Minnesota United FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Minnesota United FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 23
TCF Bank Stadium — Minneapolis
August 4 - 8 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Although their longest winning streak of the season was snapped at three games in a 4-2 loss at Vancouver, Minnesota United FC will seek their fifth straight victory at TCF Bank Stadium against a Seattle Sounders FC side that is unbeaten in six with three wins in a row.

The Sounders are coming off their best win of the season, 3-1, over New York City FC at CenturyLink Field on Sunday.

Seattle have won all three league meetings against Minnesota, outscoring them 9-2 in the process.

Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United (9-12-1) scored multiple goals in a game for the fourth straight time, but defensive miscues again proved costly in a 4-2 loss to the Whitecaps at BC Place.

The hosts scored three consecutive goals to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the 64th minute before the Loons roared back inside the final 10 minutes. It started with an Ibson goal in the 82nd minute with Abu Danladi pulling the visitors within a goal five minutes later. But Alphonso Davies completed his brace one minute from full time to seal the win for the Caps.

“Our football was good,” Adrian Heath said. “Our defending was poor, our concentration levels were poor and our discipline was poor. If we keep conceding the goals that we do we are never going to give ourselves a chance to win games on the road. It is as simple as that. We aren’t winning too many on the road conceding four, that is one thing I do know.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Rasmus Schuller, M - Collen Warner
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Sam Cronin (cervicogenic dysfunction), M - Kevin Molino (torn left ACL), M - Ethan Finlay (torn ACL), D - Jerome Thiesson (right leg injury)

Projected Starting XI
(3-5-2, right to left)
GK: Bobby Shuttleworth — Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Francisco Calvo — Eric Miller, Ibson, Collen Warner, Rasmus Schuller, Miguel Ibarra — Darwin Quintero, Christian Ramirez

Notes: In the 1,120+ minutes Darwin Quintero and Christian Ramirez have been on the pitch together this season, Minnesota United average 1.8 goals per 90. When one or both have not been on the field, that number drops to 1.1 per 90 (1,027+ minutes). ... Minnesota United are averaging 2.1 points per home game this season (8W-3L-1D). Only MLS five teams have a higher average.

Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle (7-9-5) made it three straight wins with victories in four of their last six games without defeat with a big home victory over NYCFC on Sunday.

Cristian Roldan opened the scoring with the lone goal of the first half and Gustav Svensson doubled the Sounders advantage in the 51st minute. Jesus Medina halved the visitors deficit in the 68th minute before Harry Shipp put the finishing touches on an impressive win five minutes from full time.

“They deserve all the credit,” Brian Schmetzer said. “That team out there hasn’t given up under not ideal circumstances. The start of our season was poor for a lot of different reasons. They’ve kept at it, they’ve kept working. Their attitude at training has always been great so all credit to them.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Nouhou Tolo, D - Jordy Delem
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: F - Jordan Morris (torn ACL), M - Handwalla Bwana (right midfoot sprain); QUESTIONABLE: M - Victor Rodriguez (right hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Stefan Frei — Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Nouhou Tolo — Gustav Svensson, Osvaldo Alonso — Cristian Roldan, Nico Lodeiro, Harry Shipp — Raul Ruidiaz

Notes: Nico Lodeiro has had a hand in seven of the Sounders’ 11 goals in their last seven games (three goals, four assists). ... The Sounders are unbeaten in their last six league games (4W-2D), conceding just three goals in that time. They had won three of their first 15 MLS games this season.

All-Time Series

Overall: Minnesota United FC 0 wins, 2 goals … Seattle Sounders FC 3 wins, 9 goals … 0 draws
At Minnesota: Minnesota United FC 0 wins, 0 goals … Sounders FC 1 win, 4 goals … 0 draws
Last meeting at Minnesota: Minnesota United FC 0, Seattle Sounders FC 4 (August 5, 2017)