For the first time since mid May, the Seattle Sounders entered a soccer match with a functional, ruthless Designated Player wearing the No. 9 shirt, and it took Dejan Joveljić 48 minutes to make the previous four months of forward play look like a bad fever dream. Scoring two clinical goals on two legitimate looks, Joveljić gave Lumen Field the kind of predatory box presence we’ve been starved of all season. Yet, in pure 2026 Sounders fashion, solving our existential crisis at center forward just illuminates the rest of the loose wiring across the pitch.
Seattle grabbed the lead twice, then almost immediately entered a self-induced coma both times, settling for a 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire that stretched their league winless streak to an agonizing 10 matches. The Sounders started both halves with purpose, crisp spacing, and high-tempo pressing triggers. But the moment Chicago adjusted, Seattle fell victim to what Brian Schmetzer aptly diagnosed as the “momentum trap”: retreating into a passive shell, choking on Chicago’s press, coughing up bad giveaways in transition, and letting Chicago’s midfield monster Djé D’Avilla delete the middle third of the pitch.
If not for Andrew Thomas’s stoppage time tip over the bar to deny Jonathan Bamba, we’d be dissecting an outright collapse rather than a frustrating point. The cavalry is finally trickling back from the medical tent, and the striker position is handled. Now after this small rebirth, we have to start playing 90 minutes of coherent soccer without stepping on our own shoelaces.
The Crawl: Seattle found genuine signs of life. Joveljić provided immediate, lethal finishing; Sebastian Gomez snagged his first career assist; Albert Rusnák looked liberated; and the returning veteran core made it through their shifts without snapping any soft tissue.
The Stumble: Holding a lead acted like a sedative. Seattle repeatedly failed to play through Chicago’s press, the right flank bled dangerous transitions, and Kalani Kossa-Rienzi was left hopelessly isolated on back-post aerial duty against Robert Lewandowski.
The Walk: The floor is rising. With a legitimate No. 9 leading the line and Cristian Roldan, Jordan Morris, and Hassani Dotson logging minutes, the pieces exist to build a functional September push, if the squad can stop beating itself on the defensive end.
Goalkeeper
Andrew Thomas — 7 | Community — 7.1
Thomas was the only reason Seattle escaped Lumen Field with a point instead of a double digit catastrophe. He racked up nine saves, commanded his goalmouth during multiple wild scrambles in the box, and produced two world-class interventions—first tipping a deflected D’Avilla blast in the 27th minute and later flying across his frame in the 95th minute to rob Bamba’s laser. However, his distribution under pressure remains an adventure. When Chicago turned up the heat, Thomas’s long balls repeatedly missed their targets, turning clearances into instant Chicago waves.
The Crawl: Put on a shot-stopping clinic, single-handedly bailing out a porous backline with nine stops and preserving the draw with the save of the match in stoppage time.
The Stumble: Struggled to help Seattle play through Chicago’s press, regularly skying panic clearances out of touch or directly into the path of incoming Fire midfielders.
The Walk: Andrew has solidified his status as an elite reactive shot-stopper; if he can develop even baseline composure with his feet under high presses, he’s a locked-in MLS starter.
Defense
Nouhou — 6 | Community — 6.4
Nouhou turned in a rugged, dominant defensive shift on the left, locking down his channel and ensuring Chicago got zero joy attacking his flank. However, he had a bizarre 20 minute mental lapse in the middle of the match where he was disconnected from reality: drifting into space, ball-watching, and seemingly frustrated with something. Fortunately, his brain returned to his body before Chicago could capitalize, and he never leaked the catastrophic chances that plagued the opposite wing.
The Crawl: Won his individual 1-v-1 duels with authority, maintained solid physical leverage, and shut down wide progression on the left side all afternoon.
The Stumble: Suffered a baffling mid-game mental blackout where he wandered through passages of play like an uninvited spectator while the rest of the defense scrambled. It is unacceptable for an outside back to just stand and watch.
The Walk: Even when his internal GPS recalculates mid-match, his defensive baseline remains miles ahead of our makeshift alternatives on the right. Chicago had little success against him and Paul Rothrock.
Stuart Hawkins — 6 | Community — 6.2
Hawkins showed plenty of the physical upside and calm tackling that make him an intriguing prospect, stepping up to challenge entries and working hard to cover a stretched spine. Unfortunately, working central defense against Chicago’s loaded attack is an unforgiving classroom. As the midfield shield eroded in the second half, Stuart was repeatedly forced into frantic retreat defense, struggling to keep track of late-arriving runners into the penalty area.
The Crawl: Read several central cutbacks cleanly in the first half and completed safe distribution out of the back when given time to pick a pass.
The Stumble: Got pulled out of position as Chicago flooded the box, leaving gaping seams between himself, Kim, and the fullbacks during the 10-minute siege preceding the equalizer.
The Walk: The raw talent and athletic recovery are obvious, but he needs the veteran midfield support in front of him so he isn’t left island-hopping against elite attackers.
Kim Kee-hee — 6 | Community — 6.3
Kim brought veteran composure and vital emergency positioning to a backline that was frequently under siege. His 37th minute sliding block inside the box was a textbook goal-saving intervention that temporarily preserved Seattle’s first-half advantage. However, as the pace ramped up in the second half, Kim’s lack of top-end recovery speed showed against Chicago’s dynamic transition breaks, leaving him reliant on anticipation over athleticism.
The Crawl: Delivered crucial box defending, highlighted by a massive first-half sliding block, while completing 91 percent of his passes out of the back.
The Stumble: Struggled to step out and disrupt Chicago’s combination play at the top of the 18-yard box, allowing Maren Haile-Selassie ample room to set up the Fire’s first goal. Wasn’t able to own all the space that attacking fullbacks left him.
The Walk: Remains a steadying transitional presence in central defense, though managing his legs across compressed fixture congestion will be paramount as he struggles when tired.
Kalani Kossa-Rienzi — 5 | Community — 6.0
KKR had a hand in Seattle’s bright attacking start, driving into the final third in the 12th minute to unlock Gomez for the opening assist. After that, his afternoon was a defensive struggle. Chicago ruthlessly targeted his flank, and his positioning grew increasingly erratic as the match wore on. Asking a converted winger to defend Lewandowski 1-v-1 on a back-post cross is a tactical mismatch, but Kalani’s loss of spatial awareness on the 82nd minute equalizer made the goal markedly easier for the legendary striker.
The Crawl: Provided dynamic vertical running early and a secondary assist, initiating the sequence for Joveljić’s opener with an aggressive, driving run into Chicago territory. Consistently looked good going forward.
The Stumble: Got systematically dismantled defensively, which culminated in an awful back-post misread against Lewandowski and a mindless 83rd-minute giveaway that nearly handed Chicago all three points.
The Walk: Confirms what the tape has shown for weeks: Kalani offers exciting attacking bursts, but deploying him as an isolated defensive fullback against quality opposition is playing with fire, and he needs more support around him.
Defensive Midfield
Snyder Brunell — 5 | Community — 5.6 (off 57’ for C. Roldan)
Brunell assisted on Joveljić’s second goal with a tidy lay-off, and he competed with his usual earnest tenacity. However, this was a brutal matchup for the teenager. Chicago’s D’Avilla put on a masterclass in central dominance, physically overpowering Snyder, reading his passing lanes and deleting Seattle’s central progression. He worked hard, but spent most of his 57 minutes chasing shadows in transition.
The Crawl: Picked up a secondary assist on Joveljić’s rocket and maintained an active work rate to challenge loose balls in the opening 20 minutes.
The Stumble: Was thoroughly dominated in the physical and tactical duels against D’Avilla, frequently coughing up possession under heavy pressure, and was unable to create the control the middle asked of him.
The Walk: Valuable developmental minutes against a superior central operator, but the return of seasoned midfield options should relieve him of an unsustainable burden.
Alex Roldan — 5 | Community — 6.1 (off 68’ for Dotson)
Starting centrally in the double pivot, Captain Alex offered tidy possession recycling early but lacked the positional range and bite required to shield the back four once Chicago seized the tempo. As the Fire dialed up their press, Alex struggled to turn and break lines, frequently deferring to safe backward passes that invited Chicago higher up the pitch. When the game broke open into a track meet, he was caught in no-man’s land and lacked the straight-line pace needed to help a flagging midfield.
The Crawl: Kept things orderly during Seattle’s strong opening salvos and connected 88 percent of his passes to keep early sequences ticking.
The Stumble: Offered minimal defensive disruption against Chicago’s vertical counter attacks, and couldn’t stem the flow of traffic slicing through the central channel.
The Walk: An emergency central midfield experiment that can safely be retired as the primary double-pivot personnel regain full fitness. Handing his brother the armband was a fun moment.
Attacking Midfield
Paul Rothrock — 5 | Community — 5.5
Rothrock brought his trademark high motor energy to the left wing, pressing with conviction and diligently tracking back to assist Nouhou. However, his final third end product deserted him in this match. While he found several promising transitional pockets, his final touches were heavy, his crosses missed their targets, and he was unable to manufacture a clean look on goal.
The Crawl: Relentless pressing work rate that disrupted Chicago’s initial build-up and provided honest defensive tracking throughout his 90 minute shift.
The Stumble: Lacked sharpness in the final third, stalling a pair of promising second half counter attacks with slow decision making and errant service.
The Walk: The work rate and xDawg are never in question, but Seattle needs him to complement his hustle with cleaner final third execution when defenses pack the box.
Albert Rusnák — 7 | Community — 62
Albert looked rejuvenated by having a legitimate, sharp-moving striker in front of him. Freed from having to invent phantom runs for ghost forwards, Rusnák pulled the strings with poise, providing a pinpoint assist for Joveljić’s 48th minute thunderbolt and logging three key passes. His passing was crisp and intentional. His only blemish was an 81st minute look off a Morris feed where an extra touch allowed Chicago’s recovering defenders to block a potential game-winner.
The Crawl: Orchestrated the attack with authority, delivering the primary assist on Seattle’s second goal, looking energetic, and serving up dangerous set pieces all afternoon.
The Stumble: Hesitated on a golden 81st minute opportunity inside the box, taking a settling touch rather than pulling the trigger first time, allowing the defense to recover.
The Walk: Proved that when he has a clinical No. 9 making intelligent diagonal runs, his vision and distribution return to high level status. He has to build off this positive outing.
Sebastian Gomez — 7 | Community — 5.9 (off 69’ for Morris)
Earning another start on the attacking right wing, Gomez rewarded Schmetzer’s faith early with a fantastic 12th minute assist, driving a low, measured cross into Joveljić’s path for the opener. He showed technical confidence, combined neatly in tight spaces, and recorded three key passes. Like the rest of the young attack, his influence waned once Chicago ratcheted up the physical pressure, but this was a major step forward.
The Crawl: Provided a moment of class with a pinpoint low cross to notch his first MLS assist and set the tone for Seattle’s bright start by finding his new striker in the area.
The Stumble: Faded from the match past the 35th minute as Chicago’s physical backline shoved him off the ball and cut off his wide passing lanes.
The Walk: Demonstrated genuine creative juice from the wing and proved he can produce tangible end product when given starting minutes.
Striker
Dejan Joveljić — 8 (MOTM) | Community — 8.8 (MOTM)
Welcome to Seattle, No. 9. Joveljić delivered the most clinical, authoritative striker debut in rave green since Fredy Montero, bagging a brace in 48 minutes and ending Seattle’s four-month striker goal drought in style. His 12th minute goal was pure poacher instinct, flashing across the face of goal to turn in Gomez’s cross. His 48th minute strike was an absolute sledgehammer, controlling Rusnák’s feed and lacing a missile in off the underside of the crossbar. Beyond the goals, his pressing angles were textbook, constantly forcing Chicago into awkward clearance angles.
The Crawl: Scored two magnificent goals on two legitimate looks, showcasing ruthless finishing, elite box movement, and intelligent pressing angles. These were both strikers’ goals, and showed the versatility he brings.
The Stumble: Was starved of service for a 25 minute stretch in the second half as the team behind him collapsed into defensive panic. Seattle needs to find him in space earlier.
The Walk: Solved Seattle’s biggest structural deficiency in under an hour; if the midfield can provide him with even baseline service, the offense is back in business. Even if they can’t, he might still score.
Substitutes
Cristian Roldan — 5 | Community — 6.4 (on 57’ for Brunell)
Cristian’s return from injury was an immediate visual reminder of what Seattle has missed in the engine room. He brought instant communication, won three consecutive midfield duels, and stabilized a central channel that was on the verge of total collapse. He wasn’t fully unleashed into his highest attacking gear, but his presence restored baseline professional competence to the middle third.
The Crawl: Re-anchored Seattle’s double pivot, won critical 50/50 challenges, and completed 92 percent of his passes to halt Chicago’s central momentum.
The Stumble: Still working off some baseline match rust, occasionally playing conservative backpasses instead of turning vertically into open space. Was on the field as Seattle blew a lead.
The Walk: Cristian’s health is the biggest key to unlocking Seattle’s tactical identity down the final stretch of the season. Getting him to full speed again is essential.
Hassani Dotson — 5 | Community — 4.5 (on 68’ for A. Roldan)
Dotson made his return in the 68th minute, adding fresh legs and physical bulk to the defensive midfield. He did what late-game midfield substitutes are supposed to do: contest second balls, throw his shoulder into challenges, and clog the central passing corridors. He didn’t offer much in transition, but he helped stem the bleeding a bit before showcasing the struggles he has produced all season.
The Crawl: Added much needed physical bite and aerial coverage to the midfield shield during Chicago’s late-game siege.
The Stumble: Looked hesitant with the ball at his feet, failing to jumpstart any meaningful counter attacks during the final 15 minutes.
The Walk: Provides a necessary, rugged depth piece who should look much sharper once his game fitness fully catches up.
Jordan Morris — 5 | Community — 4.8 (on 69’ for Gomez)
Seeing Morris back on the pitch without a limp was a sight for sore eyes. While he was clearly pacing himself and hesitant to hit his top sprint gear, he still provided an instant vertical threat. In the 81st minute, he drove aggressively down the right channel, collapsed the Chicago defense, and played a perfect cutback to Rusnák for what should have been the game winner.
The Crawl: Created Seattle’s best chance of the second half with a trademark vertical burst and unselfish cutback.
The Stumble: Clearly still managing his top-end sprinting speed, pulling up early on a couple of potential transition chases. This is frustrating to see, even if it might have been his best option at the time.
The Walk: A healthy Jordan Morris alongside a clinical Dejan Joveljić gives Seattle a lot of flexibility to get forward quickly and ruthlessly.
Referee
Ismail Elfath — 5 | Community — 5.3
Elfath managed a high-tempo, physical match with his standard authoritarian style. He allowed physical contact in the midfield, let advantage play unfold when possible, and kept his cards in his pocket during low-stakes scuffles. There were some questionable non-calls when Chicago’s D’Avilla aggressively went through the back of Seattle midfielders, but he got the critical moments right and let the players decide the match.
The Crawl: Handled game management cleanly without making himself the center of attention or falling for cheap simulation in the box.
The Stumble: Let a few heavy challenges from Chicago’s central midfielders slide unpunished, which allowed the Fire to disrupt Seattle’s rhythm. An offside, a handball, and a few other opportunities to get the advice of someone else were ignored.
The Walk: A totally competent, non-disastrous officiating performance, which, given the standard this referee can bring, is practically a triumph. As one performance across MLS this season, it was just okay.
Chicago Fire FC MOTM
Yes, Haile-Selassie took the opening goal well. And yes, Lewandowski scored late to bring his side level, caused problems throughout, and is a known name. But Djé D’Avilla was your Man of the Match. When building the community ratings form, we considered making him the only option, such was his dominance of the entire midfield swath. He completed over 90 percent of his passes, and consistently used his strength and body positioning to shrug off Seattle’s initial press before turning upfield to facilitate wave after wave of Fire attack. Just masterful.
Upcoming
No more moral victories, no more “almost” results. The Sounders finally have their No. 9, the cavalry is back on the pitch, and the stretch run is here. It’s time to turn draws into wins, starting with the energy drink cows.
