Dibassy scores in Minnesota United’s defeat to Seattle Sounders

Shina Oludare

•
Dibassy scores in Minnesota United’s defeat to Seattle Sounders image

Bakaye Dibassy found the net for Minnesota United in their 3-2 defeat to Seattle Sounders to lose out on the Western Conference Trophy.

Despite Emanuel Reynoso and Dibassy handing the Loons a two-goal lead at CenturyLink Field, they lost focus to let Brian Schmetzer’s team secure a comeback triumph.

The five-goal thriller got off to a flying start as Reynoso curled in a long range free-kick past goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 29th minute.

Sounders’ joy of equalising in the 53rd minute was short-lived as VAR replays cancelled Raul Ruidiaz’s effort for fouling a Minnesota defender en route the goal.

Fourteen minutes later, Diabssy doubled his side’s advantage thanks to an assist from Reynoso. The Mali international glanced home a classy header past Frei off a freekick taken by the Argentine midfielder.

Seemingly condemned to defeat, Schmetzer’s team refused to give up as they produced an incredible comeback. First, it was Will Bruin who pulled one back in the 75th minute – just two minutes after replacing Joao Paulo.

The American striker benefitted from some awful defending from Adrian Heath’s men to send a close-range shot past stranded goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.

Seattle levelled matters with a minute left to play as Ruidiaz scored from a rebound off Gustav Svensson’s header – with their opponent yet again punished for some more terrible defending.

Svensson stunned Minnesota United with barely the last kick of the game by heading home a corner-kick by Nicolas Lodeiro.

Thanks to this feat, Sounders have now emerged as champions of the Western Conference – their fourth triumph in five years.

They will now travel to Columbus to take on Jonathan Mensah, Emmanuel Boateng and Harrison Afful’s Crew SC in the Major League Soccer Cup on Saturday.

The two teams met once during the regular season, playing to a 1-1 draw at Lumen Field in March.

Seattle are the defending MLS Cup champion after defeating Toronto FC 3-1 in the title match last year. For Crew SC, it will be their first final since 2015 when they lost at home to Portland Timbers.

Shina Oludare