MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.- One of the most dramatic victories in club history was secured by two stoppage-time goals from Nicolás Lodeiro and Will Bruin on Saturday evening at TCF Bank Stadium, as Seattle Sounders FC (8-9-5, 29 points) fought back to defeat Minnesota United (9-13-1, 28 points) by a final score of 2-1. With the result, Seattle's unbeaten run moves to seven-matches, a streak that dates back two months to July 4. Since July 21, the club has rattled off four consecutive victories. Tonight's win also vaults Seattle over Minnesota in the Western Conference standings by a point, as the Rave Green continue their surge up the table. Brian Schmetzer's club is now just two places and five points removed from the sixth and final postseason qualification position in the West. Sounders FC is also still unbeaten in four MLS meetings against Minnesota (4-0-0), following the Loons' debt 2017 season.
Minnesota Designated Player Darwin Quintero got the home side off the blocks in the 19th minute with a smooth finish at Stefan Frei's far post after weaving through Seattle's defense inside the area. The strike marked Quintero's 10th goal of the campaign since joining the Loons in March from Mexican side Club América. Quintero previously scored against Seattle in CONCACAF Champions League play for both Club América and fellow Liga MX side Santos Laguna.
Despite 23 total shots and 63.3 percent of the match's overall possession, Seattle looked destined for a frustrating night at the office. That all changed with a video review from referee Drew Fischer just before stoppage time, as Román Torres' header was deemed to have been blocked via handball from Minnesota's Miguel Ibarra. Following the completed check, Fischer awarded Seattle the spotkick, paving the way for a Lodeiro conversion in the 91st minute. The goal was Lodeiro's fifth of the 2018 season.
Bruin added the exclamation mark in the 97th minute of play, chipping his shot past Shuttleworth for the match-winner and the Indiana native's team-leading sixth strike of the year. New frontline teammate Raúl RuidÃaz knocked the ball down for Bruin to take his chance, following Kelvin Leerdam's initial lofted pass into the final third.
Just five points back of the sixth and final Western Conference postseason position, Seattle returns home for a clash with Western Conference-leading FC Dallas on Sunday, August 12 at CenturyLink Field. Kickoff for that contest is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT inside CenturyLink Field, with national television coverage being provided by FOX Sports 1.
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders FC is now 8-9-5 on the season, and currently sits eighth in the Western Conference with 29 points, just five points shy of the sixth and final postseason position. Vancouver currently occupies seventh place with 30 points, while Portland sits in the sixth position. Sounders FC has upcoming matches against both sides in August and September.
- The result extends Seattle's unbeaten streak to seven games (5-0-2), dating back to July 4 at Colorado. The run is the longest spell without a loss this season, and matches the club's fourth-longest unbeaten streak in club history (5-0-2 from August 25-September 29, 2013 and July 11-August 28, 2010). The longest unbeaten streak in club history is 13 games (6-0-7) from June 21-September 23 of last season.
- Part of the club's seven-match unbeaten run, Sounders FC has now won four straight matches dating back to the 2-0 win over Vancouver on July 21.
- Seattle moves to 4-0-0 all-time against the Loons, having won every match against Minnesota dating back to the team's expansion campaign in 2017. Sounders FC claimed the season's other matchup against Minnesota United at CenturyLink Field on April 22 by a final score of 3-1.
- On the season, Sounders FC is now 4-5-3 on the road in 2018, good for 15 points. The club has five regular season road matches remaining in 2018.
- Will Bruin scored his team-leading sixth goal of 2018 tonight.
- Nicolás Lodeiro's penalty-kick goal keeps him in second place on the team with five strikes in 2018.
- Darwin Quintero scored his 10th MLS goal of the season for Minnesota during the 19th minute, having joined the Loons as a Designated Player in March of 2018. Quintero has now scored against Seattle while playing for three different clubs. Previously he recorded goals with Liga MX sides Club América and Santos Laguna against Sounders FC in CONCACAF Champions League play.
- Sounders FC had 23 overall shots in tonight's match and 63.3 percent of the game's possession - both season highs.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 - Minnesota United FC 1
Saturday, August 4, 2018
Venue: TCF Bank Stadium
Referee: Drew Fischer
Assistants: Joe Fletcher, Felisha Mariscal
Fourth Official: Joseph Dickerson
VAR: Katja Koroleva
Attendance: 24,482
Weather: 76 degrees and mostly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
MIN - Darwin Quintero (Miguel Ibarra) 19'
SEA- Nicolás Lodeiro (penalty) 90'+1'
SEA- Will Bruin (Raúl RuidÃaz, Kelvin Leerdam) 90'+7'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA - Waylon Francis (caution) 78'
MIN- Miguel Ibarra (caution) 90'+1'
SEA- Nicolás Lodeiro (caution) 90'+2'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee (Román Torres 38'), Chad Marshall, Nouhou (Waylon Francis HT); Gustav Svensson, Osvaldo Alonso, Cristian Roldan, Nicolás Lodeiro, Harry Shipp (Will Bruin 76'); Raúl RuidÃaz
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Jordan McCrary, Alex Roldan, Jordy Delem
Total shots: 22 (Lodeiro/RuidÃaz, 4)
Shots on goal: 5 (Lodeiro, 2)
Fouls: 9 (Francis, 3)
Offside: 1 (RuidÃaz, 1)
Corner-kicks: 11 (10, Lodeiro)
Saves: 2 (Frei, 2)
Minnesota United FC - Bobby Shuttleworth; Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Francisco Calvo; Collen Warner, Miguel Ibarra, Ibson, Rasmus Schuller (Collin Martin HT), Alexi Gomez; Darwin Quintero, Angelo Rodriguez (Abu Danladi 69')
Substitutes not used: Matthew Lampson, Eric Miller, Wyatt Omsberg, Romario Ibarra, Christian Ramirez
Total shots: 12 (Quintero, 3)
Shots on goal: 3 (Quintero, 2)
Fouls: 14 (Four players, 2)
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 4 (Gomez/Quintero, 2)
Saves: 3 (Shuttleworth, 3)
