Jordan Morris set a new Major League Soccer rookie record with his fifth game-winning goal of the season in the Seattle Sounders’ 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, and became just the fifth rookie in MLS history to score 10 goals or more in his first season in the league.
Morris pounced on a diving header in the 81st minute off a cross from Nicolas Lodeiro to grab the game-winner and give the Sounders three much-needed points in the push for the postseason.
Morris broke a tie with Orlando City striker Cyle Larin (2015) and Chicago Fire forward Damani Ralph (2003) to set the new mark for game-winning goals for a rookie. He’s also now tied for the lead in MLS this season in game-winning goals with New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips and fellow Sounders forward Clint Dempsey.
Morris also became the first American rookie to reach double-digit goals since Pat Noonan, who scored 10 goals in 2003 with the New England Revolution before later suiting up for the Sounders in 2010-11.
The five rookies with double-digit goals in MLS history are: Larin (18), Ralph (11), Morris (10), Noonan (10) and Deshorn Brown (10).
