Match Recap: Loons draw with Portland, but have clinched a Playoff spot

Coming off huge wins over Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake in the previous two matches, Minnesota United came into Saturday night’s showdown against Portland Timbers with the ability to clinch a playoff spot with a win. After a chippy but relatively uneventful first half the match entered the break at a nil-nil deadlock. It would not be until the 80th minute that either side got on the board, with Minnesota scoring an own goal putting the Timbers up 1-0. Five minutes after the own goal Robin Lod scored a beautiful close range goal to draw the match level, where it would end. The draw itself was not enough to put MNUFC in the playoffs, however Sporting Kansas City’s demolition of Colorado Rapids put the Loons officially into the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Good evening everyone, it's a beautiful late summer night in St. Paul and we have #MINvPOR on tap for you. Starting XI for #MNUFC & #PTFC. Dieng on the bench for the Loons who will line up in a 5-4-1/5-2-3 formation w/ Kelvin Yeboah on top

— Northland Soccer Journal (@northlandsoccer.com) 2025-08-30T23:38:43.905Z

The opening thirty minutes of play was relatively uneventful with only Portland managing any shots on target inside that time, though the Loons solid back five prevented those from being real chances to score. Things began picking up in the 33rd minute when Joseph Rosales was issued the first yellow of the evening after getting Antony’s shin on a late challenge. Five minutes later it was Rosales who got the Loons’ first and only shot on target of the opening half.

“They got a lot of players on that top line that can really hurt you, and I feel like it’s a really awkward game against Portland every time we play against them, and it’s always very close, always very cagey,” manager Eric Ramsay said to the media following the match.

The second half of football started the same as the first ended, with the match getting progressively more chippy as the night went on. Referee Jair Marrufo allowed a “boys will be boys” mentality throughout the match, issuing only three yellow cards and missing quite a few foul calls for both sides. Shortly after the second yellow of the evening was shown, there was finally a goal scored by Minnesota but not in the way they wanted.

Portland midfielder Antony sent a cross into the six, that was tipped away by Dayne St. Clair and then put into goal by Nicolás Romero, who had tried to make a run into the six to try and provide St. Clair with extra support.

Antony cross, Minnesota finish 👊

— Portland Timbers (@timbers.com) 2025-08-31T02:31:12.877Z

Five minutes after the awfully timed own goal, the Loons scored, but in a positive manner, putting a goal up for themselves this time. Wil Trapp sent a gorgeous long ball over the heads of multiple Timbers defenders, straight to Lod, who tapped the ball down and then scored on his second touch.

The touch. The finnish 🤌

— Minnesota United FC (@mnufc.com) 2025-08-31T03:07:38.831659Z

“I think if you look at the game it’s probably fair. They’re [Portland Timbers] just good in transition and I think even the goal they scored was probably the worst chance of all the ones they had,” said midfielder Wil Trapp. They’re a tricky team and I think for us we’re obviously disappointed not to win, but it feels probably fair.”

A single point was not enough for Minnesota United to clinch a playoff spot on their own, but shortly after the final whistle in St. Paul, the Loons were officially in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Sporting Kansas City hammered Colorado Rapids 4-2 in Kansas putting MNUFC officially into the MLS Cup Playoffs for the sixth time in club history.

“I think we’ve done phenomenally well to get to this point with five games to go and to be in a position that that we are, and I’m very obviously very proud of the work that’s gone into that,” Eric Ramsay said. “I think we’ve exceeded everybody’s expectations, but all the conversation has been about competing at the top end of the table and being intentioned for trophies, and it hasn’t been about resting on our laurels, having qualified for the playoffs.

Now comes a two week international break with multiple players heading off for international duty. When the campaign resumes on 13 September, MNUFC will head out west to do battle with expansion side, and Western Conference leaders, San Diego FC.