The Seattle Sounders came from 2-0 down in the 75th minute to defeat Minnesota United 3-2 on Monday at Lumen Field in the Western Conference Final.
Minnesota’s Emanuel Reynoso opened the scoring in the 29th minute on a 25-yard free kick that dipped over the wall and tucked inside the near post.
Raúl RuidÃaz thought he had an equalizer in the 53rd minute when he broke free on a through ball and beat Dayne St. Clair, but RuidÃaz’s goal was called back on Video Review for a foul.
Jordan Morris then hit the post in 65th minute off a left-footed effort from the top of the 18-yard box.
Two minutes later, Bakaye Dibassy scored on a header on a free kick from Reynoso to double the Loons’ lead.
Substitute Will Bruin scored Seattle’s opener in the 75th minute off a deflected ball in the box off a RuidÃaz shot. RuidÃaz then found his equalizer in the 89th minute.
Gustav Svensson, who had missed the last three matches while not being medically cleared after his return from the Swedish national team, scored the match-winner on a header in the third minute of stoppage time.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
STREAK CONTINUES
The Sounders’ MLS-record home playoff winning streak is now at 15 matches, dating back to 2014. Seattle has also won eight straight Audi MLS Cup Playoffs matches.
SUBS COME UP BIG
Bruin now has nine career MLS postseason goals and first since 2017 when he scored against the Houston Dynamo in the second leg of the Western Conference Final. Svensson scored his third career postseason goal after most recently scoring on a header against Real Salt Lake in last year’s Western Conference Semifinals.
CREW SC AWAIT
The Sounders will travel to Columbus to take on Crew SC, who defeated the New England Revolution 1-0 on Sunday. Seattle hosted Columbus in the second match of the 2020 regular season, drawing 1-1 at Lumen Field.
