SEATTLE — Knowing that if they were going to have any hope to advance that a result was absolutely necessary, the Seattle Sounders fell just short in their 2025 Club World Cup opener. Their 2-1 loss to reigning Copa Libertadores champions Botafogo was a serious blow, but that didn’t mean it was without positives.
The Sounders managed to carry large parts of the game and put Botafogo under intense pressure throughout the second half. Cristian Roldan’s goal in the 75th minute allowed them to play about 20 minutes where a result felt entirely possible.
Unfortunately, allowing two first-half goals proved too big of a hole from them to escape. Even worse, both goals came on seemingly avoidable plays.
The first came off a free kick in which Nouhou got caught retaliating to a push, giving a two-handed shove off the ball that drew a yellow. It was the kind of mental error the Sounders could ill afford and they were punished badly.
The second goal came just before halftime and came against the run of play, as the Sounders seemed to be pushing for an equalizer. With four defenders in the box, somehow it was Igor Jesus who managed to guide a header in from the penalty spot.
The second half was virtually all Sounders and turned the momentum enough to at least give themselves a chance at pulling off a result.
The loss leaves the Sounders with a seemingly impossible mountain to climb as they’ll need at least four points from their matches against Spanish giants Atletico Madrid and UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Key moments
8’ - Shot! Obed Vargas pushes into the attack and feeds Alex Roldan on the wing, but his shot is high.
10’ - Block! Igor Jesus gets a promising look only for Kim Kee-hee to make the block
13’ - Save! Igor Jesus gets a header off a throw-in but Stefan Frei comes up with a big save.
16' - Chance! Jesús Ferreira cuts in from the right wing and sets himself up for an open look from the edge of the penalty area but his shot goes just wide.
20’ - Chance! Albert Rusnák gets a half-chance on a volley but doesn’t make clean contact.
28’ - Goal! Following a retaliatory foul by Nouhou that sets up a dangerous free kick Jair Cunha rises up in a crowded box to head in a goal. Botafogo 1-0.
43’ - Chance! Cristian Roldan finds Albert Rusnák for a chance at the penalty spot but he fires wide.
44’ - Goal! Igor Jesus out-jumps Kim Kee-hee at the penalty spot and squeezes his shot inside the post. Botafogo 2-0.
49’ - Save! Frei stops Vitinho from close range.
58’ - Big Chance! Rusnák gets a good look from inside the penalty area that is saved, only for it to trickle behind goalkeeper Victor. Jackson Ragen gets to the rebound with an open goal in front of him but can’t make good contact and the shot goes wide.
75’ - GOAL!!!! Paul Rothrock finds Cristian Roldan with a cross and his header takes a deflection and finds the back of the net. Botafogo 2-1.
77 - Save! Cristian Roldan’s looping header forces a sprawling save.
80’ - Chance! Rothrock cuts it back to Pedro de la Vega near the penalty spot, but he scuffs his shot badly.
90’ - SAVE! Joaquin Correa gets a look from a tight angle after a Sounders turnover but Frei is able to make a kick save.
90+4’ - Chances! Albert Rusnák pounces on a poor clearance and rips a shot that looks potentially on frame, but a defender blocks the shot. The ball ends up on the foot of Pedro de la Vega, but his shot is saved.
Quick thoughts
They showed they could hang: The scoreline is what it is, but the Sounders never looked remotely out of their depth. Until Botafogo’s first goal, the Sounders had been carrying the play and frankly seemed to be the more likely team to score. In the second half, they were downright dominant between the penalty boxes and were maybe a bit unlucky to not get a second goal. Over the final 45-plus minutes, the Sounders out shot Botafogo 19-5 and completed 128 more passes. Obed Vargas and Cristian Roldan were especially good as they were able to control the tempo of the game.
Lacking the final quality: Of course, Botafogo just made much more out of their chances. Igor Jesus was especially good, showing why he’s likely going to be playing in the English Premier League next season. Igor Jesus’ ultimate game-winner came from virtually nothing, but he beat Kim to the spot and then placed his header perfectly. The Sounders, meanwhile, had plenty of good looks but just lacked the composure to make those count. Botafogo also did a wonderful job of making sure there were bodies in front of the ball, blocking eight shots. The Sounders’ struggles were possibly best exemplified by Jesús Ferreira’s first half miss in which he did the seemingly hard work of getting himself free and was able to step into his shot, only to send it wide from about 17 yards out.
FIFA knows how to put on a show: Say what you will about ticket pricing and the way they handled moving fans around the stadium, FIFA put on a very impressive show. The pregame scene that essentially went from Pier 62 all the way to the stadium was lively and felt like a real event. The wayfinding was clear, as well. Inside, the grass drew rave reviews from everyone, the signage was well appointed and the staffing was everywhere. There are definitely some kinks to work out — especially with how they handled media — but it can’t be denied that FIFA understands how to host a big event.
Notable quote
Paul Rothrock: ‘There’s a lot of lessons to learn from this game, and we've got to learn them quickly because we've got two big matches ahead of us.’
— Sounder at Heart (@sounderatheart.com) 2025-06-16T04:57:44.788Z
Player spotlight
Cristian Roldan — The Sounders midfielder had a tall task going up against a very talented Botafogo midfield, but he was more than up to the task. Roldan was almost metronomic with his passing and the game’s most active defender with 11 recoveries, 12 duels won and 2/2 on tackles. He, of course, also had the goal that injected life into the proceedings and gave the Sounders a chance to get something out of this game.
