The Seattle Sounders will kick off the 2022 MLS regular season on Sunday as they host Western Conference newcomers Nashville SC (5:00 p.m. PT; FOX 13+, Prime Video, iHeart Radio, El Rey 1360AM | TICKETS) at Lumen Field. With so much excitement buzzing around the Rave Green, here are five reasons you can’t miss the club’s MLS home opener this weekend.
No Place Like Home
Dating back to 2009, the Sounders have boasted one of the most remarkable home records in all of Major League Soccer. Spurred on by thousands of passionate fans week-in and week-out, the club has posted a 53-13-20 record at Lumen Field during the regular season since Head Coach Brian Schmetzer took the helm in 2016.
Sunday’s meeting with Nashville SC promises to be another thrilling match in the heart of Seattle. The Sounders have won three consecutive MLS home openers and will look to carry that streak over into 2022.
Rampant Attack
The Sounders are coming off a 5-0 dismantling of Honduran powerhouse FC Motagua in Concacaf Champions League play. With the vast majority of last year’s squad returning – plus a few key additions via players recovering from injury and offseason acquisitions – the Sounders roster appears poised to be one of the most prolific attacks in all of MLS.
Fresh off a third-place finish in the Audi Golden Boot race for the league’s top scorer in 2021, scoring 17 times in regular season play, Raúl Ruidíaz leads the line for the Seattle Sounders. The Peruvian scoring machine is flanked by 2020 MLS MVP finalist Jordan Morris and new Designated Player signing Albert Rusnák. Rounding out the front six is Seattle’s trio of central midfielders 2021 MLS All-Star Cristian Roldan, 2020 Best XI selection Nicolás Lodeiro and 2021 MLS MVP finalist João Paulo.
In total, the Seattle Sounders’ midfield and front line has combined for 192 goals and 175 assists throughout their careers in MLS regular season action.
New Foe
Sunday marks the first meeting between the Sounders and Nashville SC. An upstart club that joined MLS ahead of the 2020 season, Nashville SC finished third in the East last year and have advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals in each of their two seasons.
Like the Sounders, Nashville SC boasted one of the stingiest defenses in all of MLS in 2021, conceding just 33 goals during the regular season. That backline will be put to the test on Sunday as they go toe-to-toe with Seattle’s potent attack.
March to the 50th
This is your club. As we approach 50 years of the Seattle Sounders, help us shape what the future looks like.
MLS Elite
Nashville SC is headlined by USMNT regular and back-to-back MLS Defender of the Year winner Walker Zimmerman and 2021 MLS MVP runner-up Hany Mukhtar in the attack. Along with Panamanian international Anibal Godoy, MLS veterans C.J. Sapong and Dax McCarty, and Designated Player Aké Loba, the visitors are considered one of the favorites in the Western Conference this season.
With so many stars on both teams, Sunday’s match is a definite must-watch.
Matchday Programming
Sunday’s match will feature several activations surrounding the club’s continued celebration of Black History Month, including a pop-up exhibit with the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM). In partnership with Intentionalist, food trucks from Zuri’s Gourmet Donutz and Dat Creole Soul will be available. Additionally, Taste of the Caribbean will have a pop-up shop at Lumen Field’s PNW Marketplace concessions area.
In the North Plaza of the stadium and in the Northwest Concourse, fans can find a variety of interactive games and activities:
- Pose with a Pro – An augmented reality experience that allows fans to have a virtual meeting with their favorite Sounders FC player, alongside a digital video of their encounter to share online.
- Sounders Penalty Kick – A digital activation where fans get five chances to score a goal against a virtual goalkeeper.
- Soccer Skee-ball – This activation allows fans to play a soccer-themed version of Skee-Ball, kicking a ball down a ramp, rather than rolling it, in order to score as many points as possible.
- Soccer Billiards – Fans can play a soccer-themed version of pool, challenging a partner and kicking colored soccer balls into the oversized pool table pockets before their opponent does.
- The Parlor – A new fan space that allows fans to “get their game-face on” by applying Sounders-themed temporary tattoos, face paint and hairspray to show their ultimate team support.
