The Seattle Sounders fell 3-2 to Minnesota United at Lumen Field on Sunday behind a brace from Tani Oluwaseyi and another from Robin Lod. Seattle found goals from Kalani Kossa-Rienzi and an own goal from Nicolás Romero.
Minnesota almost struck first blood nine minutes in when Julian Gressel whipped in a cross from the right side on a counterattack that found the head of Oluwaseyi, but his effort rattled the crossbar.
The Sounders nearly took the lead in the 36th minute when Jackson Ragen played a dangerous ball to the far post, but Paul Rothrock couldn’t get good enough contact on it to send it into the net.
Gressel had another opportunity in the 44th minute when he one-timed a shot from the top of the box that Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei corralled.
Minnesota took the lead in the 51st minute when Lod pulled off a filthy move in the box to free himself from pressure and picked out the feet of Oluwaseyi, who one-timed a left-footed finish past Frei.
The Loons doubled their lead three minutes later when Sounders defender Jon Bell took down Bongokuhle Hlongwane in the box. Lod stepped up and calmly deposited the ensuing penalty.
The Sounders responded one minute later when Obed Vargas played Pedro de la Vega in behind. The Argentine cut a ball back from the end line to the penalty spot where Kossa-Rienzi hammered it home.
In what was the match’s fourth goal in 7:37, Minnesota restored its two-goal lead in the 58th minute when JoaquÃn Pereyra shot from 20 yards out and forced Frei into a save. Oluwaseyi was first to react to the save and punched the rebound into the net.
The Sounders pulled one back in the 83rd minute when Georgi Minoungou played a cross in from the right side that forced Romero into an awkward clearance that he redirected into his own net past goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
Sunday was Seattle’s first loss of the season at Lumen Field. The Sounders were the last team in MLS to lose at home this season after FC Cincinnati fell in Ohio to D.C. United on Saturday.
The Sounders end the weekend in fifth place in the West with 26 points from 17 matches (7-5-5).
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Loons’ first points in Seattle
Minnesota entered this weekend 0-10-0 all time in Seattle in all competitions, including a loss in the 2020 Western Conference Championship. Sunday was just the second time the Sounders have lost to the Loons since they entered MLS in 2017.
Ragen returns
After missing nearly two months with a hamstring injury, Ragen returned to the starting lineup on Sunday. He was an unused substitute midweek against San Diego FC before going 59 minutes against Minnesota.
Final tune-up awaits
The Sounders will play their final MLS match next Sunday at the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Whitecaps (6 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) before they begin play in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Seattle opens its tournament against Brazil’s Botafogo on June 15 (7 p.m. PT; DAZN | TICKETS).
