FULL-TIME: The Seattle Sounders moved back into the Supporters’ Shield lead by pulling off a 1-0 win at Austin FC on Thursday.

AUSTIN FC 0, SOUNDERS 1: Raúl Ruidíaz blocks a pass and then immediately shoots from about 41 yards out, beating Brad Stuver off his line for his 11th goal of the season.

Once again, the Seattle Sounders come into a match on short rest and short on available first-team bodies. Joining the list of unavailable players for Thursday’s game at Austin FC is Xavier Arreaga, who will have to sit this one out due to yellow-card accumulation.

That left the Sounders with just 12 available outfield players before they signed four players from the Tacoma Defiance to short-term contracts. It’s the third game in a row they’ve had to utilize the Extreme Hardship rule. So far, Samuel Adeniran is the only short-term contract player to have actually gotten on the field.

Still, the Sounders have to like their chances. Despite failing to field a full 20-man gameday roster for any of their previous 14 games, the Sounders are just one point from the top of Supporters’ Shield standings. Their loss on Sunday to Minnesota United was their first of the season and through 80 minutes they looked perfectly capable of extending that MLS-record streak.

Notes

• Austin FC has just one win in its last 10 matches (1-5-4) after winning two of its first three games as an MLS club. That win was a 4-1 victory over the Portland Timbers.
• The Sounders are coming off their first regular-season loss since last November. It’s been more than two years since their last losing streak, when they dropped three in a row in May-June 2019. They’ve not gone more than three games without a win since 2019, either.
• Austin FC has been shut out in 7 of 9 games, including their previous meeting with the Sounders that ended 0-0. Austin has failed to score in 3 of 4 home games.
• The Sounders will be using their 12th different starting lineup in 15 games.

Absences: Injury, international duty and suspension

Seattle

OUT: Jordan Morris (ACL injury); Jordy Delem (right ACL tear); Stefan Frei (left knee sprain); Nicolas Lodeiro (right knee surgery); Cristian Roldan (international duty); Will Burin (knee surgery); Shane O’Neill (hip flexor strain); Alex Roldan (international duty); Nouhou (adductor strain); Xavier Arreaga (suspension)

Austin FC

OUT: Nick Lima (left hamstring); Ben Sweat (ACL); Daniel Pereira (left rectus abdominis strain); Ulises Segura (left knee); Aaron Schoenfeld (left knee); Danny Hoesen (left hip)

Officials

Referee: Alex Chilowicz; AR1: Cameron Blanchard; AR2: Peter Balciunas; Fourth official: Elton García; VAR: Jorge Gonzalez; Ast. VAR: Jonathan Johnson

How to Watch

Match date/kickoff time: Thursday, 6:38 PM PT

Venue: Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas

Online Streaming: Fubo TV (affiliate link), WatchESPN (subscription required)

National English TV: Game will start on ESPN2 and move to ESPN (Twellman, Champion)

Local Radio: 950 KJR-AM Seattle (Costigan, Keller)

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

Local Spanish TV: ESPN-Deportes

International TV:

China: CSM

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy & Spain: DAZN (Europe)

India: Discovery Eurosport

Latin America (excl. Brazil): ESPN Latin America

Netherlands: ESPN Netherlands

Southeast Asia & Oceania: beIN SPORTS

Sub-Saharan Africa: ESPN Africa

Lineups

Highlights will be posted as the match progresses.

This is Seattle Sounders at Austin FC; watch with us.