Winners & Losers: Sounders 3, LAFC 1

The odds for the Sounders to win this match were 6 to 1. +600. In other words, in a match with only 3 outcomes, all the money was going to LAFC. Hardly anyone gave your Seattle Sounders a chance to win this game. Seattle won 3-1. They didn’t get lucky. They SCHOOLED LAFC. Best team in MLS history LAFC. That’s the team your Sounders beat last on Tuesday. Cop for that. Take a long look at yourself in the mirror. Put that Sounders jersey on. No one believes in this team except us. We are the Sounders. We are the blue & green. We’re the ones going to MLS Cup for the third time in four years.

Winners

THE SEATTLE FREAKIN’ SOUNDERS

Did you read that last sentence? Read it again. Read it a few times. Savor this moment. These right here are the times of our life. We’re the Seattle Freakin’ Sounders are we’re going after our cup.

Usually I have something of substance to offer here. But I’m a sloppy mess as I type this. I’m so insanely proud of this team, but there’s one more step to go. Let’s enjoy this, but not get carried away. Our focus is now on whatever Eastern Conference team we ended up playing. We’re in Atlanta. Or we host Toronto.

Brian Schmetzer

I’ll go ahead and say it. I wasn’t confident going into this match. But now that it’s over, I’ll follow Brian to the ends of the earth. Not everything has been peachy, but the record speaks for themselves: 11-3-2 in the playoffs, three MLS Cup finals appearances. We’ve all seen the second half of the season stats, we’ve all seen the last month of the season stats. If this match (and at a larger extent the last four years) doesn’t convince you that Schmetzer should have this job as long as he wants it, then I don’t know what to tell you.

Big Game Players

Ruidiaz: 510 minutes. 5 games. 6 goals. 1.06 goals per 90 minutes. Whew. That’s the Spongebob-leaning-against-the-wall meme of soccer stats. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. Got nothing to say. Raul is good at soccer.

Lodeiro: 7 goals. 6 assists. 1530 minutes. 16 games. Already has one cup, lost another, and has a chance to win another. I’ll say it. He’s the best player the Sounders player ever.

Losers

Bob Bradley

For context, this scene took place after the trophy lift. Bob Bradley was waiting for Schmetzer to say whatever he said. Take your freakin’ L here, bro. Get lost.

Bobby Warshaw

The Sounders didn’t play scared, Bobby. (Credit to Warshaw for giving the Sounders credit here.)