In Times Like These, the Result Doesn't Matter

The Seattle Sounders draw 1-1, but the match itself is not what is making the headlines

It was a beautiful day for some football as the Seattle Sounders hosted the Columbus Crew on this sunny Sunday afternoon. The Sounders come into the match off the back of a solid 2-0 win against Austin FC. The starting eleven remained the same from the previous match, except for Nouhou, who slots back in at left-back after Reed Baker-Whiting got himself sent off last week. Sunday’s match with the Columbus Crew ended in a 1-1 draw, with first-half goals coming from Diego Rossi and Paul Rothrock.

The Sounders began the half with solid possession sequences and fantastic off-the-ball movements. For the most part, they kept Wilfred Nancy’s Columbus Crew pinned back with their high line and possession. Out of possession, the Sounders held their defensive shape well, not allowing Diego Rossi, Darlington Nagbe, and Daniel Gazdag to dictate the game. However, as the half wore on, the Columbus Crew increasingly got into the game and took control. At times, it felt as though the Sounders were unknowingly allowing the Crew to get into the game with poor touches, giveaways, and a lack of communication. All that accumulated in the 27th minute as the Columbus Crew opened the scoring when Darlington Nagbe got the ball from the back line and played it to Jacen Russel-Rowe, who brought the Sounders’ high defensive line with him Aliyu timed his run perfectly past Alex Roldan and then played an easily tap in for Diego Rossi to slot it home. I know I said on the Soundwaves from the Sea podcast that playing the high line would work against Columbus, but it looks like I’ll be eating my words on this one.

In the 43rd minute, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi put in the work again to win the ball back and dribbled through the Columbus midfield and defense to lay the ball off to an on-running Paul Rothrock, who timed his run perfectly and slotted it home to draw the game level. Before the pass-through, it looked like Kossa-Rienzi was about to lose the ball before hitting it through with his weaker foot.

The story of the second half was the Stefan Frei injury in the sixth minute of extra time. On what was expected to be the game's second-to-last play, Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei went to clear the ball on a free kick and ended up taking a knee to the head, jolting his neck and seemingly knocking him out. Nearly every player on the pitch signaled for the Sounders' medical staff to rush to assist him. There wasn't a single player who wasn’t visibly shaken by the incident, except maybe Diego Rossi, who was arguing with the ref. What a cunt. The press box and stadium fell silent until the ambulance came and took Frei to the hospital. The game ended with a 1-1 draw, but despite being a solid game, all focus should be on Stefan Frei.

Kalani Kossa-Rienzi to the MOOOON

For some, the red card he got would rain on the Kalani Kossa-Rienzi parade. However, it won’t change the fact that he continues to improve with every match he plays. It’s no secret that I am not a fan of Alex Roldan, even if he’s having a solid 2025 season. But before the emergence of KKR, there wasn’t anyone who was the apparent heir to that right-back position. Not only is KKR the heir to that spot, but he is ready to take the crown. His ability to drive the ball forward when the Sounders win the ball back is impressive, and his willingness to put his body on the line when defending has been crucial to how the Sounders play through that right-hand side. I wouldn’t be surprised if that right-back spot is Kalani Kossa-Rienzi’s spot to lose.

Jesus Ferreira remains a non-factor

After a MOTM performance last week against Austin FC, with a goal and an assist, Jesus Ferriera returned to his regularly scheduled programming and was nothing more than just a body out there. There were times in the second half when his touch was much better, and his decision-making on the ball was slightly more effective, but he actively killed at least four attacks, was slow to react, and was a non-factor in the final third. He was making runs through the channels and finding spots in those half spaces that he loves to operate in so much, but he offered nothing going forward all game and nothing defensively either. Not only did he not pass the eye test, but the stats certainly don’t paint a better picture.

As the season progresses, Jesus Ferreira is proving to everyone that he was a luxury signing and was only brought on because he was a quality player who was available at a decent price.

Last week on the Soundwaves from the Sea podcast, I said Jesus Ferriera should be a starter after the Austin Match. At the time, compared to the other wingers, he was the only one producing numbers and putting the ball in the back of the net, even if it was only two goals. I would like to get that statement stricken from the record, please, and thank you.

More than Football

An emotional Brian Schmetzer addressed the media before starting the post-match presser, providing everyone with an update on the Frei situation. Stefan Frei was being evaluated for a head and neck injury. The Sounders will provide more information after they get some concrete answers. At the time, Schmetz said that Frei should be okay, and he was alert and awake as he got into the ambulance. He was able to move his fingers, so there was no fear of paralysis. Frei gave us an update via social media later in the evening:

Massive shoutout to Wilfred Nancy and the Columbus Crew for handling the situation and agreeing to end the match along with Brian Schmetzer. Nancy told Pekmic to simply end the match, even though the Crew had a chance to score a game-winning goal on the final play.

"Our job is not easy. When you see a situation like that, again, football is not the most important thing. We stay positive, and hopefully, everything's going to be good for him."

The incident comes at the end of what has already been an emotional week, which included João Paulo suffering an ACL tear in training, Jamal Musiala’s horrific injury in the Club World Cup, and most notably, the tragic death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the hot takes and the general discourse around football. Despite being a passion and an escape, sometimes you forget that there is more to life than football. It’s times like these that make you appreciate the time you have and the people around you.

Photo credit goes to Richard Dizon of Cascadia FC!