Sounders Hold on for Shorthanded Three Points

SEATTLE — Almost everyone in Sounders nation felt what was coming, dreaded it, knew it but did not want to know. They had seen this unfortunate film before: the team goes out to an early advantage, does not capitalize on some clear chances, and the defense finally breaks under continued threat late in the game for a disappointing draw.

But that didn’t happen. An almost magical bit of VAR came to the rescue after what seemed like the long-awaited equalizer from a team that has been a thorn in Seattle’s side for years. “Seattle sunshine” rolled down from the heavens in ever greater force as the ruling from on high was delivered—no goal. Seattle won, 1-0.

Despite missing 11 players due to international duty, the guys got it done. They had already clinched the MLS fifth seed, but with a task of keeping up the form on the way to a road playoff series, they did what was needed.

The Sounders wasted absolutely no time taking an early lead on Saturday, with their front four breaking down the door several times in the first five minutes. In the fourth minute, Seattle pounced, as J-Mo dribbled up the right side and knocked the ball over to a mob of 90s blue in the box. There was no way for RSL keeper Rafael Cabral to keep his eyes on both Pepo and Rothrock, and so the former tapped it to the latter, who easily knocked it in for the opening score.

Seattle thrice had a golden opportunity to double up around the 15-minute mark, first on a penalty kick, second on a beautiful through ball from Kalani to Pedro, and third on a wondrous run inside from Kalani—but the pen was deflected by a diving Cabral and the open shots both went a yard outside the left post.

RSL, keeping a high press upon the Sounders early on, were able to force some negative passes and brief periods of possession up top, but they were only able to muster a few half-chances. Seattle executed breakaway after breakaway with some good presses of their own, JP putting in some incredible work rate throughout the game to send balls upfield for the front four during those first 30 minutes.

And yet there was little capitalization in the first half. A Rothrock set piece shot went a smidgen high, the wing an inch away from a brace, and the game remained 1-0 in the 26th. RSL, for their part, started cracking open some holes in the Sounder defense, but they too weren’t able to push anything through.

The visitors finally had something of a longer look in the 40th minute as Jesus Ferreira knocked off a bad touch in Sounders territory, a moment that put Seattle on the back foot of some intermittent spells of frantic RSL possession—but no real opportunity arose for them in the front 45.

RSL continued their momentum into the first half, even getting their first shot on goal in the 47th minute and keeping Seattle away from the type of strong breakaways that had defined the beginning of the game. Each time Seattle had the ball careening towards them, their defense broke down more and more; by the 56th minute, RSL put together a deep breakaway that was only kept in check by some desperation play. The pressure abated for a bit, but as RSL’s pressing moved further and further into the final quarter of the field each time Seattle got the ball, that pressure reached a fever pitch.

Consistent RSL possession broke into a battle of breakaways, with each side getting a true chance that fell by the wayside with a bad touch. William Agada held his head in his hands after he missed a would-be equalizer, sensing that the team’s best chance may have slipped through his toes.

The Sounders finally began to regain control of the game as the 65th minute came and went. Some half-chances up in the box were held at bay by RSL’s defense, but a 70th minute through ball to Rothrock provided a similarly pristine chance for Seattle as had come early in the game. Perhaps Rothrock was offside, perhaps he was not; his shot veered a bit too far to the left and the score remained in its stasis.

Yet Seattle’s posture soon became defensive once more, with many runs of high RSL possession ending in a goal box grab by Frei. A free kick in the 84th found the brick wall of Seattle’s backline; a full window opened in the 85th that Frei shut in the nick of time. The blue jerseys found themselves in a five-back formation more than they would have liked, but everyone from Paul Rothrock on the left, through Jon Bell, Jackson Ragen, and Stu Hawkins in the center, and Kalani on the right managed to shut all of RSL’s looks down as the 90th minute approached.

All but one, it seemed. A free kick in the 89th minute turned into an equalizer at the drop of a hat, Victor Olatunji finding Agada at the top of the box. The ending of a movie that had been telegraphed—or rather, bullhorned—from the first moment Seattle’s momentum died down was here at last.

And then it wasn’t. Agada was ruled offside by VAR. Four minutes of stoppage time were declared, a period that turned into five and then six as the visitors desperately tried to equalize with their extra seconds, but a final clearance brought the final whistle into the ears of 31,587 cheering fans.

JP, Kalani, and Pepo shine brightly in first half

It’s a testament to the Sounders’ depth (and the excellence of Obed Vargas) that the team completed their trophy collection while João Paulo nursed an injury. A similar situation had transpired after their 2022 CONCACAF championship and ended up taking the team out of the playoff picture for the first time in their MLS era. Midfield Chef JP has finally returned in recent days, slotting in as a pivot during Obed Vargas’ international duty. 

And JP was cooking on Saturday night, forcing a host of takeaways during most of RSL’s brief early possession. He had a brilliant seventh minute through ball intended for Jordan Morris, but Justen Glad kept the striker away from the ball as the two went on their competing runs. It was one of many missed opportunities early on, but the opportunity itself was due to the accurate boot of one João Paulo.

Ahead of JP was a quick-footed Pedro de la Vega. Rushing up the Sounders’ right side, he beat Alexandros Katranis like a drum early on, forcing Pablo Ruiz and Brayan Vera to fill in on RSL’s left. Vera, particularly, was able to repel Pepo from the box, forcing a couple of corners from budding half-chances and making his life much harder.

His touches and steals proved threatening for all 80 minutes he was on the pitch, often only kept in check by an RSL player conceding a foul so as to prevent a breakaway. Pepo’s sole attempt at a goal may have gone wide by a hair, but for a guy who hasn’t been able to find a consistent stride in Seattle, such tough play is a good sign.

Alongside Pepo on the right side was Kalani, shoving the ball around on the attack during the early game and making the back right his kingdom during the long late stretch of RSL attacks. Kalani had seven clearances in the game, most of anyone on either side, while leading both teams in expected assists (0.28). 

Put in a more simple and elegant way, Kossa-Rienzi was all over the right side of the pitch for all 90 minutes of the game. 

Peter Kingston makes MLS debut

There’s a reason why the Seattle Sounders have been so consistently good for so many years, all while teams have risen and fallen over time-constrained dynasties: their academy. Stalwarts like Obed Vargas, Cristian Roldan, Jackson Ragen, and Jordan Morris all came up through the Sounders academy, and there is always more talent coming through the pipeline.

Much of that talent is truly local, drawn on the soccer Mecca that is the conurbation between Tacoma, Sammamish, and Everett. Peter Kingston, a midfielder who made his MLS debut on Saturday, is as true-blue Seattle as it gets. He played in college for both Seattle U and the University of Washington, but the highlight of his young career is almost certainly when he scored the game-winner for Ballard FC in their 2023 USL2 Championship.

He since joined Tacoma Defiance, where he no doubt found a more competitive environment than he had been used to—but of course, he needed that do-or-die environment to sharpen his game further and earn his way to the MLS.

“I know from experience of being there, it’s a really hard place to be, you know,” Paul Rothrock said about his callup teammates, Kingston included. “They’ve handled that well and continue to improve, and it’s been fun watching them.”

‘Dogfight’ Looms in Playoffs

With the Sounders set in the fifth seed of the Western Conference, the Rave Green are currently in line to face Minnesota United in the first round, but could also find themselves up against San Diego or LAFC. Whoever the fourth seed ends up being, Seattle will have to win at least one on the road to make it to the second round.

“It’s a dogfight,” Schmetzer said. “It’s going to be hard whoever we match up against. I got plenty of confidence in our team. We’ve been in a lot of big games this year, some of that experience is gonna make us better in the playoffs.”

Before then, the Sounders have one more match in the regular season, a game against New York City FC on Saturday.