Cristian Roldan's tying goal helps Seattle Sounders draw with Minnesota United

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:23 am

Cristian Roldan scored in the 42nd minute as the visiting Seattle Sounders recorded a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United on Saturday in Saint Paul, Minn.

Stefan Frei finished with two saves for Seattle (5-1-4, 19 points), which has outscored Minnesota United by a 12-4 margin while posting a 4-0-1 mark in five head-to-head meetings.

Ike Opara scored in the 26th minute and Vito Mannone did not record a save for Minnesota (4-3-3, 15 points), which was denied in its bid to secure consecutive victories for the first time since winning its first two matches this season.

The match was an emotional one with the Sounders squaring off against their former captain Ozzie Alonso, who ended his 10-year run in the Pacific Northwest by signing a free-agent deal with Minnesota in the offseason.

Seattle's Will Bruin and Nicolas Lodeiro saw their respective bids to snap a 1-1 draw carom off the post in the 81st minute. Bruin's header hit the right post from the center of the box while Lodeiro's header banked off the left post.

Minnesota opened the scoring as Jan Gregus lofted a ball into the box for Opara, who gained position on Seattle's Chad Marshall before heading it past Frei. The goal was the United's first off a set piece this season.

Cristian Roldan scored in the 42nd minute as the visiting Seattle Sounders recorded a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United on Saturday in Saint Paul.
Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

The Sounders netted the equalizer as Roldan unleashed a right-footed shot from outside the box that sailed past a diving Mannone and into the right corner of the net.

The 23-year-old Roldan initially wasn't scheduled to play against Minnesota after receiving a red card in the 18th minute of Sunday's 1-1 draw against LAFC. Major League Soccer rescinded the card later in the week.

Roldan's goal was the first allowed by Minnesota since its 4-3 loss at Toronto FC on April 19. The United played to a scoreless draw against LA Galaxy on April 24 and posted a 1-0 win over D.C. United four days later.

An unmarked Romain Metanire misfired on a point-blank opportunity to give Minnesota the lead in the 47th minute, as his shot from the right side of the box sailed wide of the net.