FULLTIME: Two goals in the first 10 minutes were all the Seattle Sounders ended up needing in dispatching the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on Saturday. Kelvin Leerdam scored first in the 5th minute and Raul Ruidiaz followed it up with a second three minutes later. The Sounders had plenty of chances to add a third — with Harry Shipp’s miss at a wide open net in the 71st minute particularly standing out — but ultimately settled for their first shutout since Sept. 29, 2018.

SOUNDERS 2, RAPIDS 0: Just three minutes after opening the scoring, the Sounders added a second. This time it was Raúl Ruidíaz putting away a Victor Rodriguez pass. Ruidíaz now has 15 goals in 18 Sounders appearances and has scored in seven straight. Rodriguez has four goals and eight assists in his past nine appearances. Correction: Rodriguez was not given an assist.

SOUNDERS 1, RAPIDS 0: Kelvin Leerdam scored for a second straight game, again putting in a rebound after a nice cross from Brad Smith. The sequence started when Victor Rodriguez put Smith in behind the defense. Smith’s centering ball bounced around in the box a bit before Leerdam put it away.

LINEUPS: The Seattle Sounders will roll out a lineup identical to the one they used on First Kick. That’s the first time since 2015 that the Sounders have managed to pull that off. In fact, they are repeating the entire gameday 18.

The Colorado Rapids have two changes from last week’s lineup. Axel Sjoberg will be serving a suspension while Cole Bassett has been swapped out for Jack price.

---

With the club opening speaking of early season ambition tonight’s match against the Colorado Rapids offers Seattle Sounders another opportunity to capitalize on makeshift backline. The Rapids are down their top three centerbacks and are likely to use Dillon Serna as their left back. Raul Ruidiaz and Jordan Morris should be primed for strong evenings.

Colorado should be able to threaten on set-pieces as they have the man who is probably MLS’ best header of the ball in history — Kei Kamara. That could create danger as well with Benny Feilhaber pumping in longballs from deep. If Kamara can win the first ball that may enable Diego Rubio to get one-on-one.

Absences: Injury, international duty and suspension

Seattle: Henry Wingo is listed as questionable. Trey Muse, Jonathon Campbell, Saad Abdul-Salaam and Alex Roldan played for Tacoma Defiance in Friday night’s win.

Rapids: Axel Sjöberg is suspended. Kofi Opare and Kortne Ford are out due to injury. They list no players as questionable in gamenotes.

No players are in danger of yellow card accumulation.

Baldomero Toledo is the center referee. His video assistant is Fotis Bazakos.

nos audietis in somniis | nos audietis in alto
you will hear us in your sleep | you will hear us from the deep
this is our Sound

Keys to the Game

• Exploit Jordan Morris against Dillon Serna.
• Track Kei Kamara on set-pieces.
• Overload the center.
• Why not lead from the front?

How I'm watching

Outfit: OrcaCon 2017 shirt

Scarf: Enemy’s goal is down

Where: Home

How to Watch

Match date/time: Saturday March 9 at 7 p.m.

Venue: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington

Online Streaming: YouTube TV, ESPN+, Fubo TV (affiliate link)

Local English TV: JOEtv (Costigan, Keller, Zakuani)

Local Radio: 950 KJR-AM Seattle (Johnson, Webber)

Local Spanish Radio: El Rey 1360 AM (Rodriguez, Maqueda, Tapia)

Lineups

when available

Highlights will be posted as the match progresses.

This is Seattle Sounders vs Rapids; watch with us