The Seattle Sounders are hosting Minnesota United on Sunday in their second and final meeting of the regular season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 1:08 p.m. PT at Lumen Field (TICKETS).
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 93.3 KJR FM and El Rey 1360 AM.
2022 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Seattle: 2-5-1 (7 points, 13th West), Minnesota: 4-4-2 (14 points, 7th West) FORM GUIDE (all competitions, most recent first): Sounders: LLWDL, Loons: WLLWW
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders defeated the Loons 2-1 in St. Paul on April 2 behind a goal from João Paulo and an own goal from Brent Kallman. Minnesota’s lone tally came on an Emanuel Reynoso penalty in the 82nd minute.
MLS SEASON 2.0: Seattle’s MLS season will begin in earnest on Sunday, with the joys of winning the Concacaf Champions League and the disappointment of bowing out of the U.S. Open Cup behind it. After employing mostly rotated lineups in league play while juggling multiple competitions, the Sounders can refocus all their efforts on climbing the Western Conference table.
FULLY RESTED: Most of the Sounders regulars will have had a week and a half recovery following their historic CCL win over Pumas on May 4. After a brutally busy start to the season, the rest is due reward for the likes of Raúl Ruidíaz, Nicolás Lodeiro, Jordan Morris et al, as they get set to take the field again this weekend.
SEATTLE’S UPPER HAND: The Loons have had decent success over the past few years in Major League Soccer, but since their introduction in 2017, they’ve still yet to crack the Sounders’ code. Seattle is 9-1-1 all time against Minnesota, with the .818 winning percentage the best for any single team against a single opponent it’s played at least 10 times in MLS history.
CCL CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION
We are celebrating our Concacaf Champions League title on July 9 against the Portland Timbers. Come help us commemorate this historic championship!
NO LUCK ON THE ROAD: Away trips have not been kind to the Loons, who have won just four of their previous 22 matches away from the friendly confines of Allianz Field since the start of last season. Cascadia, in particular, has been tough, as Minnesota has just three wins in 17 MLS visits to Seattle, Portland and Vancouver.
QUICK TURNAROUND: Thanks to a massive storm, Minnesota’s U.S. Open Cup match on Wednesday had to be suspended until Thursday. The Loons ultimately defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-1 in the two-day affair before traveling west to Seattle.
REYNOSO SHOW: There’s perhaps no team in MLS whose blueprint is as straightforward as Minnesota’s. When Reynoso, the magical Argentine No. 10, is on, the Loons tend to be unstoppable. Everything runs through him. If he’s not, or if the opposition slows him down, things often go south. Stopping Reynoso will be priorities Nos. 1, 2 and 3 on Sunday for Seattle.
