The onus is on Minnesota United to show it hasn’t peaked for 2025.

The Loons were flying high after a 3-1 away win against frontrunner San Diego FC on Sept. 13, but then suffered the misery of losing the U.S. Open Cup semifinal 2-1 to Austin FC four days later, conceding a goal in the final minute.

Before that prime opportunity to win the club’s first trophy, MNUFC had transferred its best forward, Tani Oluwaseyi, to Villarreal in Spain for a club-record $9 million transfer fee in late August. And in that Open Cup loss, the Loons’ No. 2 striker Kelvin Yeboah suffered a hamstring injury.

Since then, MNUFC has one win in four matches going into their MLS Cup Playoffs first-round series against Seattle Sounders. Game 1 in the best-of-three is set for 8 p.m. Monday at Allianz Field.

“We ha

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