Second half of season sees great start for Sounders
Seattle finally puts one away, tops Minnesota 2-0
I don’t know if this game was a turning point for 2024, but if 2024 will have a turning point, it was this game.
The Seattle Sounders came into their match on Saturday, June 15, 2024 sitting at tenth in the Western Conference table. With a dire need to turn the season around fast, the Rave Green hoped that their 50th Anniversary Match against Minnesota United FC could provide good scenery for a revival.
Before the game, the Sounders honored fifty years of history going back to the first iteration of the side in 1974. Players from across those fifty years went onto the field, capped off by the living members of the inaugural 1974 team and a moment of silence for the deceased players of that first year.
Seattle got what it needed: the defense kept everything in check while the offense found ways to strike. The most important thing was that despite the Sounders nearly letting off the gas in the beginning of the second half, they found a second wind, expanded their lead, and finished the game with a 2-0 victory.
Defense successfully swaps space and time
The starting lineup looked like this for Seattle, as Schmetzer went with a 4-2-3-1 as usual:
The Sounders’ defensive strategy against Minnesota’s powerful forwards Jeong Sang-bin and Bongokuhle Hlongwane was to slow down and interrupt them on their breakaways just enough to allow the back line to regroup in time to shut down their attacks.
There was one especially dangerous moment for the Sounders early in the first half. In the 18th minute, Jackson Ragen nearly got turned around in the Sounders box as Hlongwane charged forward, but he recovered in time to clear the ball and prevent a goal. Other than that, the defense didn’t have much to worry about in the first half.
Sounders notch goal before half
Though the match began without much momentum from Seattle, the Sounders started to put things together before the middle of the half. A yellow in the 27th to Minnesota right back Miguel Tapias led to a free kick near the right corner for the Sounders. Rusnák took the kick and sent a beautiful arcing cross right to Jordan Morris in the middle of the crowd.
Jordan flicks his head forward, sending the ball to the bottom left corner of the net. Clint Irwin’s dive is far too late to matter; the ball swooshes into the netting – Sounders lead, 1-0.
After the goal, Seattle kept up the pressure, maintaining good possession in the offensive half. Minnesota did not get any more shots off before halftime, while Seattle saw two good chances right as the half was ending. In the 45th minute, Obed charged on the right side and tried to send a ball across the mouth of the net, but his shot went just too far right and bounced off the outside of the net. A minute later, Jordan Morris got a great through ball from Cristian and was up in the top of the box, but Irwin slid and deflected Morris’ shot.
Alex Roldan gets early exit, Paul Rothrock comes on and shines
In the first minute of the first half, a collision between Alex Roldan and Minnesota defender Devin Padelford resulted in both going down for several minutes. Both Padelford and Roldan left the game, with Paul Rothrock coming in for Alex, sending Cristian to right back. Chú and Rothrock switched places during the middle of the first half, leaving Rothrock at left winger for most of the game.
Rothrock took a little bit of time to get adjusted, but in the second half, he started creating more. In the 46th minute, Jordan Morris sent a short cross across the box to Rothrock, who was only a few feet from the goal – but Rothrock’s shot went just outside the post. Two minutes later, he got a promising breakaway, but lost control of the ball.
“It actually took me a little bit of time to get into the game. Credit to Jordan, actually, I really thought that second goal helped me get settled,” Rothrock said. “And then I started to really play with the guys.”
After that, the Sounders began to fall back into hold habits, ceding initiative to Minnesota, who built a sustained attack on the Sounders’ goal. In the 49th, Minnesota left winger Caden Clark sent a shot that Frei nabbed up. In the 52nd, Minnesota nearly had a deadly breakaway, though the Sounders back line held up. Two minutes later, Minnesota had a corner kick, which Jeong sent right into the middle of the crowd. Hlongwane leapt up and headed it, but the ball flew over the crossbar. In the 56th, Clark sent off a beautiful curler, but it went about a yard outside of the post.
A minute later, the wind decisively shifted in the Sounders’ favor. Léo Chú brought a ball up the right side of the field, and, having reached the corner, sent it to Obed. Chú ran up the line and received the ball from Obed and then sent a cross to Rothrock on the outside of the inner box.
Rothrock slides into the ball. Panicking, Irwin turns around and lunges. Too late – the ball rolls into the back of the net. Lumen Field erupts in jubilation. It is now apparent to everyone that, at least in Saturday’s match, the Sounders have fought off their demons.
Schmetzer’s decision to bring on Rothrock was unusual, given how well Cody Baker has been playing in 2024. It ended up paying off, of course.
“Paul did exactly what was needed in the game,” Schmetzer said. “Kudos to the kid for being ready and kudos to him for being a good example.”
Seattle’s best game of 2024
The Sounders controlled the flow of the game for the rest of the night. It was a first for the 2024 side: they beat a good team and did not let their opponent chip away at the lead.
“Their ability to close out the game with good possession was the key to the game,” Schmetzer said. “I was happy that they were continuing to play like they were in the first half.”
Sounders players and fans alike are hoping that this match will be a turning point on a so far unsuccessful year. Jordan Morris said that it was an example of the Sounders at their best.
“It shows that we can play with anyone on our day,” Morris said. “Just keep building on it, keep climbing the table. We know how good we can be.”
Moving forward
Seattle’s next game is on Wednesday, June 19 on the road against the Houston Dynamo, who sit two points above Seattle in the table – a perfect opportunity to move up in the playoff picture.
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