The Seattle Sounders have undergone a drastic evolution over the course of the 2024 season.
The No. 3 Sounders team was once at the bottom of the table, having only one win to show for after nine matches.
“It was a disappointment for all of us as a team, because the results were not good enough and were not up to the standard that this club has,” said midfielder Albert Rusnák.
The rest of the season was looking grim for the Seattle side with it being the club’s worst start since joining the league in 2009. Whether it be giving up late goals, red cards or injuries within the team, the first handful of matches were not going Seattle’s way.
But as Head Coach Brian Schmetzer is fond of saying, Sounders Never Quit. That ethos has been on fully display in 2024.
“In the beginning, everybody was very negative and we weren't getting results and we were not exactly happy [with] ourselves, but we still believed that we had a good team,” said goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
Decision Day
It all comes down to this: the biggest rivalry in MLS. We host the Portland Timbers in the final match of the regular season, with playoff seeding, Cascadia Cup, and Concacaf Champions Cup qualification on the line.
In what seemed to be a detrimental year for the Rave Green turned into a success story after the team came together and began producing positive results. Since June 15, the Sounders have collected more points than any other team in MLS, posting a 12-2-2 record in league play. The team’s league-best defense has been bolstered by an ignited attack, with 30 goals scored over that 16-game stretch.
“We put our heads down and we worked hard, and we tried to do things the right way, be professional,” said Frei. “And now I think we are reaping the rewards of that, because everybody's playing better.”
It has been a long time coming for Seattle, who are historically one of the most successful teams in Major League Soccer. The players believe that the grit they’ve shown to overcome the early season adversity has only made them stronger.
“I sense confidence within the squad, and I think it stems from the difficulties that we've had to overcome throughout the year,” said Frei.
Albert Rusnák in particular has been someone who’s come into his own after the team underwent its hardships earlier in the year. After being amongst the handful of players who dealt with injury in the beginning of the season, the Slovakian international now carries 10 goals and 15 assists heading into the team’s Decision Day match against the Portland Timbers.
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“[With] everybody having a bit of confidence, that's when you have difference makers,” said Frei. “It allows difference makers to shine, because everybody else is doing well.”
Rusnák believes it has been a collective effort that has not only allowed him to stand out, but given the Sounders that extra edge to push toward the top of the table.
“I'm not taking a ball and dribbling past everybody and scoring goals by myself,” he said. So it's not just me…I think the better the team started playing, I feel like that's when I started playing better as well.”
The Sounders now hold a 16-9-8 record in MLS regular season play with 56 points. With a win in their final match on Oct. 19, Seattle has the potential to leapfrog LAFC for the No. 2 spot in the West, become Cascadia Cup champs and earn a spot in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
“We have a really good team,” said Rusnák. “We were all in this together [then], and we're all in this together now.”
