When Sebastian Gomez found out he was making his first start for his hometown team, he went through the usual slew of emotions: excitement, joy, and just a little bit of nervousness. To mentally prepare, he spent his morning visualizing completed passes, successful tackles, and even scoring his first goal for the Sounders.
Gomez’s performance against Liga MX side Querétaro on Sunday afternoon probably exceeded even his own wildest imagination, as he posted goal and an assist to deliver a much-needed 3-0 win at Lumen Field.
It was a storybook start to the match as Gomez scored his first goal for the Sounders in just the 4th minute. Seattle built the attack from the back, connecting 12 passes before Paul Rothrock rolled the ball to the back post for Gomez to sweep home.
The 20-year-old wheeled away in celebration and raced toward the stands with his arms held high, soaking in the type of moment he’s dreamed of since joining Sounders Academy back in 2017.
“When [Rothrock] put in the cross, it just kind of happened in slow motion,” said Gomez. “I saw the ball coming across and it was a great feeling when it hit the back of the net.”
A talented prospect throughout his time in the club’s development system, Gomez has made massive strides in the last few years. In his first full season as a starter with the Tacoma Defiance in 2025, Gomez posted five goals and six assists.
That progress earned him a First Team contract in the offseason. Gomez rewarded that faith with a fantastic all-around performance on Sunday, as he recorded three key passes and three tackles to go with his goal and assist.
“He’s filled out physically. His athleticism is very good," said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. "What I liked is just his technical ability under pressure. It’s got to be consistent technical ability under pressure before he becomes a true impact starter in MLS. But he shows flashes of just being able to do the right thing in the right moment. He has earned those minutes. He has earned those appearances. And he’s earned trust of not just me and the coaching staff, but his teammates.”
With Alex Roldan on a minutes restriction as he returns from injury, Gomez shifted from the wing to central midfield for the final 30 minutes of the match. And while it won’t show up on the stats sheet, his composure in possession and contagious energy helped Seattle secure the clean sheet and a cathartic result to snap their seven-game winless streak.
“I’ve been rotating around positions,” said Gomez. “I’ve been learning a lot from the players and the staff – film and all of that. I feel comfortable wherever they put me. The staff has been doing a good job of giving us tactics.”
Gomez also drew praise from his teammates, who were thrilled to see his hard work behind the scenes on the training pitch translate into success at Lumen Field.
“He’s been a solid young guy,” said Danny Musovski. “He works really hard. He had his opportunity today and I think he took it really well. It’s not just the goal that he scored. It was everything else that he did. He had a really solid overall game today.”
Gomez and the Sounders will return to action on Wednesday as they face Liga MX giants Chivas at Lumen Field (7:30 p.m. PT; Apple TV, El Rey 1360AM | TICKETS) in their final Phase One Leagues Cup match.
Added Gomez: “We’re all trying to use this as momentum to push forward and try to get hot again and get on a streak of winning – like we know we can do.”
