Sounders at Minnesota United Loons, recap: Don’t call it a comeback

Four. In. A. Row.

You may want more words than this, but at this time, that’s the key. Seattle Sounders are now on a four-match wining streak and a seven-match unbeaten run. They’ve beaten teams above them, below them. They’ve taken good offenses and neutered them, sorry Minnesota United and Atlanta United. Seattle Sounders aren’t just surging, they’re soaring.

Seattle Sounders are waving a banner that says. “Don’t call it a comeback. We’ve been here before.” Because they have. It’s the summer and every team in MLS should worry.

Is that hyperbole? Maybe. Then again, it’s also the reality for a team that is up to 1.32 points per game — they were at .80 before this streak started — riding a huge run and just had a legendary added time comeback behind Will Bruin and Nicolas Lodeiro, with an assist from substitute center back Roman Torres helping earn the equalizing penalty.

Key Moments

Let’s go reverse chronological order for this.

Will Bruin’s winner. From the entry passes to Bruin’s run to his amazing finish. This is how legends begin.

Nico’s penalty was powerful, and fun.

Roman Torres came on and was the fun loving CB that dreams he is a forward again. He drew the penalty because he’s bigger and stronger than anyone Minnesota has. The only way they’d prevent his shot on goal was using their hands. He still got his head on it. The hand remained in the way. The Sounders nearly had another penalty earlier in the match, but VAR determined that Francisco Calvo’s handling of Kelvin Leerdam’s shot was not worthy of a penalty. Shortly thereafter, Ruidiaz correctly had a goal waved off for offside.

Kim Kee-hee went down injured. This was worrisome in the short term, though Torres played well. It’s worrisome in the long term because the CB depth is gone again.

Darwin Quintero’s goal in the 19th minute definitely came against the run of play, but it did switch the momentum. After United struck the woodwork twice, the Sounders needed to consider themselves a bit lucky not to go into halftime down multiple goals.

Talking Points

3 Good

• Bruin-Ruidiaz partnership. Maybe the 4-4-2 of some kind isn’t right to start games. It’s certainly right to finish them.
• Depth at CB. Not many teams could lose a near World Cup-quality CB and replace them with a World Cup quality CB. Yes, the defensive styles change, but that depth is vitally important to the run.
• Never give up. This was the Sounders second come-from-behind win of the season.

2 Bad

• Francis on for Nouhou. Word is this was a tactical sub, and yes the team came back to win. But there’s a lot of people that don’t understand what Francis added that Nouhou couldn’t.
• Darwin Quintero split two players. At least this wasn’t in the CCL?

Lineup

4-2-3-1 until Bruin entered

Stefan Frei; Nouhou (Waylon Francis 46’), Chad Marshall, Kim Kee-hee (Roman Torres 38’), Kelvin Leerdam; Osvaldo Alonso, Gustav Svensson; Harry Shipp (Will Bruin 76’)

Goals

19’ Darwin Quintero assisted by Miguel Ibarra

90+1’ Nicolas Lodeiro (penalty)

90+7’ Will Bruin assisted by Raul Ruidiaz and Kelvin Leerdam