The Seattle Sounders won their 50th Anniversary match on Saturday night at Lumen Field by taking down Minnesota United 2-0. Jordan Morris and Paul Rothrock scored on either side of halftime to take all three points.
The match got off to an inauspicious start as Sounders defender Alex Roldan and Loons defender Devin Padelford collided heads inside 15 seconds. After a lengthy on-field treatment, both players were substituted from the match.
Seattle took the lead in the 28th minute when Morris rose for a header off a free kick from Albert Rusnák. The goal was the fifth of the year for Morris.
Morris had another great opportunity in the first minute of first-half stoppage time when he was played in behind, but goalkeeper Clint Irwin stonewalled the attempt.
Rothrock had a gilt-edged chance in the opening minute of the second half when Morris played a beautiful ball to the far post, but a sliding Rothrock couldn’t redirect his effort into the net.
Bongokuhle Hlongwane had the first real opportunity for Minnesota in the 54th minute when he put his header from close range over the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Caden Clark unleashed a shot from distance that looked to be bending into the far corner but sailed just wide of the post.
Rothrock made amends to double the lead in the 57th minute after some pretty buildup play between Obed Vargas and Léo Chú led to a cross to the back post that Rothrock reached for and tucked home.
Morris almost returned the favor for Rusnák in the 66th minute when he slipped in Rusnák on a counterattack, but his first-timed shot was saved by Irwin.
The Loons were reduced to 10 men in the 90th minute when Moses Nyeman was sent off for a late challenge on Rusnák. Referee Rosendo Mendoza initially cautioned Nyeman but upgraded the offense to an ejection after Video Review.
The Sounders will play their second match of a three-game week on Wednesday when they travel to Texas to take on the Houston Dynamo (5:30 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). Seattle will be back at Lumen Field next Saturday for a home tilt against FC Dallas (7:30 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TICKETS) in the annual Pride Match.
Seattle ends the weekend above the playoff line in ninth place with 21 points from 18 matches.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Unblemished at home vs. Minnesota
Seattle ran its all-time home record to 8-0-0 against Minnesota United and 9-0-0 including the playoffs. The Sounders own a dominant 13-1-2 record in 16 regular-season and postseason matches against the Loons.
Rothrock steps up
After coming on in the seventh minute as an injury substitute, Rothrock scored his second goal of his MLS career to provide some breathing room. The Seattle native has had plenty of success in the U.S. Open Cup but stepped up in a big way for the Sounders in MLS play.
Keeping a zero
The Sounders earned their fifth clean sheet of the season and the first since May 5 when they played to a scoreless draw with the LA Galaxy.
