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Minnesota United
Major League Soccer
Aug 27, 2023 at 9.30pm UK
Allianz Field
Seattle Sounders

Minnesota Utd
1 - 1
Seattle

Gomez Andrade (56' og.)
FT(HT: 0-1)

Preview: Minnesota United vs. Seattle Sounders - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Major League Soccer clash between Minnesota United and Seattle Sounders, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Minnesota United can end a four-match losing run versus the Seattle Sounders when the two sides clash in Major League Soccer action on Sunday at Allianz Field.

The Loons climbed above the Western Conference playoff line last weekend thanks to a 2-0 win at New York City FC, while Seattle sit fourth following a 2-0 defeat against Atlanta United.


Match preview

Minnesota United forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane (21) celebrates his goal on August 8, 2023© Reuters

Sustaining plenty of pressure and making your transitional moments count proved to be another successful strategy for Adrian Heath and Minnesota last weekend.

That triumph versus New York City was the third successive time that the Loons were able to collect at least a single point away from home in this competition, despite finishing with fewer than 40% of the possession.

In their last two MLS away fixtures, Minnesota have scored five goals, though they have not been quite as prolific at home in league play, with a goal or fewer in all but one domestic encounter this year (4-1 win over the Portland Timbers).

This team may be back above the playoff line, but there is little room for error moving forward, with Dallas nipping at their heels, just a point behind them with 11 games remaining for each in the regular season.

They have conceded first in four of their last five domestic affairs at Allianz Field but have managed to come back and earn a point on three of those occasions, including in their previous MLS home game when they picked up a 1-1 draw against Los Angeles FC.

It has been over two years since the Loons got the better of Seattle in a competitive match, collecting a 1-0 victory in July 2021, the only time they have ever come away with all three points against the Rave Green.

Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Alex Roldan (16) consoles forward Jordan Morris (13, bottom) following an injury to Morris on May 28, 2023© Reuters

The 2023 campaign has been a strange one for Brian Schmetzer and his Sounders, who are in a solid position to return to the postseason but do not look as fine-tuned as we have seen in the past.

The core of this team have stayed together over the past few years, yet Seattle have rarely looked like the contending team we are used to seeing, losing four of their last five matches in all competitions while conceding multiple times in five of their previous six competitive fixtures.

Lately, the Rave Green have looked particularly vulnerable on the road, conceding multiple strikes in five of their last six away matches in all competitions, losing five of those encounters.

The good news is that despite their current slump, the Sounders are still within reach of second place in the Western Conference, trailing Los Angeles FC by just four points, and they are six points clear of Dallas, who are outside of the playoff picture, so a postseason berth for Seattle seems likely.

With 36 points already locked up this season, the Rave Green have collected four more than they had after 25 games in 2022 when they missed the MLS Cup playoffs for the first and only time.

Seattle have scored six times in their last five league fixtures away from home, with only one of those strikes coming in the opening half.

Minnesota United Major League Soccer form:

Minnesota United form (all competitions):
  • W
  • L
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • W

Seattle Sounders Major League Soccer form:


Seattle Sounders form (all competitions):
  • W
  • L
  • D
  • L
  • L
  • L



Team News

Minnesota United head coach Adrian Heath directs his players on May 9, 2023© Reuters

Last Sunday, Minnesota were missing Kervin Arriaga, Robin Lod and Ryen Jiba, all of whom are still suffering from knee injuries.

Emanuel Reynoso played just over an hour against New York City, yet his team still held their own, as Jan Gregus and Mender Garcia both scored in the second half with Dayne St. Clair stopping all five of the shots that he faced for the clean sheet.

Teemu Pukki is goalless in his last seven competitive fixtures since netting in their 3-0 road win at the Houston Dynamo, while Bongokuhle Hlongwane has not scored in back-to-back games, after notching seven for the Loons in their first four matches at the Leagues Cup.

Cristian Roldan was forced out of the Sounders match last weekend because of concussion protocol, Kelyn Rowe is dealing with a right quad strain and Dylan Teves has a sore left hamstring.

In their previous game against Atlanta, Fredy Montero featured for the first time in an MLS fixture since Seattle played Orlando City to a 0-0 draw in June, replacing Nicolas Lodeiro in the second half last Sunday, while Paul Rothrock replaced Leo Chu in that encounter, his first appearance of the campaign after signing a first-team deal with the club earlier this month.

A pair of Sounders players have had plenty of success when facing the Loons in the past, with Raul Ruidiaz netting four times versus Minnesota and Joao Paulo scoring on three occasions.

Minnesota United possible starting lineup:
St. Clair; Taylor, Boxall, Tapias, Bristow; Trapp, Dotson; Hlongwane, Reynoso, Tajouri-Shradi; Pukki

Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; A. Roldan, Gomez, Arreaga, Tolo; Rusnak, Paulo; Morris, Lodeiro, Chu; Ruidiaz


SM words green background

We say: Minnesota United 2-1 Seattle Sounders

Minnesota seem to always step it up when the games matter most, and we expect their desperation to remain above the playoff line will serve them well against a Sounders side who have looked a little too comfortable with their position and have played with plenty of complacency.

How to watch

You can watch Minnesota United vs. Seattle Sounders and every MLS match this season live on Apple TV. Click here for more details on how to subscribe.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Minnesota Utd vs Seattle

Minnesota United
66.7%
Draw
0.0%
Seattle Sounders
33.3%
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Eastern Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Inter MiamiInter Miami34228479493074
2Columbus Crew34199672403266
3FC CincinnatiCincinnati341851158481059
4Orlando City34157125950952
5Charlotte FCCharlotte FC34149114637951
6New York City FCNY City34148125449550
7New York Red BullsNY Red Bulls34111495550547
8CF MontrealMontreal341110134864-1643
9Atlanta UnitedAtlanta341010144649-340
10DC United341010145270-1840
11Philadelphia UnionPhiladelphia34910156255737
12Toronto34114194061-2137
13Nashville SCNashville3499163854-1636
14New England RevolutionNew England3494213774-3731
15Chicago Fire3479184062-2230

Western Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Los Angeles FCLos Angeles34197863432064
2Los Angeles GalaxyLA Galaxy34197869501964
3Real Salt LakeSalt Lake341611765481759
4Seattle SoundersSeattle34169951351657
5Houston DynamoHouston34159104739854
6Minnesota UnitedMinnesota Utd34157125849952
7Colorado RapidsColorado34155146160150
8Portland TimbersPortland341211116556947
9Vancouver WhitecapsVancouver34138135249347
10Austin FCAustin34119143948-942
11Dallas34118155456-241
12St Louis City34813135063-1337
13Sporting Kansas CityKansas3487195166-1531
14San Jose EarthquakesEarthquakes3463254178-3721


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