MLS Minnesota United FC

MNUFC Narrowly Loses 1-0 to Seattle Sounders

Published on April 23, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SEATTLE, Wash. -- Minnesota United dropped their third straight game tonight in their 1-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders. Despite putting more shots on target than their opponents for the second week in a row, the Loons once again found their opposition to be more efficient with their chances.

The first half saw the Loons get back to their early season road strategy, allowing Seattle to keep 68 percent possession and opting for quick strikes on the counter. The return of MNUFC's defensive solidity saw them allow just a single shot on goal in the opening 45 while managing three of their own at the other end. The best chance of the half came in the 41st minute, when Bongokuhle Hlongwane's cross resulted in a rebound falling to the feet of Sang Bin Jeong. The Korean forward put the ball over the net as he tried to get his shot past the Seattle defenders looming between him and the go-ahead goal.

The second half began uneventfully, largely continuing the trends of the first half. Neither team really threatened to score until the 79th minute, when a throw-in deep in MNUFC's defensive third found its way to Albert Rusnák at the top of the box to finally break the deadlock with a low, driven strike. Fredy Montero was credited with the assist.

Though they generated some offense this time out, the Loons attack ultimately was unable to score the equalizer, and MNUFC's first win at Lumen Field will have to wait at least one season longer.

With this result, Minnesota United's record moves to 3-3-2 (W-L-D), with 11 points on the season.

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Sang Bin Jeong

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D DJ Taylor, Miguel Tapias, Michael Boxall (c), Zarek Valentin; M Hassani Dotson, Kervin Arriaga, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Sang Bin Jeong, Robin Lod; F Mender Garcia

Bench: GK Clint Irwin, Eric Dick; D Britton Fischer; M Franco Fragapane, Joseph Rosales; Luis Amarilla, Cameron Dunbar

Seattle Sounders XI: GK Stefan Frei; D Jackson Ragen, Yeimar Gomez Andrade, Kelyn Rowe, Alex Roldan; M Joao Paulo, Nico Lodeiro (c), Albert Rusnak, Leo Chu, Obed Vargas; F Heber

Bench: GK Stefan Cleveland; D Xavier Arreaga; M Ethan Dobbelaere, Sota Kitahara, Danny Leyva, Dylan Teves, Reed Baker-Whiting; F Fredy Montero, Jordan Morris

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ DETROIT CITY FC

Keyworth Stadium | Hamtramck, Michigan

04.25.2023 | U.S. Open Cup | Third Round

6:30 pm CT (Bleacher Report (B/R) app and B/R Football YouTube)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH

On the difference in the match against Seattle Sounders FC...

"Yeah, there wasn't a lot in the game. I thought our defensive shape was excellent. Thought the back four marshaled their attacking threat very, very well. We had a lapse at the end on the throw-in, allowed the ball to come into people's feet and then he [Albert Rusnak] sets it up. It's a good finish from him, but disappointing from our point of view because in general play, nearly all evening, I didn't think they caused many problems, not like they normally do here. So there's been a lot of good stuff, but if I could be a little bit critical, I don't think that we caused them enough problems in forward areas."

On the reason for not scoring...

"I can't think of anybody who's had a really, clear-cut chance. We've had a couple of opportunities in and around the box. I thought Sang Bin [Jeong] had a really good chance when we broke in the first half. But overall the disappointment, I'm sure when I watch the video back, is that we didn't have enough of a cutting-edge at the top end of the field. You could say probably the same for them [Seattle Sounders FC] as well. I thought that Boxy [Michael Boxall] and Micky [Miguel Tapias] marshaled their front players very, very well. I can't really think of many big opportunities that they created. A couple shots from an angle but what you expect Dayne [St. Clair] to save. As I say, it's the first time we've come and really not given them an opportunity to score."

On Sang Bin Jeong's performance...

"We feel as though that's where he'll be best suited. He's obviously still getting his legs under him a little bit. He's not played for an awful long time, consistently, and so that little extra sharpness still needs to come. But, we've seen enough in him that we think there's a player there. In a few weeks, when he's probably up and running and fully at his maximum, I think he'll be a threat for any opposition in the league."

On the effort of the team...

"I've criticized the players for their performance in Chicago, nowhere else. I can't criticize the players for their effort this evening. We've come to a very difficult place and thought the game was very even. In general play, I didn't feel we were ever in real danger. I always thought we were a pass or a little bit of quality on the counterattack to having good opportunities. So no, in terms of the effort from the guys, I'm really pleased with the effort they put in this evening."

On players in the right spots during the throw-in...

"I'll have to see it again, but I don't think we had much, we normally have to screen in front of people there to stop them getting the ball into feet and then setting up, and it looked like we weren't in the right spots, which is disappointing. I'll have to have another look at it and see where we could've done things differently. Obviously then he was set up with a free shot at the edge of the box, it's a good finish from him [Albert Rusnak], but I'm sure that when I look back at it again, there's certain positions that we should've been in that would probably have prevented it."

On the statistics shifting in Seattle's favor during the second half...

"No matter where we play, we've won three games on the road and all them three games that we've won, you have to sustain the amount of pressure to deal with because that's the nature of the game. When you're at home, you take the game to the opposition, and I expected that. But in general this evening, I wasn't worried thinking that we might have to change the shape to cope with them. As I've said, Dayne's [St. Clair] had a couple of shots from angles but in general, we've not had an awful lot to do."

On the performances of Luis Amarilla and Mender Garcia...

"I don't think that we had enough of a cutting-edge this evening. When them opportunities arise to break, I didn't think consistently we got a hold of it enough, and it's something that we've spoke to Mender [Garcia] about; being stronger and being more of a focal point that once we get it in to him, then that's a starting position for us to come and play, and I didn't think we had enough of that. I think Luis [Amarilla] did a decent job of that when he'd come on, but we were chasing the game not long after. When I look back at the game, I feel as though we've had a lot of play in the middle-third but not enough cutting-edge in the final third. We made one mistake from the throw-in, and we got punished quite severely."

On the status of Wil Trapp...

"He's tweaked his hamstring. We go to Detroit tomorrow for the game on Tuesday. He will come back and have treatment back in Minnesota, and then we'll see how he is and what his status is for the weekend."

On timeline for Kemar Lawrence to return with the team...

"He's got a family issue that he's really needing to sort out, as much as I thought that DJ [Taylor] deputed for him really, really well this evening. Obviously we're hoping that his mom is better, and he can come and join up with the group when we get to Detroit."

On filling the roster with MNUFC2 players for the upcoming U.S. Open Cup match in Detroit...

"Yes, we will. I think [Devin] Padelford will be with us. Brit [Britton] Fischer was with us today. [Emmanuel] Iwe will be with us, Tani [Oluwaseyi] will be with us. It'll be an opportunity because we can't certainly play the same guys who played and put a big shift in tonight, so we'll freshen it up a little bit. But we'll also have a team that we think is capable of winning the game."

DEFENDER DJ TAYLOR

On tonight's contest against the Seattle Sounders...

"Disheartening. I thought we played really well - we definitely deserve more. But, the game comes down to small margins. Against good teams, we can't have a lack of concentration or anything. Unfortunately, we let that goal in when we were playing well, holding them off well. I think we just take it with a grain of salt and keep pushing, because we've got a busy month coming up."

On Seattle's lone goal of the night...

"I think maybe we were a bit flat footed, maybe, like I said, it was a little bit of a lack of concentration. The guy, I forgot who scored, was so free at the top of the box. Maybe that starts with us not reacting to the throw in and being directly organized with the players in front of us. I think it's really on us to make sure we're organized next time. We can't take breaks, especially in the last 20 minutes. We can't take breaks and not let things happen like that."

On the challenges of facing an opponent like the Sounders and not losing focus...

"It's really tough for me. I feel like the last few games, even though we've lost, we've been playing really well. It's kind of like you get tired of losing. Maybe the first five games, you could say we didn't play as well as we have been, and we still got the results. The game is all about small margins. Anything can happen. I think we just take this with a grain of salt and just keep moving on. We learn from it and we don't really have time to put our head down. We have a busy month - we've got [U.S.] Open Cup on Tuesday and [FC] Dallas at home, which is a huge game for us. For now, just look at the video and move on and keep coming together. Hopefully our performances will finish off with results."

On what might have been missing with the attack tonight...

"I think we were just lacking a little bit of composure. A couple counters we did have, the final action, the final shot, the final cross, whatever it is, the final pass, we're lacking a little composure in the finer details in that. I also think when we did have possession in the attacking half, we connected a few passes but then would lose it. Just about being sharp in the final third and having some composure in the goals. Even if we get a shot, let's get it on target, not just miss. Let's create chances. I think that's a little bit of what we were lacking tonight."

On the U.S. Open Cup fixture against Detroit City FC and possibly using that to bounce back...

"I think it will be good. [U.S.] Open Cup's always fun. The good thing about having a quick turnaround is we have time to just react and move forward. I think Open Cup will be a good challenge for us, especially after what happened last year - we've definitely got some bad blood to settle. I think the game in Detroit will be a good game. They beat Columbus [Crew] last time, so we have to give them [Detroit City] the respect they deserve. We're also going to go there to show our dominance and play the way that we play and get back to how we were doing when we were at five and zero [3-0-2]."

On last year's loss to Union Omaha and how much it stuck with the team...

"It definitely stuck with us a lot. Especially that I was on the field. That was a really tough one for me. For the guys and the club in general, it was a really tough one on us. We definitely expected to win that game, and we just made a couple of mistakes that led to goals... lousy goals. This year, we're definitely coming out with new energy and remembering that in the back of our mind and not letting that happen again. The club and the fans deserve much more."

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics

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



Major League Soccer Stories from April 23, 2023


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