(Photo credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)

Two teams still in the thick of the Western Conference title race meet Saturday night when third-place Minnesota United host the fourth-place Seattle Sounders in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

The Loons (12-6-8, 44 points) sit five points behind first-place San Diego FC. They defeated the Sounders (11-6-8, 41 points) in the teams' first meeting in Seattle on June 1, 3-2, behind a brace by forward Tani Oluwaseyi. That snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Loons in Seattle, which still holds a huge 12-2-2 edge since the MLS series began in 2017.

Minnesota United is coming off a frustrating 2-1 home loss to the Colorado Rapids last Sunday. The Loons lost despite dominating with 22 shot attempts, including nine on goal, and finishing with a 60.5 percent edge in possession. Afterward, Minnesota held a 15-minute team meeting that midfielder Wil Trapp told twincities.com was 'to air grievances.'

'We've just need to find that final spark and ruthlessness because you can't come away with the number of chances we created and only score one goal at home,' Minnesota coach Eric Ramsay said. 'Between now and the end of the year, home games will be decisive. We really have got to make that count.'

The loss cost the Loons, who are 6-4-3 at home, a chance to move into second place. Now comes a key potential six-point swing game with the red-hot Sounders.

'Everybody says these last eight games (of the regular season) are played like finals,' defender Anthony Markanich, who has scored four of his six goals in the last seven games, said. 'Everyone has to have that mindset. One game at a time, each game a final.'

Seattle brings a seven-match unbeaten streak (4-0-3) with it to Minnesota. The Sounders are coming off an impressive 4-0 drubbing of the LA Galaxy on Sunday in Carson, California, in a rematch of the 2024 Western Conference Championship. Danny Musovski had a brace, Snyder Brunell scored in his MLS debut and Paul Rothrock forced an own-goal for Seattle.

The earlier loss to Minnesota is the only home defeat in 12 matches (7-1-4) for the Sounders, who have struggled (4-5-4) on the road in MLS play. But head coach Brian Schmetzer points to his team's current unbeaten streak as a reason to be confident heading into the rematch.

'I think this is going to be a totally different match,' Schmetzer said. 'I think we match up well with Minnesota. We're in a good run of form, and we're going to give them a game.'

--Field Level Media