SEATTLE — Since winning Leagues Cup, the Seattle Sounders season has hit a bit of a rough patch with just one point in three games.
As “get right” opponents go, the Vancouver Whitecaps probably aren’t the ideal candidate. Not only did they hand the Sounders arguably their most comprehensive defeat of the season — a 3-0 thrashing right before the Club World Cup — but they’re one of the top contenders for the Supporters’ Shield.
But viewed from a different angle, maybe this is exactly the kind of opponent the Sounders need to face. If the Sounders really fashion themselves as MLS Cup contenders, facing a team like the Whitecaps is a good test.
Either way, Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer knows what he wants to see.
“We need to play a complete 90 minutes,” Schmetzer said. “Whoever starts the game, whoever ends the game, the concentration has to be there for 90 minutes. It’s that time of year, every single point is going to matter.”
What Schmetzer has found particularly frustrating in the post-Leagues Cup games has been the Sounders’ propensity for allowing ill-timed goals. Against the Galaxy, the Sounders gave up one goal right before halftime that came almost immediately after they had taken a 2-0 lead and then gave up the equalizer in the 87th minute. In the Austin loss, the Sounders gave up the decisive goal just before the final whistle. Those were the third and fourth times the Sounders have allowed a result-changing goal in the 87th minute or later this season, costing them seven points.
Those seven points would have the Sounders on 52 for the season, two behind third-place Minnesota United. Instead, they are just one point ahead of sixth place Austin FC.
“We have to do better at closing out games,” Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák said. “We’re trying to fix that but stay aggressive here at home, be attack-minded, go after goals and keep doing what we’ve been doing well for most of the year.”
Continuity overrated?
The Sounders have fielded different lineups in 42 of 43 games across all competitions this year. While there’s an understandable desire to have something like a set starting XI, Rusnák thinks that could be a bit of a red herring.
“We’ve used so many different players starting games, and the rhythm didn’t seem to be an issue for the most part,” Rusnák said. “Just having the same mindset of, the next man up and whoever starts, has played enough games this year.
“It’s just get back to winning ways. I think that’s the most important thing as a team, get back in the win column, and see if we can make a push for the for the top four.”
Rusnák said that goes for him too, expressing some openness to moving back a line and reprising the role he played in 2022 and part of 2023.
“If that’s what the team needs, I’ll be very happy to do that,” he said. “Whatever it takes to win games.
“I feel like we have many guys on this team who can play different positions, and then I’ve said it for years — even when I came here, I did play different positions — so I’m more than happy to.”
What to expect
The Whitecaps are coming off a midweek game against the Portland Timbers in which they rotated their lineup heavily, fell behind early but dominated the second half while settling for a 1-1 tie.
In that match, forward Brian White scored the Whitecaps’ goal and missed a golden opportunity for a late winner in what his first appearance in about a month. White could potentially start tomorrow.
Thomas Müller did not play against the Timbers and has now missed two straight games after scoring a hat trick against the Philadelphia Union, but has apparently been a full participant in training this week and is expected to play.
