Sounders at Minnesota United recap: you end up breaking

Beaten down by injuries and callbacks, the Seattle Sounders held their own for more than 80 minutes on the road against Minnesota United. Folding, folding, folding, the team ended up crumbling when they allowed just one goal in the 1-0 loss to the Loons, the first in Adrian Heath’s history and the first of the season .

The loss ends the 13-game unbeaten streak – all it took was a formation with two tough calls, a bench that included two goalkeepers and a Loons side that didn’t. Significantly threatened the goal during the 85% of the match.

Robin Lod took the victory, particularly effective at the end of the match. Lod’s goal ended a streak where he likely won a penalty, which would not have been revised as he scored later. His chances on the chances in the 80th and 81st minutes were better than the sum total of the danger Seattle created.

The Sounders will have little time to recover from the loss as they play at Austin FC on Thursday (6:30 p.m. PT, ESPN) and without anyone recovering they will be eligible for three tough calls – Xavier Arreaga will miss this game in due to a yellow card accumulation. Kelyn Rowe was also revealed to be playing with flu-like symptoms.

Seattle starts the week still leading the West and the Shield with 29 points. New England and Kansas City are the only teams within 3 points of the leaders.

6 ‘- AB Cissoko stops a solid attack from Loons using a shield and a Nouhou-style dribble.

7 ‘- Raul takes the pocket of the defense of Minnesota, making Montero spring on the flank. Fredy’s cross found Medranda, but Jimmy’s one-touch schross was ineffective.

13 ‘- Danny Leyva forced to commit the tactical fault when Fragapane pierces Rowe, JP, Yeimar. Minnesota wastes the free kick from a dangerous spot.

15 ‘- Yeimar drops Hunou in the box. The CR gave a no-call on the shoulder challenge. Sixty seconds later, the reading was interrupted for a brief conversation with the video assistant, the no call stops.

17 ‘- After a serious foul, Yeimar steps on Gaspar’s arm. Yellow is shown. Seattle now has two on caution.

27 ‘- Lod wastes a United break by kicking the ball through Yeimar’s legs and then throwing the Colombian to the ground after the ineffective shot. Seattle is lucky the Finn turned a 3v3 to a failure.

29 ‘- After a foul on Xavi, the Minnesota free kick must face a wall of six men. Just a little high.

40 ‘- On his fourth corner, Minnesota remains ineffective. Loons dominate the chances of attack in the morning.

43 ‘- Montero sends Jimmy Medranda straight to goal. Medranda’s powerful shot goes straight to former Sounder Tyler Miller. It was the most dangerous Seattle had created in the first half.

45 ‘- It’s Ruidiaz’s turn to challenge Miller. His instant shot from the top of the semicircle forces Miller a full stretch.

47 ‘- On a corner, Cissoko has just kicked a ball from the top of his thigh towards the goal. Miller never notices the danger. The defender of the Loons post manages to clear the ball.

64 ‘- Arreaga gets late yellow. The third sounder to get a yellow. It goes now Miss the midweek game at Austin FC.

65 ‘- AB Cissoko heard something from Adrian Heath and won’t back down. The 4th official and most of Seattle must move AB away from the opposing coach and later he enters with Reynoso.

70 ‘- Josh Atencio enters for Brad Smith. There are cascading changes as Medranda returns to LWB, Leyva moves to AM, and Atencio is JP’s partner.

74 ‘- Atencio sombreros one, dribbles another. Just outright abuse. Seattle gets a dangerous free kick from the streak. Xavi puts that kick into the net, but it’s half a foot offside. Good call.

80 ‘- Lod, paused after a bad turnaround, is pulled from behind by AB. Cleveland recovers the dribbling ball. The game lasts a few minutes. Lod scores at 81 ‘to put United in the lead 1-0. The no-appeal results in a Loons goal.

85 ‘- Samuel Adeniran and Ethan Dobbelare replace Leyva and Cissoko. The training goes to Atencio at LCB.

Seattle’s depth is strong: Starting with Rowe, Leyva, Atencio, Medranda, Cissoko and Cleveland, the Sounders were about to steal a point. For a team with so many absences, it didn’t sound like child’s play. The youth movement and budget signings almost went 0-0 on the road.

You bend enough, you break: Minnesota kept the pressure on Seattle. The early attack was rejected. Later, these paths to the goal became more open, more threatening. Heath continued, just a little squeeze against untested and / or exhausted men knowing they would eventually fail – they did. And yet, Seattle’s worst result of the season is not one that a team can see as a path to victory, with the exception of Austin FC and perhaps Sporting Kansas City because ultimately, the ‘team will regain health.

More darkness comes: Xavi had a solid game in defense, saving several chances, but his yellow was his fifth of the season, which means he will miss the next game. His absence will be particularly painful in the middle of the week.

AB Cissoko almost put the ball in the goal.

“If we’ve come to Minnesota to try and steal a point, that’s when you stumble. Unfortunately, MLS is a tough league. Minnesota was ready, they were pumped up. Our frankness, we always express optimism about what we are trying to accomplish. – Brian Schmetzer as the match approaches

30 – Seattle’s last shot was 60 ‘. Jimmy Medranda’s shot was the last time the Sounders defied goal without a call canceling the action.

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