Everyone on this Sounders club has major aura, as they showed when they won an instant (albeit very messy) classic Heritage Cup match on Wednesday. The question is: can they take this all the way to the Shield?
The Sounders haven't had the best go of it in the last two games, drawing against two teams they should have beaten and losing quite a bit of ground in the Shield race. What does Saturday's game say about the team?
It was a game many previous iterations of the Sounders would have let fall to a draw or even a disastrous loss. And yet the Sounders held out the win, even without Cristian Roldan.
The Sounders trailed the Whitecaps in possession, shots, and touches in the opposing half in the first leg - but it didn't matter. The Rave Green took the scoring chances that were given to them and turned them into a roaring victory.
It was an odd journey, especially in the first half, but three points and a clean sheet is three points and a clean sheet. Oh, and Paul Rothrock is still Paulie Primetime.