The Seattle Sounders face Western Conference opponents Minnesota United on Saturday (5 p.m. PT; JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM) for their first meeting of the 2019 regular season. Here are three matchups to watch, presented by Toyota.
Cristian Roldan vs. Osvaldo Alonso
With his red card rescinded, Roldan will get an opportunity to go toe-to-toe with his former mentor, Alonso. The box-to-box midfielder waxed poetic about his former teammate at training on Wednesday, detailing the elements of Alonso’s playing style that he tried to glean and implement in his own game during their time together in the Pacific Northwest.
Alonso’s mere presence in midfield, with his dual ability to break pressure and set tempo, has drastically improved the Loons’ defense, as Minnesota has already compiled four wins and three clean sheets on the season. It’s entirely possible that neither Alonso nor Roldan will pop up on the box score. But make no mistake, this match will be decided by which player can wrestle control of the midfield.
Handwalla Bwana vs. Romain Métanire
Seattle’s Homegrown winger is in a rich vein of form recently, starting each of the club’s last two matches. Those two games, a 2-2 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes and a 1-1 tie with LAFC, highlighted different components of Bwana’s burgeoning game.
Against the ‘Quakes, Bwana was electric in 1-v-1 situations, completing five successful dribbles and registering three shots on target. In the match against LAFC, the Academy alum showcased an increased understanding of his defensive responsibilities, as he posted four successful tackles, one interception and six recoveries. Bwana faces a favorable match up on Saturday, with Métanire struggling to defend in 1-v-1 situations, the Seattle winger’s bread and butter. A composed, technical player, Bwana will need to time his movements well to get isolated 1-v-1 against the Loons’ right back, where he can then dip into his back of tricks and create chances.
Kim Kee-hee vs. Ángelo Rodríguez
Rodríguez is a massive physical presence up top, serving as a focal point for Minnesota’s possession. A clever, quick defender, it may seem like an unfavorable matchup for Kim. But in Seattle’s 3-2 win over Toronto FC, where he fought tooth-and-nail for positioning with Jozy Altidore, the South Korean center back proved he’s more than capable of mixing it up physically.
While Rodríguez has soft enough feet to play with his back to goal and link play, the real danger comes from his ability to win aerial battles, knocking possession down for onrushing midfielders. Kim, therefore, will need to be alert at all times, as he’ll have to immediately step forward to snuff out possession if he loses the aerial duel. Minnesota will pump crosses into the box, searching for the head of Rodríguez, who has four goals and one assist through nine matches. If Kim can’t win the high ball outright, he’ll need to be effective in putting Minnesota’s No. 9 off balance, ensuring Rodríguez doesn’t get a clean shot on Stefan Frei’s goal.
