SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. MINNESOTA UNITED FC - LEAGUES CUP - GROUP STAGE - ROYAL BROUGHAM PARK, OCCIDENTAL AVENUE, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. Minnesota United make their pilgrimage from the land of 10,000 lakes to The Evergreen to contest Leagues Cup. The Leagues Cup being a tournament none of us ever wanted or asked for, conceived in the idiocy and greed factories that are MLS and Liga MX because, hey, revenue. All done with no regard for fixture clutter and player safety. Bravo.

What: Leagues Cup - group stage, Seattle Sounders FC v. Minnesota United FC.

Where: Royal Brougham Park, Occidental Avenue, Seattle, Washington.

When: 7:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Friday 26 July 2024 CE.

At Stake: Well, a shiny tin pot I suppose and maybe qualification for CONCACAF Champion’s Cu- I mean Leagu- I mean Cup. They never can make their minds up about what it’s called exactly, can they. Quick to jump to who won it first in each new iteration though. Idiots. Anyway, making it to the Final, or winning the match for 3rd place in Leagues Cup gets you into CONCACAF for next time ‘round. For the Sounders FC specifically, we need to use this time to hone our competitive edge, as we have not yet been able to defeat a top-10 MLS side this season. We could also choose to use this tournament as a youth development lab, resting the first choice players for the US Open Cup Semi-Final and the rest of the league schedule. Wouldn’t put money on the latter approach though because, well, money. And here in America, money = success + prestige to the power of stupid.

Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV. And if you’re not feeling Neil Sika and Lloyd Sam, and it being a home match for Sounders FC, KJR simulcast should be available as alternate audio in the control layer of the Apple TV app’s streaming window.

Where to Listen: 93.3 KJR FM and El Rey 1360 AM.

Alright then. Here we are. The fourth edition of League’s Cup consisting of two to seven matches played over 31 days, smack dab in the middle of the MLS and Liga MX seasons, creating a shit tonne of fixture clutter and giving not much in return. Unless you mean prize money.

Right. With that out of the way. Sounders have a chance to earn their way into the CONCACAF Champions Cup for next season, and a shot, albeit a long shot, at winning a shiny trophy. All the Leagues Cup cost us was our souls.

It’s a home match, so if you’re healthy and have the means, get ye down to the ground and round up your mates. Time to make an unholy amount of noise, and remind the Loons who’s boss in these parts.

Can’t get or afford tickets? You can’t get out of supportership that easy, mates. Head to the pub if you’re healthy, or maybe round up your mates for a home viewing. Still gotta sing and chant though. This is non-negotiable.

It’s Leagues Cup football, under the Friday night lights at Royal Brougham Park. GO ON YOU SOUNDERS!!! GET IN!!!

Before kick-off, please join me in the auld toast: “TO THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FOOTBALL CLUB…AND VICTORY!!!”

Do you fancy our chances? Also, this looks bent into shape by Junior High School kids

as a project for Metal Shop. Grade: A- for effort, C- for execution. Upon further review,

I feel I’ve just insulted Junior High School Industrial Arts students. Apologies.

The Good News

The Loons are the team statistically more likely to concede two goals (1.64 goals conceded/match for the season, 1.80 goals conceded/match over the last five).

Sounders are on much better form over the last five matches with a 4-0-1 record, with the Loons 1-1-3 over the same period.

Sounders have the third best defence in the league, and are averaging 1.16 goals conceded/match for the season and 0.80 goals conceded/match over the last five.

Rusnak (11 assists) and Vargas (6 assists) are our top playmakers and give us quality in the midfield, alongside Joao Paulo who is one of the best percentage passers in the league.

We don’t have to face Reynoso and Arriaga when we play Minnesota United anymore. They’ve both fucked off to greener pastures in Tijuana and Partizan Belgrade.

Meaningless stat of the day: Sounders FC are 10-2-1 against the Loons all-time in the league. The context is that we’ve only been facing the Loons since 2017 and that the squads of both teams have changed quite a bit over those seven years. Player turnover in MLS is rather predictable, you see.

If you look at the statistics from the 0:3 defeat against LAFC last Sat, you would see that Sounders bossed that match in almost every statistical category. It is one of the cruelest results I have ever seen in football, at least in the sphere of American domestic club football. The Sounders’ overall quality should not be judged by that result.

The Bad News

Minnesota United are the statistically more likely to score two goals (1.60 goals/match). To be fair, both teams are averaging 1.40 goals per match over the last five matches.

Main goal threats from Minnesota United are Oluwaseyi (8 goals), Hlongwane (7 goals), Lod who can hurt you as scorer or provider (6 goals, 11 assists), and Jeong and Pukki (4 goals each).

Although Sounders have improved their goal-scoring output in the second half of the season, we still remain tied for 20th in the league in goals scored. Morris (9 goals) and Ruidiaz (8 goals) lead the line, and Rusnak has four goals, but I think most of those are penalty kicks.

The Loons’ man between the sticks, Dayne St. Clair, is an excellent goalkeeper and has six caps for Canada.

The Loons have beaten San Jose (2:0) and LAFC (2:0) this season. We haven’t been able to beat either of those teams this season.

The Side I Would Select

We’re interested in being competitive for every trophy. I would put a strong team out there showing the same level of respect for this tournament as we did for the US Open Cup.

GK     Castro

LB     Sousa

LCH    Nathan

RCH    Bell

RB     Baker

LDM    Kitahara

RDM    Brunell

LF     Rothrock

CAM   Leyva

RF     Teves

CF     Musovski

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

MLS and Liga MX value this tournament for all the wrong reasons. It’s basically the old SuperLiga with a re-brand. Sort of like a brand new paint job on a barn that’s just about ready to fall apart. That being said, MLS and our owners have a giant hard-on for this tournament. I expect the Gaffer will put out nothing less than his first choice team, which I expect to look like this.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Alex

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM    Vargas

LF     Leo Chu

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Cristian

CF     Morris

Intangibles

The Referee for Friday night’s match will be Joe Dickerson.

Sounders FC record with Dickerson as Ref: 10-1-8

Minnesota United record with Dickerson as Ref: 5-1-4

Records displayed are from all competitions.

General notes on personnel

Minnesota United transfers IN:

Wil Trapp - re-signed

Dodson (Charleston Battery) free

Adebayo-Smith (New England Revolution Reserves) €115,000

Bran (Herediano) loan

Harvey (Phoenix Rising) undisclosed fee

Nyeman (SK Beveren) undisclosed fee

Eriksson (Varnamo) free

Duggan - draft

Bacharach - draft

Shashoua (Albacete) free

Smir - reserves

Minnesota United transfers OUT:
Dibassy - released

Dick (Pittsburgh Riverhounds) free

Emmings - reserves

Garcia - (Independiente Medellin) free

Gregus (Houston Dynamo) free

Iwe (SV Sandhausen) free

Jiba (Union Omaha) free

Tajouri-Shradi (Asswehly) free

Dunbar (Orange County) free

Kallman (Nashville SC) free

Bristow (Stockport County) loan

Marques (Vasteras SK) loan

Dodson (Birmingham Legio) loan

Reynoso (Club Tijuana) undisclosed fee

Eriksson (Hammarby IF) free

Arriaga (Partizan Belgrade) €500,000

Comparison against common opponents

SEA 0:0 ATX

ATX 0:1 SEA

ATX 1:2 MIN

MIN 0:1 ATX

(against ATX: SEA 1-1-0 +1, MIN 1-0-1 0) edge SEA

LAFC 2:1 SEA

SEA 0:3 LAFC

MIN 2:0 LAFC

LAFC 2:0 MIN

(against LAFC: SEA 0-0-2 -4, MIN 1-0-1 0) edge MIN

PHI 2:3 SEA

PHI 2:0 MIN

(against PHI: SEA 1-0-0 +1, MIN 0-0-1 -2) edge SEA

RSL 2:0 SEA

SEA 1:1 RSL

MIN 1:1 RSL

(against RSL: SEA 0-1-1 -2, MIN 0-1-0 0) edge MIN

HOU 2:2 SEA

MIN 1:2 HOU

HOU 1:1 MIN

(against HOU: SEA 0-1-0 0, MIN 0-1-1 -1) edge SEA

SKC 2:1 SEA

MIN 2:1 SKC

MIN 3:1 SKC

(against SKC: SEA 0-0-1 -1, MIN 2-0-0 +3) edge MIN

LAG 1:0 SEA

SEA 0:0 LAG

MIN 2:2 LAG

LAG 2:1 MIN

(against LAG: SEA 0-1-1 -1, MIN 0-1-1 -1) even

POR 1:2 SEA
MIN 2:1 POR

POR 3:2 MIN

(against POR: SEA 1-0-0 +1, MIN 1-0-1 0) edge SEA

SEA 1:1 COL

COL 3:3 MIN

(against COL: SEA 0-1-0 0, MIN 0-1-0 0) even

DAL 0:0 SEA

SEA 3:2 DAL

MIN 1:1 DAL

DAL 5:3 MIN

(against DAL: SEA 1-1-0 +1, MIN 0-1-1 -2) edge SEA

SEA 0:2 VAN

SEA 1:1 VAN

MIN 1:3 VAN

(against VAN: SEA 0-1-1 -2, MIN 0-0-1 -2) edge SEA

DC 2:1 SEA

MIN 2:3 DC

(against DC: SEA 0-0-1 -1, MIN 0-0-1 -1) even

SJ 3:2 SEA

MIN 2:0 SJ

(against SJ: SEA 0-0-1 -1, MIN 1-0-0 +2) edge MIN

Know Thine Enemy

The Loons as they lined up in their 2:0 victory over San Jose at Asbury Street.

GOALKEEPER

Dayne St. Clair, 27

Canada (6/0)

Notable Clubs: Minnesota United FC (96/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by North Scarborough FC, Pickering FC, Ajax SC, and Vaughan Azzuri. Played his university football for Maryland (43/0).

DEFENCE

Joseph Rosales, 23

Honduras (16/0)

Notable Clubs: CA Independiente de La Chorrera (33/2), Minnesota United FC (69/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: No known honours.

Devin Padelford, 21

United States

Notable Clubs: Minnesota United FC (27/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €450,000

Notes: Developed by St. Croix SC and Minnesota United FC.

Miguel Tapias, 27

Mexico

Notable Clubs: Pachuca (59/1), Zacatecas (35/0), Minnesota United FC (51/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by Pachuca. Won a Liga MX title with Pachuca.

Carlos Harvey, 24

Panama (7/1)

Notable Clubs: Tauro (1/0), Los Angeles Galaxy (10/0), Phoenix Rising (30/5), Minnesota United FC (9/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €250,000

Notes: Presumably developed by Tauro. Won a Panamanian league title with Tauro.

Sang-Bin Jeong, 22

South Korea (1/1)

Notable Clubs: Suwon Bluewings (28/6), Grasshopper (13/0), Minnesota United FC (46/5)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Developed by Cheonan Elementary School, Daejeon Jungang Elementary School, Maetan Middle School, Maetan High School, and Suwon Bluewings. Played for South Korea at youth levels (18/8).

MIDFIELD

Bongokuhle Hlongwane, 24

South Africa (19/4)

Notable Clubs: Maritzburg United (53/7), Minnesota United FC (82/17)

Estimated Transfer Value: €5M

Notes: Developed by Nxamalala Fast XI and Maritzburg United.

Alejandro Bran, 23

Costa Rica (8/0)

Notable Clubs: Jicaral (13/0), Municipal Grecia (3/0), Herediano (36/3), Guanacasteca (26/0), Minnesota United FC (11/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €350,000

Notes: Presumably developed by Jicaral. Won a Costa Rican league title with Herediano.

Hassani Dotson, 26

United States

Notable Clubs: Minnesota United FC (132/14)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3M

Notes: Developed by Crossfire Academy and Washington Premier. Played his university football for Oregon State (72/5). Dotson is a Seattle, WA native.

Robin Lod, 31

Finland (68/6)

Notable Clubs: HJK Helsinki (75/15), VPS Palloseura (11/2), Panathinaikos (75/12), Sporting Gijon (23/4), Minnesota United FC (116/28)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by SUMU and HJK Helsinki. Won three Veikkausliiga (Finland 1st tier) titles, a Finnish Cup, and a Finnish League Cup with HJK Helsinki. Named Veikkausliiga Best Player and Best Midfielder 2014.

FORWARD

Tani Oluwaseyi, 24

Canada (6/0)

Notable Clubs: Minnesota United FC (19/8), San Antonio FC (25/17)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by Erin Mills SC and GPS Academy. Played his university football at St. John’s (49/20).

Familiar Faces

Midfielder Hassani Dotson was developed by Crossfire Academy and Washington Premier. Hassani is a Seattle native.

Squads

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Castro, Baker, Bell, Gomez Andrade, Nathan, Nouhou, Ragen, Sousa, Alex, Baker-Whiting, Brunell, de la Vega, Joao Paulo, Kitahara, Leyva, Rusnak, Vargas, Morris, Cristian, Leo Chu, Musovski, Rothrock, Ruidiaz, Teves.

Minnesota United from:

Irwin, Smir, St. Clair, Padelford, Valentin, Tapias, Duggan, Bacharach, Diaz, Rosales, Lod, Shashoua, Bran, Dotson, Clark, Romanshyn, Nyeman, Harvey, Mesanvi, Fragapane, Yeboah, Jeong, Oluwaseyi, Hlongwane, Pukki, Adebayo-Smith.

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com on 19 July - one week ago)

Sounders FC -

OUT: Rodrigues (hamstring).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Minnesota United -

OUT: Taylor (leg), Trapp (leg).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Discipline

Start of tournament, so there are no players booked or suspended.

Fun Fact

Stuart Hawkins is currently playing for the United States U-20s in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship and Josh Atencio has been named to the United States U-23s as an alternate for the Olympic Games Football Tournament. Well done, Stu and Josh!!! Make us proud!