> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Sounders Prepare to Take on Minnesota in Biggest MLS Test Since Club World Cup - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seattle-sounders-prepare-minnesota-biggest-mls-test/ - Published: 2025-08-15T21:52:10.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:18:47.000Z - Author: Qasim Ali - Tags: Analysis, Sounders, Obed Vargas, Cristian Roldan \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2047"\] ![ Cristian Roldan kicks the ball during an MLS game against Minnesota United on Sunday, June 1, 2025 at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash. (Jane Gershovich / Sounders FC Communications) ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/54561618961_8f9334f1a3_k-format-original.jpg) Cristian Roldan kicks the ball during an MLS game against Minnesota United on Sunday, June 1, 2025 at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash. (Jane Gershovich / Sounders FC Communications) \[/caption\] The No. 4-seeded Seattle Sounders (11-6-8 W-L-D) have played plenty of meaningful soccer this summer. From the Club World Cup to a dominant run at the Leagues Cup group phase, Seattle has boosted its international profile with respectable and even dominant performances. But here in the MLS, the Sounders are a few steps away from becoming a widely accepted title contender. That notion could change with a win on Saturday night against No. 3-seeded Minnesota United on the road on Saturday night. Seattle is just three points behind a Minnesota side that is slowing down heading into this match, as playoff stakes grow with each passing week. *(All stats are via fbref.com unless otherwise stated)* ### Previous Matchup The Sounders last faced Minnesota (12-6-8) at the beginning of June, dropping the contest 3-2 in Seattle's sole home MLS loss of 2025\. Missed opportunities lined the first half of the game as Paul Rothrock, then on the left wing, missed an easy look in close. As did Minnesota star Tani Oluwaseyi, whose header early on just barely missed off the top of the goal. The teams played a scoreless first half despite the early fireworks. "First half, I think we had a lot of the ball and we felt good because we were on top of them. But they were right where they wanted to be," Sounders All-Star midfielder Obed Vargas said after Thursday's practice, reminiscing about the loss. "They were sitting in their 5-4-1 and they were very comfortable … one little mistake and they're up 1-0, and that's all they're playing for.” Oluwaseyi got the best of Seattle's defense for the rest of the day, scoring on a beautiful team goal in the early second half. He'd score just a few moments later for a brace in what has turned into a career season for Oluwaseyi, more on him in a minute. Minnesota scored its next goal on a penalty in which it caught the Sounders on their back foot with a decisive counterattack. Although Kalani Kossa-Rienzi would cut into the deficit, the second goal for Oluwaseyi sealed Seattle's fate. A well-struck ball from Joaquin Pereyra was saved by Stefan Frei, only for Oluwaseyi to tap it in on the follow. Seattle would get plenty of opportunities to mount a comeback and scored again late, as the Sounders won possession with a whopping 65 percent. This lack of ball control is by design for Minnesota; more on that in a moment. But in the end, a 3-1 deficit against a stiff United defense proved too much to overcome as Seattle managed just one shot on target, with its second late score coming on a bad own-goal. Vargas' biggest takeaway from the loss? Strike early to rattle the five-man backline. "We know that it's important for us to get the lead first because it makes them come out of their shell," Vargas said. ### Minnesota United Outlook While United is ahead of the Sounders out west right now, it's in far less prolific form in recent games. Minnesota struggled in the Leagues Cup, losing its last two games and giving up five goals across those fixtures to fall out of the tournament. In its return to MLS play last Sunday, Minnesota again allowed two goals to a Colorado squad it was projected to handle, meaning United is heading into its date with Seattle having lost three straight. Minnesota isn't exactly an analytics darling either. 14th in expected goals for and seventh in expected goals against, United isn't extraordinary on either end, but respectable all around. Minnesota's backline and All-Star keeper Dayne St. Clair have the squad allowing just a hair over a goal per game, good for fourth-best in the MLS with 28 goals in 26 games. St. Clair ranks third in the league in save percentage (76.8 percent) and second in goals against per 90 minutes with 0.95 - making him one of two qualifying keepers allowing less than one score per 90 minutes on the season. His strong hands were a problem at times for a Seattle squad that had ample opportunity to net more than two goals in the first meeting. Minnesota is 11-2-5 when it allows one or fewer goals in MLS fixtures this season, and home-field advantage over Seattle this time around gives Minnesota a marked advantage as it switches between a defense-minded 5-4-1 and 5-3-2 arrangement this summer. On the offensive end, United is bolstered by its strong attackers in Kelvin Yeboah (nine goals) and Oluwaseyi (10 goals, seven assists), the latter of whom has scored three goals in the club's last three games. Considering how Oluwaseyi killed Seattle in June, his strong run of recent games isn't a promising sign for the Rave Green. Joaquín Pereyra's service will be another issue, as his 6.3 expected assists pace Minnesota. But as a team, Minnesota doesn't view possession as a crucial part of its winning ways. United is dead last in the MLS with a 40.1 percent possession rate and prefers to score its goals in set-piece opportunities or in counterattacks generated by its five-man backline. For reference, Seattle's 53.2 percent possession rate ranks seventh in MLS. Schmetzer was reclusive after practice on Wednesday in stating how Seattle would deal with that unique playstyle this time around. He said only that the Sounders would "give them a game." Vargas divulged a bit more. "I can't say how we're going to play, but we've watched video on them and we know that set pieces are going to be an important part," Vargas said, stressing the importance of avoiding turnovers in the backline. "They're just waiting for a little nick, a turnover, and they're going the other way." ### How Does Seattle Match Up? While both sides have very capable defenses, Seattle is simply in better form on that end right now. The Sounders haven't given up more than one goal in a game since before Leagues Cup play (two goals allowed in their last four games total), while Minnesota has allowed two or more goals in its last three. Seattle is also playing its best offensive game right now with 26 goals in its last eight outings, giving the road team a palpable advantage as far as momentum goes. And this is not the same Seattle team that lost to Minnesota in early June. Pedro de la Vega and Paul Rothrock have switched sides on the wings, and Yeimar didn't see the field that day. All three of those players, de la Vega on the left wing, Rothrock on the right, and Yeimar at centerback, have found real homes in this lineup, and Seattle has been better for it. Nouhou is also back to his usual lockdown forward at left back. Danny Musovski started in that June 1 loss, but he's in rare form at the striker spot with a spark-plug sub in Osaze De Rosario ready to finish things off. Rounding things off in the midfield are Vargas and Cristian Roldan, the latter of whom has gained plenty of confidence since his Club World Cup showing. That swagger is all over the team, namely the offense. Roldan attributed the increased scoring output to involving Vargas and defenders like Yeimar in the offense more by leaving just two or three players in defense. Considering how Minnesota loads up in the back, look for a busy day in United’s third on Saturday night. "The idea that we go into games now thinking we're gonna score two, three (goals) is quite drastic from where we started," Roldan said after Thursday's practice. Missing its most dangerous weapon in Albert Rusnák hurts, but Jesús Ferreira has been decent in Schmetzer's opportunistic system. Vargas' answer of scoring first may have been an oversimplification in how to win a game against a strong team, but considering the firepower and confidence Seattle is playing with, it may be just what the doctor ordered. And with the implications of playoff positioning hanging over the matchup, Roldan's excited to see how his team responds. "This feels like a playoff game. It'll be a tight game," Roldan said. "It's gonna be a battle of defending and also getting the one chance and possibly putting the game away." ### The Verdict It's there to be had for Seattle this time around. With its confidence through the roof and Minnesota middling, Seattle needs to get on the board early to make Minnesota's unique methods work against it in what should be a solid test of how real the Sounders are.