Match Recap: No goals in regulation, but Minnesota comes out on top in the shootout.

With 24 shots combined between the two sides, neither Minnesota United or Seattle Sounders were able to put a goal on the board in regulation, sending the match to penalties. Ultimately the Loons came out on top in the shootout after making three penalties while Seattle missed three of their five taken.

After their loss in the final match of the regular season, Eric Ramsay made just a single change for Minnesota United with Michael Boxall jumping back to centre-back replacing Morris Duggan who started against the LA Galaxy. Seattle on the other hand came in making five changes from their final match of the regular season.

Match 🧵 #MINvSEA Playoff Edition!Just one change for #MNUFC tonight with Michael Boxall taking up the centre-back role replacing Morris Duggan#Sounders make five changes from their last match against NYCFC🕗: 8:00pm CT📺: Apple TV & FS1

— Northland Soccer Journal (@northlandsoccer.com) 2025-10-28T00:19:53.803Z

Seattle jumped out of the gate taking early control of the match momentum with their first shot coming just three minutes in and was followed up by a second shot just two minutes later. It did not take long for Minnesota to get their first chance of the night when Bongi Hlongwane broke out on a run and getting into the box, where he was just sightly shoved while making the shot. Bongi’s shot was close, but ultimately went just wide of goal slipping past the outside of the far post. The shove and no penalty call which was followed by Dayne St. Clair being issued an early yellow for dissent riled up the home crowd, who made their discontent known.

From there it was a back and forth affair for much of the remainder of the first half of play. Nectarios Triantis and Joseph Rosales both got hard shots off within a few minutes of each other, both being parried away by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei. The shots continued to come at a relatively rapid pace with 18 total shots between the two sides at the end of the first half, but none came anywhere close to being a goal. The first forty-five minutes ended exactly how you’d expect from Minnesota vs Seattle, extremely chippy and possession dominated by Seattle but all in all a very tight match.

Neither team made changes to start the second half, which started in very similar chippy fashion to the first half. After being issued two cards in the first half, the Loons were issued another three cards in the second half while Seattle had none issued to them through the entire match. Unlike the first half of football the second half of had a lack of notable chances for either side, with each team really only getting one good chance at a goal. Seattle’s chance was saved by Dayne St. Clair while Minnesota’s came from a 90th minute Joaquin Pereyra free kick that was out of reach of Stefan Frei but ultimately went just wide of the goal.

After 90 minutes without a goal the match headed straight to penalties per the MLS Cup Playoffs first round rules. Seattle missed three of their five shots with only Albert Rusnak and Jackson Ragen making their shots. Minnesota meanwhile put away three of their four shots to secure themselves a first round victory heading into match number two next week in Seattle.