Seattle Sounders defender Roman Torres reacts to the crowd after scoring what proved to be the winning goal against Minnesota United on Sunday in Seattle. At left is forward Jordan Morris. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Seattle Sounders defender Roman Torres reacts to the crowd after scoring what proved to be the winning goal against Minnesota United on Sunday in Seattle. At left is forward Jordan Morris. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Sounders lock down the West’s No. 2 spot in the MLS playoffs

Seattle’s Roman Torres scores the only goal in a 1-0 win over Minnesota United

Associated Press

SEATTLE — Welcome back, Roman Torres.

Torres scored in the 29th minute and the Seattle Sounders beat Minnesota United 1-0 in Major League Soccer action Sunday.

With the victory in their regular-season finale the Sounders finished second in the Western Conference.

Seattle (16-10-8) will host a first-round playoff game against FC Dallas. The Sounders are making their MLS-record 11th consecutive playoff appearance since joining the league in 2009. The two teams battled to a 0-0 draw in Seattle on Sept. 18. Dallas won the other game of the season series, 1-0 in Texas on June 1.

Minnesota (15-11-8), which started the day tied for second with Seattle, slipped to fourth and will host the Los Angeles Galaxy in the first round of the new single-elimination playoffs. It will be the first-ever playoff game for Minnesota.

Seattle’s scoring play started when Nico Lodeiro floated a corner kick from the left-wing side across the field. Joevin Jones picked it up in the right side of the penalty area, crossed a target ball toward the far post, and Torres — in his second game back from a 10-game suspension — ran onto it at the top of the 6-yard box. His header ricocheted off the turf and into the left side of the net past goalkeeper Vito Nannone.

Torres was suspended for 10 games at the start of August for violating the MLS substance-abuse policy. The defender returned to action as a late-game substitute Sept. 27 in a 1-0 victory at San Jose and got the starting call Sunday.

“I was very happy to be able to score and very happy to be back with the team,” Torres said through an interpreter. “It is very hard to be out of playing for 10 games. But this is a demonstration that during that time that I wasn’t able to play, I was preparing myself and keeping myself in good shape. After those 10 games, I (was) able to come back and play and make this very beautiful goal.”

Added Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer: “I’m happy for him. Roman is a very accomplished player on many different levels of this sport. He was able to overcome the whole suspension thing, and I’m just so proud he was able to keep himself in shape and kept believing in himself. He was a big part of this game tonight because he scored, but he also played very well defensively.”

Minnesota nearly tied the game in the 40th minute. Ethan Finlay picked up an errant pass by Brad Smith and streaked toward the goal, one-on-one against goalkeeper Stefan Frei. Finlay’s shot from directly behind the penalty spot banged off the left post and bounced away.

In the 74th minute, Finlay sent a dangerous cross through the 6-yard box, but it zipped past Mason Toye before he could get a foot to it.

“I don’t think we did enough with our possession, especially in the final third,” Loons coach Adrian Heath said. “The second half, it was virtually played in their half of the field. When you have that much possession and have that many bodies forward, for us not to create an awful lot was disappointing. I thought we were going to score all day and I thought we were going to catch them on the break. But it wasn’t to be.”

The game in front of 47,297 fans marked the return of midfielder Osvaldo Alonso to CenturyLink Field. An original Sounder when the team joined MLS in 2009, Alonso played for 10 years in Seattle and appeared in a club-record 267 games.

Alonso signed with Minnesota as a free agent in January. He was presented with a painting prior kickoff and was cheered loudly when he was introduced in the starting lineup.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Silvertips forward Shea Busch participates in the Florida Panthers development camp at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on July 1, 2025. Florida selected Busch in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on June 28. (Photo courtesy Shea Busch)
Shea Busch experiences whirlwind NHL Draft week

The Florida Panthers selected the Silvertips forward in the fourth round on June 28.

Rome Odunze scans the field in a scrimmage at his youth football camp at Archbishop Murphy High School on July 10, 2025. The former University of Washington star is entering his second NFL season with the Chicago Bears. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Odunze ‘gives back’ in Everett youth football camp

The former University of Washington star hosts a single-day camp at Archbishop Murphy on Thursday.

The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, top right, celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly ball during the 10th inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, July 10, 2025, in New York. (Justin Casterline / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Yankees walk off Mariners on Judge’s sac fly for series sweep

Seattle blows 5-0 lead after Bryan Woo takes no-hitter into eighth inning.

Raleigh says Munoz tipped pitches during Yankees’ comeback

The Yankees had a bead on Seattle Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz. That’s… Continue reading

Midfielder Christian Soto dribbles up field during Snohomish United's 5-1 win against the Tacoma Stars at Stockers Fields on July 9, 2025 (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Snohomish United keeps playoff hopes alive in home finale

With 5-1 win against Tacoma, the USL2 club’s focus on local talent keys success in inaugural season.

Silvertips forward Carter Bear fields questions after the Detroit Red Wings selected him 13th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles on June 27, 2025. (Photo courtesy Natalie Shaver / CHL)
Two weeks after Draft, Silvertips’ Bear still can’t believe it

The Red Wings’ first-rounder reflects on draft night and his experience at Detroit’s development camp.

AquaSox down Devils for consecutive wins

The AquaSox were on a 2-10 stretch coming into the series.

Cam Schlittler’s strong debut freezes Mariners

The Mariners fell to the Yankees, 9-6, on Wednesday night.

Storm flies too close to the Sun, loses in an upset

Connecticut snapped a 10-game losing streak to beat Seattle 93-83 on Wednesday morning.

Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees flips his bat after hitting a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (Evan Bernstein / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Raleigh, Judge heat up homer race at Yankee Stadium

In the battle of baseball’s biggest sluggers, Aaron Judge… Continue reading

Seattle Seahawks linebackers Derick Hall (58) and Boye Mafe (53) celebrate a defensive play during the 2024 season. (Rio Giancarlo / Getty Images / The Athletic)
Season to reveal long-term plans for Seahawks linebackers

The Seattle Seahawks selected edge rusher Boye Mafe with… Continue reading

Silvertips defenseman wins U20 Ball Hockey World Title with Canada

Rylan Pearce helps Canada win gold at the ISBHF U20 World Championships in Slovakia.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.