The Seattle Sounders entered the evening in prime position to take advantage of some results across the Western Conference, but instead they fell 2-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps. You’ve heard this story all season. The Sounders start well but give up some cheap goals and dig themselves a massive hole to get out of. And, well, they didn’t. Their playoff hopes aren’t technically dead, but they got much, much dimmer after this result.

Key moments

6’ — Stefan Frei makes a reflex save to keep the Whitecaps from opening the scoring on their first shot of the game. Luis Martins sent in a rocket after the ball trickled through the box.

18’ — Albert Rusnak fires a shot from the top off the box and it’s deflected off of Yeimar Gómez Andrade. The rebound falls to Nouhou who nearly slots it home.

25’ — Alex Roldan picks up a yellow card for tugging back on Ryan Gauld’s jersey. The breakaway was started with an apparent foul on Nicolas Lodeiro, but the referee did not blow his whistle.

29’ — Goal Vancouver. Pedro Vite. A well worked team goal has Seattle on ice skates.

33’ — Vancouver is forced to make a substitution because of an injury. Andres Cubas is replaced by Leonard Owusu.

37’ — Goal Vancouver. Julian Gressel scores from the top of the box off a long throw.

62’ — Vancouver thinks they have a 3rd goal as the ball is cleared off the line by Frei. A season saving save perhaps?

70’ — Owusu has a shot from waaaaaay outside ricochet off the post. Following that, Seattle make a triple sub. Kelyn Rowe, Jimmy Medranda, and Will Bruin come on to try to rescue this one.

81’ — Nicolas Lodeiro is cautioned for a late tackle on Julian Gressel. He will be suspended for the match on 9/27 against Cincinnati.

89’ — Bruin scores! There’s life via a beautiful header from a cross from Montero.

Quick thoughts

7-14-3 in one-goal games

Readers of this site and Sounders fans in general are well aware of what matters at this stage of this season. Seattle needs to pick up points, and despite two wins on the bounce they once again lost a game decided by one goal. With the playoff streak slowly slipping away, I guess we can be impressed by the fact Seattle have never been blown out badly this year.

International duty looms

While the Whitecaps game wasn’t literally a must-win game for the Sounders, it was damn near close given what is on the horizon. The Sounders play again on September 27th against FC Cincinnati. That match falls during a FIFA international window and the Sounders could be without SEVEN players because Nicolas Lodeiro will be suspended.

Did you see that?!?

Vancouver probably feels hard done by VAR, the official, and lack of goal line technology on this one.

One stat to tell the tale

16

The Sounders will end the season with at least 16 loses. No team has qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs with more than 15 loses.