Just three games remain in the Seattle Sounders’ regular season. That’s three more opportunities for them to show that they are to be taken seriously in the Western Conference. Games like Saturday’s 2–2 tie with San Diego FC aren’t going to make that process any easier.
At times, the Sounders looked like the team many of us thought they’d be. Dejan Joveljić started the scoring by conjuring a goal from absolutely nowhere. A few minutes later, Sebastian Gomez did what he’s been doing a lot lately, and scored a great team goal by making a strong run and finishing off Hassani Dotson’s cross.
Even that scoreline only stood for five minutes after VAR awarded San Diego a penalty and then declined to intervene on the ensuing rebound, but the Sounders still looked like they were going to see out what would have been a pivotal victory.
Over the next 30-odd minutes, the Sounders looked like one of their best versions of themselves. They outshot San Diego 6–1, were more effective at driving into their opponent’s penalty area, and at times forced San Diego’s defenders to chase shadows. Unfortunately, it didn’t actually translate into a goal, which opened the door for San Diego to win a second penalty and tie the score.
“It feels like a loss,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer offered rather bluntly. “We were much better than them. We should have closed that game out.
“Those guys put every piece of themselves into that game. They were busting their ass and we should have come out of here with three points.”
That the Sounders were unable to close out the game is a pretty good illustration of why they find themselves still fighting for a playoff spot, rather than focused on chasing the teams ahead of them.
One reason is that injuries have largely robbed them of the ability to figure out their Best XI. This was the first time that Jordan Morris, Albert Rusnák, Jesús Ferreira and Dejan Joveljić all started together. That is almost certainly the Sounders’ most talented attacking quartet.
But on Saturday, they mostly struggled to generate any chemistry. In the 45 minutes that group played together, the Sounders had just four shots and those four combined for only two. The Sounders’ best look did come on an 18th minute chance in which Ferreira hit a nice cut back to Rusnák at the top of the penalty area, but the shot was over the crossbar.
When Ferreira was pulled at the half – presumably because of a minutes restriction – the improvement came relatively quickly. The Sounders started moving the ball with considerably more endeavor. The goal didn’t come through any intricate passing, but it was off an aggressive challenge in the San Diego third that resulted in Joveljić picking up the ball and smashing a left-footed strike.
Gomez’s goal was a bit more illustrative of the Sounders’ improved play in the second half. Jackson Ragen started the sequence with a ball down the sideline that Dotson beat Manu Duah to. Dotson then whipped a cross through the box and Gomez alertly made a weakside run and met the ball perfectly.
“In film, we’ve been talking about gambling a bit and being hungry,” Gomez explained. “Hassani did a great job getting the ball off. Anticipating plays is a big part of it.”
That marked the second straight game in which Gomez has come off the bench at halftime to score and the third time he’s done that this year. In fact, over the last 12 games, the Sounders average 2.27 goals and just 1.07 goals allowed per 90 minutes when Gomez is on the pitch. When he’s not playing, the Sounders have been averaging just .66 goals and 1.11 goals allowed.
Gomez probably isn’t on the Sounders’ most-talented XI, but he might be the player who allows them to play their most cohesive soccer. Right now, that seems to be more important.
“The kid has a really, really, really bright future as long as he stays at this club,” Schmetzer said. “He could be gone, he’s that good. I love smart players. Some of the things he did were veteran-like moves. The kid’s got unlimited potential. We’re lucky to have him. He’s making my life difficult.”
