A high-intensity playoff match awaits the Seattle Sounders as the team gears up to face Minnesota United in Match 2 of the Round One, Best-of-3 series on Monday, Nov. 3.
Following a penalty shootout loss in Match 1 at Allianz Field, the Sounders are in a do-or-die position where a win next week would push the series to a third match and a loss would put an end to the Rave Green’s postseason campaign.
The Sounders' playoff fate is on the line and the team will rely on the electric, relentless atmosphere at Lumen Field to keep their quest for a third MSL Cup alive.
To remind those of what it is like to attend a Sounders playoff match at home, here are five unforgettable postseason moments to look back on:
Western Conference Knockout Round: Seattle Sounders 3, LA Galaxy 2 | Oct. 28, 2015
The Sounders' 2015 playoff campaign kicked off to a thrilling start when they defeated LA Galaxy, a team who had their number in all three posteseason matchups since Seattle joined MLS in 2009 (2010, 2012, and 2014). Less than 22 minutes into the match, they combined for four goals, sharing two a piece. It looked as if the match was going to be pushed to extra time with the score remaining level for most of the final minutes of the match, but Sounders midfielder Erik Friberg had other other plans in mind.
In the 73rd minute, the Swedish footballer came up big inside the box, tallying a beautiful volley into the back of the net to give the Rave Green their third lead of the night and ultimately, a win over their postseason rivals to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.
Western Conference Knockout Round: Seattle Sounders 1, Sporting Kansas City 0 | Oct. 27, 2016
Following a historic turnaround in the latter half of the 2016 regular season, the Sounders clinched a spot in the playoffs with a Decison Day win over Real Salt Lake. From there, there was no stopping the Rave Green from reaching their first MLS Cup title. With momentum on their side, the Sounders found a way to surpass Sporting Kansas City in the final minutes of the opening round.
In the 88th minute, Sounders striker Nelson Valdez redirected a Joevin Jones cross with his head and past SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia to secure a Western Conference Semifinal spot for the Rave Green. Valdez was in a year-long scoring drought up until that moment.
Western Conference Semifinals, Leg 1: Seattle Sounders 3, FC Dallas 0 | Oct. 30, 2016
The Sounders continued their Cinderella story of a year with a 4-2 aggregate win over 2016 Supporters' Shield winners FC Dallas after a historic 3-0 win in Leg 1.
Scoreless after the first 45, the Sounders took immediate control in the second half, scoring all three of their goals in the opening 15 minutes. From the 50th minute to the 58th minute, Valdez tallied the Sounders' first with a redirected header and midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro followed up with a brace off a one-time finish and a shot from distance, earning Seattle a ticket to the Western Conference Final.
MLS Cup: Seattle Sounders 3, Toronto FC 1 | Nov. 10, 2019
The Sounders had already beaten Toronto FC in the MLS Cup once before (2016) and were not leaving CenturyLink (now Lumen) Field without securing another over the Canadian side. While their 2016 title marked a historic moment for the club as its first since joining MLS in 2009, the 2019 win marked the first time the Rave Green lifted MLS Cup at home.
The match was electric to say the least. In addition to the three second half goals from Kelvin Leerdam, Víctor Rodríguez and Raúl Ruidíaz, the crowd turnout was astronomical. Prior to 2025's record breaking Leagues Cup attendance of 69,314, the 2019 MLS Cup had the highest attendance of any sporting event at CenturyLink with a total of 69, 274 supporters.
Western Conference Final: Seattle Sounders 3, Minnesota United 2 | Dec. 7, 2020
Prior to the Sounders - Minnesota Round One matchup in 2025, the last time the two sides met in postseason competiton was in the 2020 Western Conference Final. Despite a 2-0 lead from the Loons, the Sounders came away with the conference title following a massive second half comeback.
Sounders forward Will Bruin edged out a goal in the 73rd minute to strike a sense of hope for the Rave Green. But, it wasn't until the 89th minute where the tables truly turned. Ruidíaz leveled the score off a shot from point blank range before defender Gustav Svensson provided a 93rd minute header goal from a Lodeiro corner kick to secure the victory.
Following the win, Schmetzer remarked that this particular victory over the Loons will go down as one of the best games ever in club history.
“We won a final, we won an MLS Cup last year, but this has to rank right up there. This was a great win,” he said.
