Seattle returned to the friendly confines of Lumen Field and did what they’ve done all year there: got a shutout. Against a Minnesota United team that lacked much forward ambition, the shutout part was maybe the easiest component of their 1-0 win, as the Loons came to Seattle with a plan to pack it in and venture forward only sporadically. The Sounders made sure to stay compact in the back and limit counter attacks, while piling on pressure and eventually breaking through via a late Albert Rusnák goal. This match highlighted the tactical flexibility of a 2023 team that is vastly different from last year, by moving past a bad result and immediately grinding out a positive one.
The Albatross swoops in on the Loons.
