SEATTLE – The Seattle Sounders managed to pick up their first shutout since April 4, but were unable to push a goal past Red Bull New York and settled for a 0–0 tie on Saturday. The draw extends the Sounders’ winless run to 11 games in league play.
It wasn’t for a lack of chances, though. The Sounders fired off 20 shots and forced Red Bull goalkeeper Ethan Horvath into six saves, while also hitting the woodwork twice. One of those shots off the woodwork was Paul Arriola's attempt from 18 yards that hit off the crossbar on what turned out to be the game's final play.
More frustratingly, two of the Sounders’ best chances didn’t even end up on frame. In the first half, Paul Rothrock evaded a tackle and broke into the attack where he had Jordan Morris at the back post for what looked like an open chance. But the cross was a little too hard and a step behind Morris and it went through the box. Rothrock was on the end of what was probably the best chance of the night when he got on the end of a deflected cross from Sebastian Gomez for an uncontested look at the back post, but his sliding attempt went high over the bar.
Although Morris came out at halftime while on a minutes restriction, he did flash some of his pre-World Cup form with some slick moves in midfield and a burst of speed that allowed him to get a 1v1 chance in the 42nd minute, only for his left-footed attempt to be saved.
Defensively, the Sounders mostly handled what has been at times an explosive Red Bull attack. Red Bull were limited to nine shots, but did make Andrew Thomas earn his first shutout in 19 games. Julian Hall had probably the best chance of the night when he was able to get in on goal after what appeared to be some miscommunication, but Thomas stopped the 1v1 chance in the 73rd minute. In second-half stoppage time, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting nearly snatched three points when his quick volley to the near post forced Thomas into a sprawling save.
Despite the frustrating result, the Sounders remain just three points out of playoff position with at least a game in hand on most of the teams they’re chasing thanks to a host of other results going their way. They’ll face one of those teams when they visit the LA Galaxy next Saturday.
Lineups
Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris make their return to the starting lineup, with Roldan getting the captain’s armband. Somewhat surprisingly, Caden Clark does not make the gameday roster, with head coach Brian Schmetzer opting to three centerbacks on his bench.
Key moments
12 – A sloppy Red Bull backpass nearly results in Jordan Morris in on goal, but Ethan Horvath is quick off his line to clear the danger.
19 – Chance! Morris gets to endline and cuts it back to Dejan Joveljić, who is able to push it ahead to Albert Rusnák. But Horvath comes off line to close the angle and make the save.
23 – Chance! Kalani Kossa-Rienzi floats a cross to the back post where both Stuart Hawkins and Joveljić are waiting. But Hawkins gets a foot on it as Joveljić is diving for a header and it goes out of bounds.
31 – Chance! Rothrock fights off a tackle near midfield, breaks into the open field and whips in a cross with Morris breaking toward goal. But the pass is a little too hard and just a step behind Morris, who otherwise had an open look at goal.
37 – Kossa-Rienzi is forced out of the game after turning his ankle and is replaced by Snyder Brunell with Peter Kingston sliding to right back. It was later revealed that he had a sprained ankle.
42 – Save! Morris makes a nice play to win the ball near midfield, then an even better touch to get past the defender and is able to race into the attack. But his left-footed attempt at the near post is saved.
HALFTIME: Sebastian Gomez replaces Morris at the half. Morris was on a minutes-restriction.
48 – Save! Julian Hall gets the ball on the break but his tight angle shot is saved.
62 – Nice movement by Nouhou and Rothrock, ends with Joveljić getting the ball at top of box and he’s chopped down to earn a free kick and a yellow.
63 – Save! Rusnák’s free kick is on target but Horvath makes a diving stop.
70 – Double Save! Horvath with a couple great saves. The first one on a Joveljić header off a Kingston cross and then from close range on Brunell.
73 – SAVE! Hall somehow gets free in behind but Thomas stands tall to make the stop.
75 – Nouhou gets played in and while he gets behind the defense his shot is high.
76 – HIGH! Rothrock with a wide open look at the back post after Gomez’s cross takes a slight deflection but he gets it all wrong.
90+1 – Big Save! Thomas stops Choupo-Moting with a diving stop at the near post.
90+4 – CROSSBAR! Paul Arriola gets an open look from 18 out and beat Horvath but can’t beat the woodwork.
Quick thoughts
Positive performance: The Sounders are still looking for their first win in nearly four months, but this was almost certainly their best overall performance since that win over the San Jose Earthquakes way back on May 13. The defense held up well, the midfield handled the Red Bull press without many problems and the offense actually looked cohesive. If this was a confident side, they probably would have found a way to score at least one and if Arriola's shot at the end of the game would have been just an inch or two lower this could have been a momentum-builder.
They need wins, badly: Of course, none of that happened. With 12 matches left to play in the season, the Sounders need to find ways to pick up as many points as possible. This is now the third straight game where those points were there for the taking and they failed to grab them. Crazy as it may seem, the Sounders would actually be sitting in seventh and just four points out of third if they had managed to maximize those opportunities. That's more meant as a way of illustrating how tight the Western Conference remains. For that to matter, though, the Sounders must start collecting more points.
Looking like their old selves: It would be easy to pile on right now, but let's acknowledge that this was a step forward in several ways. Not the least of those was the play of Cristian Roldan in the midfield and Morris on the wing. Roldan brought an obvious stability that has been sorely lacking, while Morris actually showed some of the explosivity that has been his trademark over the years. Just for good measure, Hassani Dotson and Paul Arriola also made some positive contributions. There’s no reason to pretend as if this was a totally positive performance, but if those four players can stay healthy and return to previous form this season is still totally salvageable.
Notable quote
Albert Rusnák telling the truth: ‘we're getting to the stage of the season where I think the points are more important than the performances. We're starting to run out of games to make that push to get us in the playoffs.’
— Sounder at Heart (@sounderatheart.com) September 5, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Player spotlight
After scoring a brace in his debut, Dejan Joveljić was probably due for a comedown performance. To that end, Joveljić really only had one good look; a header that forced a good save from Horvath. But Joveljić also showed that he’s willing to do some of the less glamorous stuff. At one point, when the Sounders’ shape was a bit of a mess, Joveljić was doing some quality defending on the wing. Later in the match, he made a nice clearance in the box. None of that will show up on highlights but it should endear him to fans.
