Minnesota United gets chances but can't convert in 2-1 loss to Seattle

Minnesota United arrived Saturday at Allianz Field after a two-week break one of five teams still unbeaten in MLS.

Now there are three.

The Loons' 2-1 loss to Seattle and Columbus' loss to Nashville left Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles FC the only undefeated teams left.

It also left coach Adrian Heath lamenting a slow start in which his team didn't apply enough pressure early and a halftime adjustment probably made too late.

"We started too slow, gave them too much respect," he said. "Too little, too late, really."

Heath changed formations at halftime after his team surrendered a 38th-minute goal to Loon-killer midfielder Joao Paulo and scored an own goal when a Seattle crossing pass deflected off Loons defender Brent Kallman into the net in the 49th minute.

Loons playmaker Emanuel Reynoso scored on a penalty kick in the 82nd minute that ratcheted the Loons' emotion and momentum, but it wasn't enough in a contentious game smattered with yellow cards and players writhing on the ground.

At halftime, Heath changed his preferred 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 by sending young midfielder Joseph Rosales into the game for attacker Abu Danladi.

After Kallman's own goal gave the Sounders a 2-0 lead, Heath sent veteran midfielder Kemar Lawrence and attacker Bongokuhle Hlongwane into the game and brought defenders Kallman and DJ Taylor off.

The tactic allowed the Loons to get three players more up the field, moving what Heath calls "the line of confrontation" closer to Seattle's own goal.

"The change at halftime helped us," Heath said. "Maybe we should have started with that, but hindsight is 20-20."

The change also allowed Rosales to draw a foul in the penalty area in the 82nd minute, which in turn gave Reynoso the successful penalty kick that made it a 2-1 game with eight minutes plus four more minutes of stoppage time left.

"I honestly thought we might get another one," Heath said. "You can't fault the lads' efforts and spirit to keep going."

The Loons allowed as many goals in Saturday's first 49 minutes as they had in their season's first four games.

The Sounders arrived at Allianz Field 1-2-1 after uncharacteristically losing their first two games, 1-0 to Nashville SC in the season opener and by the same score at Real Salt Lake.

They had played eight games by the time they came to St. Paul. Four of those were CONCACAF Champions League games played, with a fifth big one coming Wednesday against New York City FC in the competition's semifinals.

The Loons played without injured starting right back Romain Metanire for the fifth consecutive game to start the season — and absent left back Chase Gasper as well.