Sure, Minnesota United beat Inter Miami earlier this season. Sure, they might go on to do exceptional things in the MLS Cup playoffs.

But for longtime Loons fans, the highlight of 2025 is going to be that, after years and years, Minnesota finally seems to have the Seattle Sounders’ number.

GAME STORY for the Star Tribune: MNUFC beats Sounders on penalty shootout in Game 1

In two years of talking to Minnesota manager Eric Ramsay after the final whistle of games, I can only think of two times he’s been genuinely critical of a referee.

Both times, that referee was Alexis Da Silva.

In a short time, Da Silva has earned a reputation among Minnesota fans, one akin to that of Phil Cuzzi with Twins fans.

It began in the US Open Cup semifinal against Austin, when Da Silva declined to make several controversial calls. He declined to send off Osman Buskari, after Buskari - miles from the ball - had petulantly kicked out at Anthony Markanich, catching him above the knee. He declined to award the Loons a penalty, after Kelvin Yeboah was kneed so hard in the hamstring in the penalty area that Yeboah missed almost the entire remainder of the regular season. He declined to sanction goalkeeper Brad Stuver, even after it seemed clear that Stuver had stopped a promising Loons attack by handling the ball outside the penalty area.

In every case, Da Silva not only declined to make an important call, but declined to use the video monitor to review his decision.

So when Jackson Ragen shoved over Bongokuhle Hlongwane in the penalty area, nine minutes into the Loons’ playoff match with Seattle, as Hlongwane was attempting his shot, you can about guess what Da Silva did.

No penalty. No review.

“[It was] as clear cut a penalty as I’ve seen not given over the course of this year,” said Ramsay. “I’d be amazed if 99 referees out of 100 don’t look at that for five seconds and think that’s a penalty. It’s a real shame, in a sense, because you have to be able to trust officials in those moments that you’re going to get stuff like that, particularly with VAR these days. I’m glad I can stand here as the winning coach because with that not being the case, that would have been a real tough pill to swallow.”

As is almost always the case, the referee’s answers to a pool reporter’s questions were pretty boilerplate. Asked about the lack of VAR check, the “Since the VAR did not see a clear and obvious error with the on-field decision, there was no review recommended and thus the referee was not required to take a further look the on the monitor.”

In regards to the decision to not give a penalty, the referee said, “The determination of the contact made by Jackson Ragen on Bongi Hlongwane during the ninth minute was that the level of force was not enough to warrant a foul, and the player had a clear opportunity to shoot on goal. The contact did not rise to the level of a penalty kick and red card offense.”

Side note: I love that even referees refer to him as “Bongi”.

According to Dayne St. Clair, who likely omitted some of his own colorful language in the account, the yellow card that he earned from Da Silva in the next minute was simply for pointing out that Da Silva had just called a foul on a Seattle player for pushing Michael Boxall in the back, the exact same play that he’d declined to call on the other end of the field.

“The fact [is] that I got a yellow card for just saying it’s the same consistency, because Boxy gets the same push in his back, but because he’s the defensive player, he calls it,” said St. Clair. “[For] us, from referees, we’re always looking for consistency, and we felt like there was a lack of consistency throughout the game because it’s hard as a player, because you don’t know what’s a foul and what’s not, and you’re trying to waver the line.”

It was, admittedly, something of a surprise to see Da Silva back in the center for a Loons playoff game, so soon after he’d been at the center of Minnesota controversy. After this one, you can be sure that Minnesota fans will be checking from now on to see if he’s again in the center.

Yellow card accumulation not much of a factor in the playoffs

St. Clair’s early yellow was the beginning of a trend. By the end, five Loons had gone into the referee’s book, though St. Clair’s yellow might have been the only one that wasn’t deserved.

That said, those five Loons don’t now stand on the precipice of being suspended. In the playoffs, it takes three yellow cards to earn a suspension, and those yellow cards also reset following the conference semifinals.

Without getting sent off, then, basically the only way to get suspended for yellow card accumulation is to rack up a yellow card in each of the matches of a first-round series that goes to a third game.

It’s also worth remembering that yellow cards in a match don’t carry over to the penalty shootout, so it’s possible to get a yellow during the match and a yellow during the shootout, but not get sent off. So St. Clair in particular has a much easier path towards getting three yellow cards in two games.

It’s something for the Loons to keep an eye on, of course, but there’s no immediate danger of suspensions.