There are few things in soccer that are certain, but one thing seems clear: No matter the competition, when Minnesota United goes to Seattle, the team is coming home with zero points.

The Loons lost 2-0 to the Sounders in the opening game of the Leagues Cup, adding another defeat to their horrifying record in MLS play. All-time, Minnesota’s record in the Emerald City is spotless: played 10, lost 10.

The Loons managed to hold out until the 87th minute at 0-0, despite a second-half red card to Hassani Dotson, but their defense gave way just as they began to hope for a point. Paul Rothrock just barely stayed onside against Minnesota’s trap and crossed for Jordan Morris, who tapped home from 3 yards out to break the deadlock.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Morris returned the favor, setting up Rothrock for a wide-open chance that gave the Sounders a second goal. Morris and Rothrock were also the two players who scored for the Sounders in Minnesota’s 2-0 defeat earlier this season in MLS play.

In between the two late goals, Samuel Shashoua tripped up Cristian Roldan in the furthest corner of the Loons penalty area, giving Seattle a penalty kick. Dayne St. Clair, though, denied Albert Rusnak the chance to add insult to injury, diving to his right to tip the ball around the post.

St. Clair made nine saves, far and away the standout performance for the Loons.

Last season, Minnesota managed to earn three red cards in five Leagues Cup matches — and Dotson continued the trend in this one. In the 64th minute, he badly mistimed a slide into Raul Ruidiaz, crunching the striker’s ankles and earning a straight red from referee Joe Dickerson.

It was Dotson’s second red card of the year, after he was sent off in MLS play for two yellow cards in less than a minute against Austin FC, and it changed the game — since for once, Minnesota was actually competitive in Seattle.

Unlike Minnesota’s visit June 15, the Loons actually created a number of chances in this game. Bongokuhle Hlongwane hit the crossbar with a first-half header, and Tani Oluwaseyi slipped behind the defense in the second half — but saw his attempt to chip goalkeeper Andrew Thomas slapped away.

In the end, though, the result was the same as it always is in Seattle. No matter what happens, something will always go wrong, and the Loons will end the night with zero points.

With every right back on the Minnesota roster injured or unavailable, the Loons handed Loïc Mesanvi his first-ever start for the first team. Mesanvi, who played high school soccer at Lakeville South, then moved on to Minneapolis City SC and the MNUFC youth and second teams, is normally a forward — but fit in well at right wingback in Minnesota’s scheme, playing 59 minutes there.

Rookie Hugo Bacharach also started the game at center back. Bacharach, who was Minnesota’s first-round pick in the MLS SuperDraft over the winter, hadn’t played since injuring his knee April 13.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the brightest futures in the entire NBA with an exciting young core led by Anthony Edwards who looked like the best shooting guard in the league this past season. The Wolves were very aggressive in this year’s draft as they traded up to the eight pick without giving away any key player.

Let’s dive into each selection they made and the summary of their draft.

The Timberwolves traded into the top ten to land Rob Dillingham out of Kentucky. The 6-foot-2 point guard is arguably the best pure shot-creator and shot-maker in the entire draft. He is wired to score as he plays with unlimited confidence and can score it at all three levels. Dillingham’s pull-up jumper is elite as he has deep range and he is also a tough mid-range scorer.

What makes him an easy fit next to fellow stars is due to his elite spot-up shooting. He’s great at converting shots off the catch due to his great shot preparation, quick shot release and elite shooting ability. Dillingham is more than just a scorer as the Kentucky star is a very good playmaker who plays with a ton of flash.

His scoring gravity opens up the floor for his teammates mixed in with his good court vision which allows him to be one of the top playmakers in the draft. His elite handle combined with his quickness allows him to create space from defenders with ease. On the downside of things, he’s very limited as a defender and will likely be a negative defender in the NBA.

With their other pick in the first round, the Timberwolves added more offensive firepower as they selected Terrence Shannon Jr. out of Illinois. The 6-foot-7 wing was one of the most explosive players in all of college basketball last season.

The smooth lefty is extremely dominant in the open floor as he’s too fast and athletic for opposing players to handle him. He was able to score over 20 points per game while being one of the top scorers in the entire country.

Shannon improved as a shooter each year he was in college which opened up the floor for the rest of his teammates. At the next level, he will be able to bring microwave scoring off the bench while also having the tools to be a versatile perimeter defender. The main question for Shannon is the limited handle as he struggles to create space off the dribble if it’s not a straight-line drive.

The Timberwolves arguably had one of the best drafts of any team this year. They landed an elite point guard in Dillingham who has elite star potential. The talented lead guard will be playing behind Mike Conley who is one of the top veterans in the NBA so that will go a long way in Dillingham’s career.

There’s not a better fit in the NBA for Dillingham. Shannon could be a valuable piece to their rotation down the line as he offers three-level scoring while being able to make high-level athletic plays. The Timberwolves added more youth and elite talent to an already well-established roster. Minnesota fans should be extremely excited for the future.

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