Calm Three Points
From start to finish, the Seattle Sounders controlled that game
Oh, how nice it is to win so convincingly. JF scored, Moose scored, the back line held strong, Cristian Roldan continues to be unreal, and Frei got a clean sheet. It’s worth noting that Austin FC had a grand total of one shot on goal for the entire match. Still, their one shot was well-placed and Frei kept it out of the net with a diving save.
If there’s three complaints, it’s that the team still struggles against the press, the set pieces are still ineffective, and Reed Baker-Whiting got himself an unnecessary red card. But when the rest of the game was played like it was on Saturday, that didn’t come close to mattering.
It’s an excellent return to form in the MLS after three tough CWC matches. I’d say that level of competition really improved the Sounders, as the team we saw on Saturday was far and away better than whatever that Vancouver performance was.
They also played this game on real grass, which was a plus for everyone.
Alex Roldan played center back on Saturday due to how many center backs are injured. He did pretty well in the role, which was good to see. Reed also got the start as the left back, but the rest of the lineup was pretty bog standard: Ragen as the other center back, Kalani at right back, Cristian and Obed as sixes, Ferreira at right wing, Rothrock at left wing, Moose at striker, and Albert in the number 10 spot.
Seattle Dominates Game Flow, Notches Goal At End of First Half
The game started off looking like a lot of Sounders matches during the last few years. In the first half, Seattle dominated in possession with 65% and really locked Austin out of anything remotely threatening aside from getting an absolute gift from the Seattle back line in the 34th minute. Were it not for a clutch Frei save, the visitors would have had an early lead – but it was instead the Sounders who came away with a 1-0 advantage at the end of the half: Ferreira’s boot found home in stoppage.
The game began with a short spell of possession by Austin where the visitors got into the final third with a throw-in, but Seattle wrested the ball away and moved it up to the other side by the third minute. The Sounders had difficulty controlling the ball under the early pressure and lost it soon after.
The next half-chance for the visitors came in the fourth minute as Gallagher brought the ball up the left side and crossed over, but there was no one there to receive it and the ball fell harmlessly into a sea of Sounders. Seattle countered with a potential threat as Albert sent off a cross up top for Musovski, but the ball went a meter or so over Moose’s head.
Rothrock had a promising moment in the seventh minute as he received a cross from Alex across the field and battled with Austin right back Mikkel Dessler to try and open up a line, but Dessler pushed him away and won the ball back for Austin. The visitors then had a very promising moment of transition with Jader Obrian rushing upfield, but Cristian Roldan stopped him in his tracks with an incredible tackle.
Both sides continued trading runs into the final third that did not result in much. In the 11th minute, Seattle had their first strong chance. Reed fired a long ball upfield for Musovski – a good start for Seattle – but then Musovski fell behind Oleksandr Svatok before attempting a shot through traffic that Stuver deflected off the post and to Guilherme Biro in the box. Biro nearly rolled “worst clearance ever” with a backwards hit, but it caromed off the woodwork and the score was still tied.
Seattle and Austin traded possession over the next few minutes, though the ball mostly remained in the midfield. In the 15th, Ferreira brought it up on the right side and crossed over the crowd to Rothrock. Paulie sent it back to Obed, who was just outside the box, and Obed fired on the goal – but center back Brendan Hines-Ike got in front of the ball and saved it. Austin regained the ball a bit after and play fell away from the final third.
In the 17th, Rothrock had a run up into the left corner but was stymied by Dessler. The ball came back up into Seattle’s half at the hands of Austin, but the Sounders won the ball back soon after. Another Austin attack in the 20th was thwarted by a clearance from Alex.
Then there was a fairly extended phase of Seattle attack where Kossa-Rienzi came upfield twice on the right side, but both times Austin repelled him. Austin followed up with a corner, but it led nowhere.
On Seattle’s next attack in the 25th, Vargas sent it to Rothrock on the left, who went up and sent the ball from the upper corner back into the crowd, but it went to a green and white jersey first. Austin’s counterattack ended as soon as it started, with an attempted long ball reaching Frei and going back the other way for a Sounder attack.
Cristian fed the ball to Obed at the top of the box and Obed sent off a second shot of the day – again blocked. Seattle maintained possession long enough for Kalani to send a cross up top for Moose. Danny leapt up, trying to head it into the net, but it fell behind the line for a goal kick.
In the 28th, Rothrock again rushed into the left side of the box, but this time he forced a corner rather than pass backwards. The end result was the same as all the previous half-chances, as Brandon Vazquez easily cleared Albert’s cross away.
Seattle kept possession of the ball but were at first unable to enter the final third as Austin pressed them back into their own half. Then the Sounders went up the other side with Kalani, who sent it in the box – deflected away. Seattle had an ensuing throw-in in the 33rd that went straight for Musovski, who jumped up and swiveled into the ball, sending a low bouncer… but it rolled scarcely a foot outside the right post.
Austin nearly struck first barely a minute later. Seattle had the ball deep in their own half but absentmindedly lost it on the edge of the 18 box. Vazquez got the ball and briefly battled Ragen before finding an open window and firing. This was Austin’s best chance all game – but Frei dove into the corner of the net and smothered the ball.
And it was back to Seattle on the attack. Still, they couldn’t get a strong chance. One run up to the box fell apart as Kalani whiffed the cross reception; another long ball from Jesus went right into Brad Stuver’s arms. In the 37th, Paul and Reed brought it up the left side and Reed forced a corner off Dani Pereira. Rusnak went short to JF, who sent it over to Moose, but the striker again didn’t get a good touch. Eventually, the Sounders’ phase of attack ended as a ball went over the endline and Stuver had a goal kick.
It was another brief Austin phase that followed, but their attack fell over the endline. Goal kick for Frei. It soon ended up in the final third due to a great ball by Cristian over for Albert up on the left. I could practically hear dads across Washington state shout “shoot it!” at their TVs for the next minute, as Sounder after Sounder got the ball but failed to find a window.
That half-chance ended without fanfare, and another one soon began as time was winding down. Cristian sent in a ball in the 44th meant for Musovski but was batted back towards midfield by Austin. The Sounders regrouped once more, but the game was interrupted when a hard tackle led to referee Timothy Ford exchanging words with players from both sides while boos rained down from Lumen Field. It ended up a free kick in the 45th by Albert, but that set piece went nowhere.
But then everything came together in the first minute of stoppage time. Rusnak sent a long ball for Rothrock on the upper left side. Only Mikkel Desler was anywhere near him as he ran into the box. Then, Paulie Primetime crossed over to Jesus on the other side, but unlike every other in-the-box cross either side had taken all game, it was right on the money. JF’s right foot slapped it into the back of the net. The half ended with a 1-0 Seattle lead and a lot of suddenly silent armchair generals on social media.
The Moose is Loose! Danny Musovski Expands Lead, Clean Sheet Easily Holds
It was mostly more of the same in the back half. Seattle dominated possession once more (although Austin had a bit more fire and kept Seattle out of the box during the final 20 minutes), created way better chances, and played mostly clinically in the back. It probably should have been 3-0 were it not
Austin started the back 45 with a spell of possession. Obrian worked down the right side and crossed into the box, but there was no-one there to receive except Alex Roldan, who cleared away. Austin nearly recovered it after the clearance, but a foul gave the ball back to Seattle briefly.
Still, the visitors maintained control of the ball and had another attacking spell in the 51st. It quickly ended in the face of Seattle pressure. Seattle went upfield and the same thing happened in reverse.
At the beginning of the 53rd minute, Besard Sabovic was shown the yellow for a trip around midfield. Then play calmed down for a brief moment as the Sounders got their bearings in their own half, circling from left to right and up the field.
In the 54th. Ferreira sent a through ball over for Musovski up top. Moose got control over it and – seemingly in slow motion – rolled past Svatok on his way towards the right side of the box. Then the Moose was loose; he whipped the ball over to the left corner and in for Seattle’s second goal.
Svatok’s woes continued in the 56th as Ford showed him a yellow. But Austin began a serious attacking phase, going into the box and sending off a couple crosses. Seattle kept the visitors to nothing more than a half chance – but the change in the game’s flow was noticeable.
Austin kept the ball after the goal kick and worked up the right side. Bukari crossed in for Vazquez, but a foul turned the ball over to Seattle. Some spotty play up on Seattle’s right side ended up bringing it up to the final third, but Cristian meekly attempted a ball over to Rothrock that got intercepted rather than take the chance on a 60th minute left-footer.
Ryan Kent came in during the 61st minute to replace Moose, given that The Chosen One had completed his duty. Obed nearly made it a three-goal lead in the 64th with a beautiful curler aimed at the top right post – but it was a couple meters wide.
Austin had a short transition in Seattle territory during the 64th minute, but the Sounders plugged the back and Cristian conceded a corner off a ball from Pereira. Owen Wolff sent in the kick and Frei punched it away – I always love seeing those. The visitors had another set piece due to a foul in the 66th minute; this time, a free kick that Wolff delivered in the 67th. It came for Biro, who headed it over to Hines-Ike at the top of the box. But Hines-Ike’s header lilted harmlessly over the crossbar.
Seattle battled a high press on their right side and so swiveled around to the left. Kent worked up the wing in the 68th and sent a beautiful ball for Jesus, who was in prime position to score his brace. But he tapped it awkwardly towards the right post, and the slow dribbler was easily grabbed by Stover. JF doubters roared back to life on that one (and that was a rather bad miss, to put it lightly).
The visitors countered with a brief set piece of their own, again going nowhere. The Sounders quickly battled back to the final third. The home crew worked from side to side for a minute or so before Obed Vargas forced a corner in the 72nd. Albert took it short and the Sounders circled around to the middle for an attempted Brothers Roldan connection, but the final cross in was from Rothrock for Kalani, who sent a header towards the net. Stuver dove and took it in his hands.
A bad foul by Guilherme Biro gave Austin’s left back a yellow and Seattle a free kick in the 75th minute. Albert’s delivery came to Ragen, who sent forth a header – but right at Stuver. Chance begun, chance over.
Schmetzer brought in Pepo and Jordan for Paulie and JF, also in the 75th minute. The second wind up top promised even more danger for Austin, who brought in some subs of their own – Nicolas Dubersarsky and Zan Kolmanic – to temper their exhaustion.
As the 80th minute came and went, each side traded meaningless phases of possession – at least until Austin began something threatening in the 83rd minute, with a shot on net deflected out for a corner kick – but nothing materialized.
Schmetzer went for two more substitutions in the 86th, bringing on JP and Danny Leyva for Obed and Albert.
Alex Roldan had a scary moment in the 87th as he nearly own-goaled a cross from Austin, but the ball went over the endline for a harmless corner. The ball went the other way, time running out for Austin to get any points out of the game.
But Austin FC got a gift in the 89th minute. Reed Baker-Whiting got his second yellow – and the Sounders were playing 10-on-11. Now, it would take a big effort to notch two for the visitors, but Seattle had to keep their heads in the game.
Vazquez took a shot from medium range in the 91st, but it went off JP and a follow-up flew over the crossbar. JP got a yellow in stoppage after an encounter upfield. But Seattle, crucially, had possession as time was winding down. Austin pressed the Sounders all the way back to Stef for a brief moment, but Seattle recuperated. Kalani sent a ball up from the right side for Morris, but it was well overshot.
Bukari ran past Cristian on the right side of the box and tried to send in one last cross in the 96th, but it went wide over the target and the whistle blew immediately after. Sounders 2, Austin FC 0.
Cristian Roldan MOTM Again
It’s an absolute travesty this guy wasn’t selected for the All Star Game. If there’s a reason the Sounders are contenders in spite of injuries and the lack of a striker, it’s because Cristian and Obed are two of the best pivots in this league (really, it’s the whole spine from Frei to the pivots to Albert). Cristian in particular has excelled recently, shining bright in the CWC and continuing that play on Saturday against Austin FC.
I’m particularly struck by a moment about ten minutes into the match. Jader Obrian had just taken the ball away on the far side of the pitch and was charging upfield past Cristian in Seattle territory and threatening to charge between Jackson and Reed up top. Both Jackson and Reed were starting to cover, but it would have been a close call with how much speed Obrian had on the ball. But Cristian redirected and knocked the ball from him with a ferocious tackle, ending what could have been one of Austin’s best chances all game.
This is the kind of defense he gives you, but his passing game was also on point. He’s one of the best long ballers in MLS, and we saw that multiple times on Saturday. I’ll offer up an example of his 40th minute ball from the center up over the wing for Albert. Our number ten had the chance to work in from the left but decided to go centrally and the team ended up getting an annoying amount of chances to shoot without doing anything – so nothing happened – but Cristian’s ball up there was excellent. This is the sport, though: create opportunities time and time again and eventually it will all come together.
Danny Jesus
I think every Sounders fan loves it when The Chosen One scores a goal. I certainly do. His unforgettable five-goals-in-five-games stretch is one of the greatest events of the 2025 season. And he might be back – league beware.
Okay, I won’t get too ahead of myself. But Moose beat Svatok up there on his goal. Tailor-made beauty. I was worried he wouldn’t shoot it in time, but he swept his foot over the ball and knocked it across the box just inside the left post. Brad Stuver tried to stick his right foot out but to no avail.
We need more of this from Moose. There were still several moments where he made the wrong decision – mostly, just not shooting it, which has been a Sounders issue for a while – or took something too slow and got caught by some Austin defender or other.
Our other goal was Jesus Ferreira’s second in a Sounder jersey. Much has been made of his struggles this season, and it’s not hard to see why. Today was a big improvement, mostly. Obviously, that goal was sweet to see, and I always love seeing a practiced play come together perfectly in a game situation. Chaosball is awesome, but making a plan and executing it flawlessly is the pinnacle of beauty.
It's unfortunate that Jesus didn’t sink his second amazing chance. Still, we might be seeing some improvement from our utility attacker.
The Pressure Saga: Glimpses of Hope
It’s no secret the Sounders have struggled under pressure recently. Now, “recently” includes against PSG, but it also includes a bunch of MLS sides. Teams have been able to wrest the ball up top, prevent passing phases in the final third, and even push Seattle all the way back to goal at times.
There was definitely some of that against Austin. There were quite a few moments where the team lost cohesion under the pressure and gave away the ball when they got into the final third and Austin pressed closer, and there were several times when Seattle got pushed all the way across the field.
But the team was able to recycle more calmly even when that did happen and got opportunities up the side. Cristian and Obed held firm most of the time against pressing and a lot of Seattle’s attacking phases featured passes made accurately under pressure. Ferreira’s perfect assist for Moose’s goal came under very close pressure by Austin midfielder Besan Sabovic (and really that whole sequence – Frei to Cristian to Obed to Kalani to Ferreira to Moose – was an excellent example of fast, dead-on accurate passing).
Again, this is against Austin FC, not exactly the cream of the MLS crop. But they had some more moments of good handling under pressure, and that’s what I’d like to see more of. But it’s still a weak spot in the team’s game.
Looking Ahead
With this win, Seattle is fifth in the Western Conference with 29 points and an 8-6-5 record. The Sounders’ next game is at home on Sunday, June 6th against the Columbus Crew, who are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with 27 points and a 10-3-7 record.