SEATTLE — Don’t look now, but the Seattle Sounders finally have something that feels like genuine momentum.
With their 3–1 win over Minnesota United on Saturday, the Sounders have now won two straight for the first time in five months, they scored multiple goals in three straight games for the first time all season, they’re riding a seven-game unbeaten streak and they finished the weekend in a playoff spot for the first time in a month.
The Sounders did much of this despite missing Designated Player Dejan Joveljić for the past two games, while veterans like Albert Rusnák (two more assists), Cristian Roldan (third straight 90-minute performance), Jordan Morris (first goal since April) and Paul Arriola (second goal in four games) are all rounding into form.
What was feeling like a lost season as recently as a few weeks ago is suddenly feeling like one that has some real promise.
“We are in a good way,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said following the match. “That is a happy, confident, and talented locker room.”
Granted, the Sounders’ last two wins were not exactly against titans of MLS. Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United came into their matches against the Sounders with a combined record of 1–15–7 since the World Cup break. Minnesota also found out that they would be missing top playmaker Joaquin Pereyra shortly before they left for Seattle.
Given how the Sounders had been playing, though, there are no opponents they can afford to take for granted. In both games, they were deserved winners.
The Minnesota match saw them get off to their best start in months, taking a 2–0 lead into halftime for the first time since April 25. The first goal was especially emblematic of their improving fortunes as Albert Rusnák clipped a ball that Jordan Morris let fly over his shoulder before hitting a sharp-angled half-volley inside the far post.
The goal was a just reward for Morris, who has come back from his latest injury and is looking far more like his old self over the past few games.
Similar could be said for Rusnák, who was actually involved in all three of the Sounders’ goals. On the second, he served in the corner that Morris headed on goal, forcing a save that Hassani Dotson was able to pounce on.
Rusnák’s true shining moment came late in the second half, just as Minnesota seemed to be building momentum and threatening to equalize. The No. 10 first started the sequence with a clever touch that put Sebastian Gomez into space on the left wing. Rusnák followed the play and got the ball back from Gomez before feeding Arriola, who was streaking in on the right. Arriola took one touch to settle the pass and then roofed his shot.
With the two assists, Rusnák now has a goal and four assists in his past three games and seven assists in his past eight games. Once on pace for one of his least productive seasons, Rusnák is now tied for the league lead with 11 primary assists.
The Sounders still have to beat a real contender in order to prove their bonafides, but given how lost in the wilderness they looked only a few weeks ago this is a remarkable step forward. If they can beat Sporting KC on Thursday, they’ll take some real momentum into their road trip to face two “second-tier contenders” in the New England Revolution and FC Dallas. Sixth place in the Western Conference is suddenly very much in reach and who knows where it might go from there?
“I think we’re getting back into form,” Sounders centerback Jackson Ragen said. “I think we just need to continue it. We’re playing well as a team, scoring goals, working hard on defense, and just need to keep doing it.”
