proud of the work that's gone into that. I think we've exceeded everybody's expectations, but all the conversation has been about competing at the top end of the table and being intentioned for trophies, and it hasn't been about resting on our laurels, having qualified for the playoffs. I think there's an there's a minor relief, I would say, across the staff because you can't help having that nagging doubt in the back of your mind, particularly with some of the stuff that's gone on this window in us facing a bit of an uphill battle certainly for a couple of weeks. But I think the way we've handled that in over the last three games, Seattle [Sounders], last week [Real Salt Lake] and this tonight, I'm really proud of what we've been able to do there because it's certainly not easy at this stage of the season and to be in this position and still be looking upwards is phenomenal for us. And as I said, that's why it's very nice to be able to go into this international break, not having lost the game, feeling like we've taken a step forward and we're chipping away at the table and with lots of good to the performance."

On the international window being a breather and a good time to have a new squad when the team comes back...

"Well, it isn't and it is in a sense that we're, it's also an international break in where we welcome a couple of players in, we also lose a good number of players. So it's not going to be the training camp that you'd almost hope to have at this stage of the season. We've obviously got some fairly important players leaving, and the build up to that San Diego game will be interesting for both teams in the sense that I think they lose possibly up to 10 [players]. We lose a good number of players, and we will come back together as a group in San Diego on the Thursday before the Saturday, and we will have had some training time hopefully with the new guys assuming all the paperwork gets done. We're very hopeful that that will give us a new lease of life, fresh energy in the way that the players who came into the group last year did. And then we've got five games where every game we play is a winnable game. We're really capable of going on a run that sees us top the end of the year, and that's the pressure that we'll put on ourselves."

On Kelvin Yeboah not having many opportunities...

"Obviously, they [Portland Timbers] changed shape. They go to a back five. I think there were a lot of moments where we're attacking very light, without the support around Kelvin [Yeboah]. I think you've got four players in the middle there that want to link and combine and Joaquin [Pereyra], Rob [Robin Lod], Joe [Joseph Rosales], and Wil [Trapp]. I think we were at our worst in the first half, Kelvin is very isolated. I think where we do a better job, we've got better connections around him and as a consequence, he gets a better look. But I think it's one of those performances where it's that combination of Kelvin having a hard look at his own performance and us as a team having a look at how we can bring him to the game or making sure that around the box we've got really good connections and we've got ways of making sure that he gets good quality chances as opposed to the half chances I would say that he had tonight."

On what are some things that the team can do differently as the team approaches playoffs...

"I think over the course of the last four games, we've shown the various faces of us when we're at our best, but what we haven't done is combine that over the course of one single performance. I think you go back to Colorado [Rapids] at home, very dominant, created lots of chances, lots of territory, lots of really good opportunities around the box through very high level play. You then skip forward to the next two, and I think we've shown the side of ourselves that we show most often this season, which is that very gritty, hard to beat, very good on set plays, very good counterattacking team. And I think tonight we've shown elements of both, albeit, I would say it was a six-seven out of 10 performance; It was nothing to write home about at best, I would say. But I think it's also worth taking into consideration that Portland is a very good team. There's some very good players, and I would say across the front players, they've got more depth than any team in this division. So you always look at this game as being a tricky one. You've seen last week they caused San Diego problems. San Diego weren't able to beat them, and between now and the end of the year they will cause other teams' problems. I think there were points at which we could look at ourselves and be really disappointed tonight. But as always, I want to focus on what we can grab forward and take into the coming games because as you point to, we are at a stage now where we're not going to become a different team in the coming five games. It's about being the best version of ourselves that we have been at various points this year. And I think if we can do a good job of that, then we'll find ourselves in a good place."

On thoughts on Robin Lod performance...

"He [Robing Lod] was excellent. And it's not lost on us, of course, over this season because of personnel and availability and the way the squad looks. We've ended up using Robin slightly out of position. And as a consequence, he's not as close to the goal as he typically would be. And of course, Robin at his best is very creative, very good at unlocking, very good in front of goal. But I think the tradeoff that we've made there, we found justified in the way he contributes to general play, the way he links, helps us in buildup, the strength that he shows in the middle, and I think that's often overlooked. It's not easy to spot on the eye, but the defensive contribution that he gives us is not like a typical number 10 that you drop down into a lower role. So I think the fact that last week he was able to, I think it's the fourth season on the spin that he's been able to contribute 10 goal contributions and tonight to have that moment as well. I think there's some level of compensation for him if that is a word. But tonight, he was very, very good in the same way that Wil [Trapp] was. And as I said, they've been phenomenal for us over the course of the year, and it seems to be that they need the goals to get the recognition. But over the course of this year, for sure, two of our most consistent, if not the most consistent players."

On what stood out the most from Robin Lod's goal...

" It was a combination of the two and I think Rob [Robin Lod] read the state of the game really well at that point. I think there is a stage of the game where we're talking about ways in which we can get Rob closer to the front and we had Owen [Gene] ready to come on. Rob is an incredible intelligent footballer and reads that situation where he finds himself on the last line and Wil had across a couple of moments today exceptional in terms of how he found that sauce in behind and showed that real high level quality from deep. I think the fact that those two combined in that way, and then Rob showed the composure, the strength, the intelligence to cross across the defender was a mark of what a good player he is. He hasn't as much as joy on account in the way in which the team has played in front of goal, but these moments are big for and for the club. I think that over the course of these six games will hopefully amount to a really important point for us."

On moving forward towards the end of the season and turning losses into wins against Western Conference teams...

"Everyone, I'm sure who follows this team well and follows this club's evolution over its course of its existence would point to the fact that we need to get stronger as a club, we need to have more depth, we need to have more options, we need to be at our fullest when it comes to our players who can come on and change the games because ultimately that's what the top teams do and what the top teams have in this division [MLS]. That's of course only one side of it, I'm not pointing solely to individuals and personal but that is a big part of moving forward and being able to compete with the very top teams. What I think we've done a very good job of this year is without being spectacular, without being absolutely dominant in every game in which maybe other teams around us would hope to be and have been. We've done a very good job of grinding out lots of points through, I would say, is a very effective playing style. Sometimes I feel we find ourselves at our limit in certain situations, sometimes we can do better as a team, sometimes I can do better as a coach. So, it's about finding solutions to unlocking teams, but it's a complex answer, there's a lot of layers to it. But we have taken big steps forward this year in comparison to last year I would say in that sense. It's very difficult to get to this point, 30 odd games without losing back-to-back games. That's almost a whole mark, we're able to show that level of resilience week in, week out. Tonight was a very obvious example of that, it's a team that knows how to stay in games, I've talked about this a lot because I think it's a remarkable staple for us to be a team that is losing the least in games, almost captures what we are a little bit. For us to be a team that is winning most in games and finding things comfortable, we really have to evolve as a club and a squad and I'm sure there are designs to do that."

MIDFIELDER WIL TRAPP

On his overall opinion of the match result...

"I think if you look at the game it's probably fair. They're [Portland Timbers] just good in transition and I think even the goal they scored was probably the worst chance of all the ones they had. They're a tricky team and I think for us we're obviously disappointed not to win, but it feels probably fair."

On his assist that led to Robin Lod scoring the Loons only goal...

"It's funny man, we've been training all week actually. Not with Robin [Lod], which is the irony of it but I think it's just getting comfortable in situations where those plays can happen. Robin makes a great run, unbelievable first touch, and a great goal."

On where his playmaking ability came from in tonight's match...

"I think tonight was a game where, as the game went back and forth and space opened up, these types of situations happen a little bit more and I think it was a great run from Rob [Robin Lod] and a great touch to score."

On how the Loons are looking to involve Kelvin Yeboah in the attack more often...

"I think for him it's simplifying. Getting in situations now where it's a little different because Tani's [Oluwaseyi] not in there anymore. So he's now just the one guy up front and that's going to take a little bit of time. So I think for him it's just keeping with his process, staying comfortable, astute, and just continuing to get in the right spots and eventually it will come."

On training with Kelvin Yeboah as he focuses on being the sole striker for the club...

"For the two of us [himself and Kelvin] it's just getting him in situations where he can be dynamic and have runs on goal. For me it's just nice to work on things and continue to sharpen the tools."

On how the team is reacting to clinching a playoff spot after tonight's match...

"[The squad is] pretty subdued actually. I'd say the feeling is 'great we made the playoffs', but our aims and our sights are higher so that's a great tick I guess you could say, in the sense of where we're moving, but we want to reach higher than that."

On the upcoming international break and how it impacts the squad...

"I think for us we were sitting here at halftime even saying, 'Don't go into this break regretting anything,' and granted like I said it's probably a fair point, but if we were getting zero points in this game we'd feel different going into that [upcoming] game against San Diego [FC]. So it's just about the guys that are here training, the guys that are away getting quality games in and coming back together for an important game against San Diego [FC]."

On how the squad prepares for matches against Western Conference teams that are sitting high in the table...

"I think it's looking at the moments, especially tonight, I think while we're good on attacking set pieces the transitional moments, especially against a team like Portland [Timbers] where that's one of their greatest assets, we just have to be a little bit closer to minimize those types of plays that get us running 40, 50, 80 yards back to our own goal."

On how he felt about his ball distribution throughout the match and his current run of form...

"I'm always feeling it baby! I thought they were a pretty open team so it's just looking for the space and our number tens, Rob[Robin Lod] playing a little bit deeper but mostly playing in that ten spot where he's comfortable just making good runs behind the line as that late runner. I think for me it's just again getting your head up and looking at the last line first. That's something that Eric [Ramsay] talks about a lot for us."

FORWARD MAMADOU DIENG

On his feelings after debuting for Minnesota United...

"I feel happy. I feel happy to play with Minnesota [United]. I feel great."

On what the week has felt like after only being in Minnesota for three days...

"We are in the middle of the season, I'm ready, train for one day or three days, I don't care. I just keep going."

On what the coaching staff has instructed him to do as he adjusts to the team...

"To run for the team. When we defend I have to come to the box [18-yard box]. We defend together and attack together."

On the difference of quality between leagues...

"I think [the difference] is how we [Minnesota United] defend because the field is bigger than the USL [Championship]. And then we play tight, we play very tactically which is different than USL [where] we have a lot of tradition and a lot of runs. But here we play very tactically and keep the ball in play. That's the difference."

On his goal to play in the top division...

"Yes, of course. I try to take any tiny little step for my career. I played for the USL and now I play for MLS. I try to do my best to go farther."

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 30, 2025


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