Minnesota United vs. Seattle Sounders
What: MLS Cup Playoffs, Game 3
When: 3:14 p.m. Saturday
Where: Allianz Field
Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+
Radio: KSTP-AM, 1500
Weather: 35 degrees, mostly cloudy, 9 mph south wind
Betting line: MNUFC plus-185; draw plus-260; Seattle plus-130
Format: The best-of-three series is knotted at 1-1. Fourth-seeded Minnesota maintained home-field advantage, winning Game 1 in penalty kicks after a scoreless 90 minutes on Oct. 27. Fifth-seeded Seattle stormed out to a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes in a 4-2 win at Lumen Field on Monday.
Look-ahead: The series winner will play either top-seeded San Diego or eighth-seeded Portland in the conference semifinals on Nov. 22 or 23. Game 3 in that series is Sunday.
Absences: Loons are not expected to list any players as unavailable for Saturday. Defender Jefferson Diaz limped off the in Game 2, but trained in full Friday. Striker Kelvin Yeboah (hamstring) has been improving and should play more than his 19 minutes in Game 1 and 25 in Game 2.
Scouting report: MNUFC head coach Eric Ramsay pointed out that “we lacked a little bit of conviction, particularly on our left-hand side as (Game 1) went on.”
For Game 2, Ramsay said they anticipated more attacks from the Sounders down the Loons’ left flank, and Seattle’s second and third goals came via that route.
“We talked a lot about how we would deal with some of those problems, and ultimately we weren’t able to do so,” he said Monday. “… If you watch the goals back, there aren’t glaring individual errors, Seattle moved the ball really well on that side. … They showed some real high-level work on that side, quick combinations, real athleticism, real pace in behind.”
It will be another emphasis going into Game 3, with lineup changes possible. “A baseline level of competitiveness, athleticism, organization, the distances being right; I think that gives you a good chance,” Ramsay said.
Note: Cal Williams and Kyndra de St. Aubin will commentate Game 3 on Apple TV+; it will be the first Loons match for the broadcast pair since they called nearly every game for the club since it joined MLS in 2017 and through 2022.
Update: MNUFC spent a $2 million transfer fee and earmarked a substantial $853,000 salary to bring in attacking midfielder Dominik Fitz from Austria during the summer transfer window. But when the Loons needed to unlock an equalizing goal Monday, five players subbed in and Fitz remained on the bench. He also didn’t play in Game 1.
“He’s still well and truly in that adaptation period,” Ramsay said. “I think it has been probably tougher than he anticipated and tougher than we anticipated. … The minutes that he has had on the pitch so far haven’t … been all that convincing in terms of showing that ability to cope at the moment with the physical demands of MLS.”
Ramsay said Fitz, 26, could still play a role in Game 3.
Stats: In Game 2, Seattle continued to dominate possession (59-41%) and expected goals (1.9-0.8), but those margins were smaller than in Game 1.
Prediction: The Sounders are the favorite and have been more convincing in the series — outside off a lull before halftime in Game 2 — and they will keep Minnesota from reaching the Western Conference semifinals for a second straight season. Sounders, 2-1.
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