Jordan Morris scores brace in first game back from season-long injury

SEATTLE — It’s hard to imagine how Jordan Morris could have possibly dreamt of a better way to play his first game at home in about 18 months. The Seattle native first gave the Sounders their first lead of 2019 with a well taken shot from the left wing and then followed it up a few minutes later with a left-footed blast to complete his second-career brace and his first at home.

Morris’ first may not actually stand up once the official scorers get a second look, but it was glorious nonetheless. Morris took a perfectly weighted ball from Nicolas Lodeiro and stroked it toward the far post, deflected off a defender and past a helpless Przemyslaw Tyoth. Morris’ teammates then mobbed him.

As if he wanted to make sure that his moment wouldn’t be taken away, Morris followed that up with an even better taken shot from the opposite side. This time, he hit Victor Rodriguez cross through the box first time — with his left foot — with enough power that Tyton could not keep it out despite getting his hand on it.

Combined, they were his first goals at home in nearly two years — his last was on March 19, 2017 — and the first time he’d ever scored twice in front of his home fans.

“It felt amazing,” he said in the postgame locker room. “It’s what gave me the motivation last year to keep working hard during the tough times, was this moment to come back and hear that crowd noise. It was a very emotional night. To get the three points was huge after the last couple years’ slow start, it’s good.”

Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer admitted he had some “proud dad” moments.

“The one thing I was most pleased about was, in his own words, he wanted to be goal-dangerous,” Schmetzer said. “He was tonight. I think that’s what I’m going to latch onto and have him use his own words to finish out the year on a high note.”