To unlock one of the best defensive teams in MLS is a daunting task, but the Seattle Sounders made it look easy on Monday night.
Following a penalty shootout loss vs. Minnesota United in Match 1 of the Round One, Best-of-3 series, the Sounders regrouped and came away with a strong 4-2 victory at Lumen Field, forcing a Match 3 between the two Western Conference sides.
“We were just more dynamic, more decisive, more aggressive,” said midfielder Obed Vargas. “We believed the ball was going to go in the back of the net…We just scrapped. I felt like we were winning the duels, we were winning the battle, and all those little details gave us that momentum.”
The Rave Green went into Match 2 knowing they had to get the early goal to not only inject confidence into the group but to force the Loons’ compact backline to open up and “come out of their shell,” according to Vargas.
Upon providing immediate pressure and beginning the match with an assertive intensity, the Sounders tallied their first goal of the night inside the first 10 minutes when Vargas rocketed a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair from the top of the eighteen.
“It was a great start,” said forward Jordan Morris. “They're tough to break down. And you saw in the first game, we weren't able to do that, and they made it difficult. But Obed had a great finish, and it kind of opened the game up for us.”
From Morris’ point-blank range goal in the 21st minute, Danny Musovski’s one-time finish in the 41st, to Vargas’ second goal of the night to seal the win in the 84th, the Sounders’ offensive prowess throughout the remaining duration of the match was undeniable.
“We were dominant," said Vargas. “The ball was moving quickly. We were attacking the right spaces, and the second and third goals were huge. They were good team goals that were practiced the whole week.”
After generating some quality opportunities against Minnesota’s bunkered-in, 5-4-1 defensive structure in Match 1, Head Coach Brian Schmetzer switched to a 4-4-2 diamond in the second fixture. With the Sounders’ all-time leading scorer (Morris) and the club’s 2025 season leader (Musovski) as the front two, the team put an emphasis on getting numbers into the box to convert the chances generated by the midfielders. The success of this tactic was evident – all four goals were either created or finished inside the box, despite generating the exact same amount of Expected Goals as their scoreless draw in Minnesota.
Despite a blip in the ten minutes of first half stoppage time where the Loons went from being down by three to scoring two goals, the Sounders were not threatened by the scoreline heading into the second 45. Morris said the playoff experience from the guys on the roster helped in being able to overcome their opposition’s pressure in the final moments of the first half.
“Playoff games are back and forth. They're intense. You never know what can happen,” said Morris. “So having that experience within the group is important, to kind of regroup and reset and move forward.”
Homing in on veteran support and continuing a strong offensive mindset will be vital as the team looks ahead to Saturday’s must-win showdown in Match 3 at Allianz Field.
When asked what the team can carry from Monday night’s win into Match 3, Schmetzer said the “four goals.”
“There was the intent to try and score and play exciting attacking soccer,” he said.
