Seven things to savor from Loons’ epic MLS Cup Playoffs win
When Minnesota United supporters learned Friday their former in-house commentary band of Cal Williams and Kyndra de St Aubin were reunited to broadcast Saturday s Contest Loons fans planning to be in attendance at Allianz Field wished the match would be good enough to rewatch it on Apple TV once they got home Come Sunday they can make specific popcorn and get comfy on the couch to enjoy it as if it s their favorite movie MNUFC made an epic comeback in the MLS Cup Playoffs to beat Seattle Sounders - - in rounds of penalty kicks and advance to the Western Conference semifinal The Loons celebrate Minnesota United defender Anthony Markanich goal against the Seattle Sounders in the second half of a MLS first round playoff match at Allianz Field in St Paul on Saturday Nov The Loons beat Seattle - - in a shootout to advance the semi-final round John Autey Pioneer Press Here are seven takeaways Pereyra s magic ball Down - Joaqu n Pereyra s -yard free kick goal in the th minute gave Minnesota reason to believe a comeback was manageable The rollercoaster would have a multitude of more twists and turns peaks and valleys and Pereyra rode those highs and lows too His function on a corner kick led to Anthony Markanich s go-ahead goal in the st minute But in the first round of penalty kicks the Argentine missed the frame wide right He was aghast and needed teammates to console him I think it s a match you don t consistently get to experience various people are never lucky enough to experience it Pereyra disclosed We were fortunate enough to win We re very happy Seeing red While trailing - in the st minute MNUFC s win probability tanked after defender Joseph Rosales was issued a red card for violent conduct toward Seattle midfielder Jes s Ferreira Loons head coach Eric Ramsay reported at halftime he was as visibly angry and disappointed as I ve been in the group on account of how we started the match Captain Michael Boxall and Dayne St Clair talked to players in the dressing room We didn t really address the Joe situation St Clair informed the Pioneer Press But I think for us it was knowing that regardless we have to go back out there and go fight In the locker room postgame Ramsay noted You think how I felt an hour ago here To be where we are now it is unbelievable The credit you get for that top Ramsay added It is likely the best night I ve been a part of as a coach Minnesota United Eric Ramsey thanks the fans after the Loons beat the Seattle Sounders in a MLS first round playoff match at Allianz Field in St Paul on Saturday Nov The Loons beat Seattle - - in a shootout to advance the semi-final round John Autey Pioneer Press Assistant coach Dennis Lawrence gave his two cents which included a message to Rosales Joe don t worry you will learn You ve made a mistake That s life Improbable PKs Goals from Jefferson Diaz and Markanich gave Minnesota a - lead with minutes left but Jordan Morris made it - in the th More than eight nerve-wracking minutes of stoppage time were played before penalties With PKs tied - the next four players two for each gang either missed PKs or had them saved With seasons on the line nerves appeared to be red-lining In the eight round St Clair made a save of Osaze de Rosario In the th the Loons goalie scored a penalty kick while Sounders goalie Andrew Thomas put his shot off the crossbar St Clair also came up huge in the - PK win in Battle and in two PK shootouts in last year s first-round series win over Salt Lake As St Clair talked to reporters midfielder Wil Trapp walked past the scrum shouting PayDayne candy bars St Clair is a pending free agent at the end of the seasons and supporters in The Wondwall held a sign with new name for the peanut caramel treat PayDayne Sounders summary Postgame in the south end of Allianz Field Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer ticked through the lethal moments that led Minnesota back into the competition Then he capped it This is the toughest loss that I ve experienced at this club stated Schmetzer who is in his th season leading the Sounders Seattle represents a gold standard in MLS with Schmetzer taking them to four MLS Cup finals winning two trophies in and They went to the FIFA World Cup in June and in August won Leagues Cup a tournament for top teams from MLS and Mexico s Liga MX The standard at our club is games like this don t happen and we should have been moving on Schmetzer stated That s on me and us We have to accept that Old time s sake De St Aubin and Williams on the Loons call was akin to one of your parents reading a bedtime story to your child self That familiar pair was in the booth for nearly all United matches from when the club joined MLS in through when Apple TV started streaming MLS Season Pass They didn t do a single Loons tournament until Saturday An I was there type of event Williams wrote on Instagram Minnesota you re a very special place I need a rest Familiar Face Former Loons striker Tani Oluwaseyi who was sold to Villarreal in La Liga in August joined a video call with his old teammates in the dressing room after the win Oluwaseyi had stated a match earlier Saturday and it was after midnight in Spain when his expressing happiness face was seen on screen in Minnesota Back again After all that memorable drama the Loons will return to the Western Conference semifinal for a second-straight season A year ago L A Galaxy smoked Minnesota - and went on to win MLS Cup We ve got to capitalize on Saturday Ramsay explained And we have to make sure that what happened in the semifinal last year doesn t happen again
