Sports stats



MLS Minnesota United FC

MNUFC Fall to Seattle 1-2

April 2, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota United tasted defeat for the first time in the 2022 season, falling to the Seattle Sounders by a score of 2-1 on a chilly night at Allianz Field.

The first half swung in favor of Seattle, who held 65% of the possession and put five shots on goal to keep Dayne St. Clair busy between the sticks.

Minnesota was not without its chances, though, and nearly opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Abu Danladi, making his first start of the 2022 season, found himself on the end of a Wil Trapp cross after a nice run-up from both Trapp and Emanuel Reynoso on a counter attack. Danladi brought the ball down with his chest and nearly beat Sounders keeper Stefan Frei with a right-footed shot, but the ball found too much of the woodwork and deflected out of harm's way.

Seattle had a golden opportunity to open the scoring on their end of the pitch not even 10 minutes later. João Paulo took a few crafty touches with the ball on an impressive run up the right flank and eventually drew a foul on Bakaye Dibassy outside the box. Nicolas Lodeiro, playing for the first time since Seattle's season opener on February 27th, dropped the free kick right onto Cristian Roldán's head in the center of the six-yard-box.

St. Clair made the save, but couldn't handle the awkward attempt cleanly and the ball fell right to Jordan Morris in the middle of the area, but the U.S. International skied it over the crossbar.

St. Clair was called upon again moments later in the 27th minute. Lodeiro found a chunk of space down the right wing and sent the ball into Morris, who made a clever run to get open along the touch line. Morris flicked the ball back to Will Bruin, who was unmarked in the center of the box but couldn't beat St. Clair near post.

Frei's elite goalkeeping services weren't technically called on until the 35th minute of action. Luis Amarilla made a nice headed pass to Robin Lod in space just outside the box. Lod put a nice blast on target with his right foot, but went straight to the capable hands of Frei.

Joao Paulo broke the tie for Seattle in the 38th minute. Lodeiro made a dangerous run down the left flank and demanded the attention of the Minnesota defense, which left a wide open patch of grass in the middle of the field. Lodeiro tapped a perfectly weighted ball with his left foot to the top of the box, where Paulo was waiting to blast it into the top right corner.

Prior to Paulo's goal, Minnesota hadn't conceded a goal since the 5th minute of its home-opening match against Nashville, good for just over 300 consecutive minutes of match time without conceding.

Adrian Heath brought on Honduran international Joseph Rosales at halftime for Danladi and moved the team into a 4-3-3 formation. Rosales' pace and energy as an extra man in the midfield brought the Loons closer to level on their own possession and brought more discomfort to Seattle when the Sounders had the ball.

Unfortunately, disaster struck for the Loons in the opening minutes of the second half. Morris got the ball in space down the left side and looked to cross the ball to Roldán at the far post. The cross deflected off defender Brent Kallman and rolled to the back of the net to make it 2-0 Seattle.

The own goal marked the first friendly fire of the season and also the first time Minnesota has conceded in the second half in 2022.

Heath brought on two more substitutions in the 63rd with the Loons down two and pressing to tilt the field and momentum back in their favor. Bongokuhle Hlongwane came on for DJ Taylor, and Kemar Lawrence made his Loons debut, subbing on for Kallman.

Hlongwane's energy could be felt early and often after he subbed on. He and Amarilla sparked a crafty run down the right side, winning a corner off Sounders defender Jackson Ragen in the 68th minute, but Reynoso's ensuing corner was no problem for the Seattle defense.

Rosales, seemingly always finding the ball in dangerous patches of grass for the entire second half, had an opportunity to open his Loons scoring account in serious style from outside the box in the 70th minute, but his hopeful shot sailed wide right.

Rosales did play a huge part in getting the Loons on the scoreboard when he drew a foul from Ragen in the box to win a PK in the 81st minute. Reynoso stepped up to the spot for Minnesota and sent Frei the wrong way, smashing his left-footed attempt in the lower right corner to get his name on the score sheet for the first time in 2022.

The Loons had multiple opportunities for an equalizer after winning their third corner of the evening in the 85th minute. Michael Boxall got his head on a headed pass from Lod off of Reynoso's corner, but couldn't squeeze it past the swarm of Sounders surrounding Frei. The ball deflected out to Lod with plenty of space, but Frei was able to swat it away.

Minnesota's best chance to equalize came in the 88th minute. Lawrence sent a high, arching cross into the middle of the box. Frei, in a very un-Frei-like moment, bobbled the catch, dropping the ball to the waiting right foot of Amarilla, but Minnesota's leading scorer poked the ball just too wide to the left.

The Loons remained on the front foot for all four minutes of stoppage time and created multiple chances, but ultimately couldn't find the equalizer in a frustrating tale of two halves.

The loss marks the first time Seattle has taken all three points in a game at Allianz Field. The Sounders now hold a win, a loss, and a draw in their three games played in St. Paul. Seattle continues to be a frustrating force for the Loons, and now hold a 9-1-1 all-time advantage across all matches played in regular season and playoffs.

Next up for MNUFC is a trip down south to face Austin FC next Sunday. Both teams currently occupy the five-way tie for third place in Western Conference with eight points on the year. Austin drew 2-2 tonight in their road game at San Jose.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane

ATTENDANCE: 19,615

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Bakaye Dibassy, Brent Kallman, Michael Boxall, DJ Taylor; M Wil Trapp (c), Hassani Dotson, Abu Danladi, Emanuel Reynoso, Robin Lod; F Luis Amarilla

Seattle Sounders: GK Stefan Frei; D Xavier Arreaga, Jackson Ragen, Alex Roldan, Kelyn Rowe; M Joao Paulo, Albert Rusnak, Cristian Roldan, Nicolas Lodeiro (c), Jordan Morris; F Will Bruin

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ AUSTIN FC

Q2 Stadium | Austin, Texas

04.10.2022 | MLS Week No. 6 | MLS Game No. 6

6:30 pm CT (FS1, FOX Deportes, SKOR North)

MINNESOTA UNITED QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On the unpredictability of today's game...

"That's part and parcel of the game. I thought we started too slow and they started well. Our possession was poor in the first half. Two or three of their better opportunities were really cheap turnovers from us, picking the wrong option and possession of the ball. I thought the second half, when we changed the shape a little bit, put an extra body in midfield, it certainly helped us. After we got the goal, I honestly thought we might get another one. Can't fault the lads' efforts and spirit to keep going, but in the first half we didn't play well against a really good team."

On the momentum late in the game...

"The goal gives you...the way we played suddenly we weren't dropping off and backing off. We saw the confrontation, if you like, was so far higher up the field, it gave us an opportunity to get around people and make it a bit more uncomfortable for them. Having another body in midfield, bringing Joseph [Rosales] on helped us, because then it wasn't too big of spaces for them to get their second and third man on the ball."

On Seattle's first goal...

"Poor giveaway, we had it again. It's a quality finish. As I say, cheap turnovers in your own half cost you dearly, against good teams and their a good team."

On bringing on Joseph Rosales at halftime...

"I thought he was excellent when he came on, I really do, he showed a lot of personality, got on the ball. Even his first touch he turned out and ran past a couple of people. He's a good player, we know that. He trains really well and he can be really pleased with his half, for sure."

On Joseph Rosales' play creating a penalty...

"He's full of life, he wants to run, he wants to get up the field, he's got a little bit of bite in him, he's a good passer of the ball, knows when to break forward like he showed for the goal. He certainly gives us a bit more solidity in the middle of the park and that enables us to keep an extra body further up the field. Putting their back four under a bit more pressure. I thought they had too much time and space in the first half. It's an old saying but give good players time and space and they'll show you."

On the team's struggles against Seattle...

"They're one of the most storied franchises in the MLS. You look at the amount of money they've spent on that group of players. Good players, well coached, good personality, they're good, experienced pros. People like Joao Paulo and even Kelyn Rowe coming in and playing at fullback. They've got a lot of good pieces but that's twenty years in the making, probably more. That doesn't surprise me every time we play them, they're good. They've got good players. You bring in [Raul] Ruidiaz off the bench and [Nico] Lodeiro goes off and Ruidiaz comes on. Then Jordan [Morris] goes off and you bring in the kid [Leo] Chu they've spent a lot of money on. It is what it is."

On how results against better teams show where the team is at...

"No, cause we're talking about a team that's in the semi-final of the Champions League, and 18 months ago, Supporters' Shield, They're just a really good team and every time that you play a really good team, if you don't play well, which we didn't in the first half, it's gonna be difficult, tonight was difficult for us. Second half, I thought there was a lot of positives."

On the player inconsistencies at the backline...

"Well, I don't think we've had the same back four for one game. Everything has changed. It was nice to get Kemar [Lawrence] some minutes. He'll be better for that. Hopefully Romain [Métanire] will be available for selection by next week as well, which will help. We'll have some big decisions to make but I'm just pleased to get a few of the guys back. [Franco] Fragapane trained the last couple of days, so I would think by the middle of next week, hopefully, we'll have a full complement to play and pick from."

On adapting to player inconsistencies with player personnel at defense...

"We just try work on the group that you've got. This week hasn't been easy with people away, international duty, you don't know who's coming back. Like Schmetz [Brian Schmetzer] was saying the other day, it's difficult. The guys go away for two weeks, and you get them back a day before the next game, which is ridiculous but that is another argument."

On changing the starting formation shape...

"It's an option. Tonight, it looked better because of the way the opposition played. We knew that they would have extra bodies in the middle of the pitch the way that they play. We had to get another body in there to get us a foothold in the game. The change at halftime helped us. As I said, we could keep three players higher up the field. The line of confrontation was a lot closer to their goal and they were under more pressure so they didn't have as much time to pick the pass because they're good players."

On Adrien Hunou not coming off the bench in today's game...

"I think the changes that we made certainly helped us. Second half we were a lot better, we were probably the better team in the second half. I didn't want to disrupt it because I thought after we got a goal we were gonna get another one."

On Adrien Hunou status in the pecking order...

"He keeps training, his opportunity will come. Like it does for everybody."

On the difference between the first half and the second half...

"Well I changed the shape, you just mentioned it. We went to a 4-3-3 and an extra body in midfield helped us. That back four earned a little bit more pressure. Maybe we should have started with that. Hindsight is a wonderful thing."

MIDFIELDER WIL TRAPP

On tonight's performance and formation change between halves...

"I'll start with the second question. Definitely. You could see it in the way that we were able to get more pressure on the ball and create more chances, and then actually affect them when they had possession. The first half was really, really difficult to get close to players because they were outnumbering us pretty well, so that tactical shift helped nicely. If I think about the game in general, I think it was a tale of two halves. At the end of the game, we're pushing and that's more of what we are as a team and what we need to bring out from the beginning. Getting punched in the mouth and then having to come back only gets you so far and when you play good teams, it's not easy to do."

On how to motivate himself and the team when down against the opposing team...

"It starts with generating chances. I think we did that. You get the penalty, Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] scores the penalty, and then you feel the momentum the crowd starts giving to buy into what we're doing. It's not one of those situations against a good team you want to be in."

On how getting a yellow card in the first ten minutes changes his game...

"You have to be super smart. You have to be very cautious about which challenges to be in and which challenges you can't really make, especially when the game opens up like it was. Managing and understanding that putting a hand on this guy or nipping at somebody's heels, especially with the way Ismail [Elfath] was playing this game a bit more close to the chest, in terms of the yellow cards that were coming out. You just have to think about that."

On the battle at midfield before the first Seattle goal...

"A little bit in the sense of you want to make a challenge but who knows. It's one of those where, for me, the last game and this game, I have to be better about deciding what those challenges are and maybe it's leading with the left foot instead of the right foot so the studs don't come up because that's what [Ismail Elfath] said. In my opinion, I got the ball on it but he was worried about the studs on the right foot coming through."

On satisfaction feelings after Adrian changing the system...

"Absolutely. We were able to match up better. They didn't have a free guy in the midfield as much. When you can get pressure on the ball, you can turn the play over and generate more chances."

On the referee of the match...

"For us, it's just understanding how he is refereeing the game. Is he, a little bit, like I said, more close to the chest on the fouls that he's calling and then giving yellow cards away? There's certain moments where I think we have to be smarter and more composed with how we're addressing it because it's really easy, especially when you're down a goal and you feel like you need to be pushing, to take it out on the referee. We had a meeting, just now: it's not about the referee. It's about us as a team playing. You can always make those excuses but ultimately that's not what wins you games."

On Joseph Rosales and playing alongside him...

"I think Joseph [Rosales] does a great job of bringing that energy. You could tell, with the play on the penalty, he was just aggressive going forward. He's trying to make a play. When you're coming off the bench, you want to get yourself into a rhythm, that's a great way to do it and he did a great job tonight."

On the growth of Joseph Rosales as a player...

"He has a great skill set and great versatility as well. He can play a number of positions and for us, that's really an advantage to have. As someone that is going away with the national team and then coming back, you could see the confidence."

On the first ten minutes and the first half...

"The first five minutes was... man... Abu [Danladi] had a huge chance. Robin [Lod] had a chance and it felt like, if we just convert one of these, it's going to be a good night for us. You saw the impatience come through. We were generating chances. We were coming on a break and then we're trying to do it every time. When that game becomes almost like a Final Four basketball game, you get tired and the spaces get bigger, and then you're running a little bit more. They have good players that get around the ball and their understanding of space is impressive. It almost hurt us slightly, in the sense of, how many chances we were generating off the break because our impatience showed through."

On the inconsistencies of personnel and adapting as a team...

"If we tie or win this game, we're not talking about that so much, are we? The past two games have been shutouts and we defended fairly well before that. The inconsistency or variability, I guess you could say, in the lineup has given guys the opportunity to play. It has shown versatility in guys like Bakaye [Dibassy], for example. I think DJ [Taylor] has done a good job when he has come in. If I'm thinking about the Red Bulls game, I think he had an excellent game. So much of the backline is finding consistency, finding relationships and comradery and building that over time. Of course, when you have everyone available, you can find the best 11 or the best back four, in this regard, and work from there."

On getting over the own goal and moving forward...

"The own goal, it's unfortunate. The best thing you can do in those moments is to try and surround the player that it goes off of with, I always say, body contact. Make guys feel that you understand it and it's not the end of the world. We've got to move on and pick each other up. For Brent [Kallman] in that case, it's one of those where it's crossed, shot, you're trying to make a play, but what can you do? It's just a part of the game. You've got to move forward."

On being named captain at the start of the season...

"It's part of who I am and the trust the coach has put in me. Continuing to build relationships with my teammates and really take the mantle is what I'm focused on."

On the game as a measuring stick...

"In ways. In other ways, no. The first four games we played tough opponents. You think about going to Philly away, going to Red Bulls, and playing Nashville here at home. Those were tough games and almost a trap game with San Jose. Measuring stick? Yes but also just an opponent that we like to play and we want to beat. It's more frustrating in that regard because they're a team that, at times, has our number and we don't like that."

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from April 2, 2022


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