MATCH RECAP: Sounders FC cruises to 3-1 victory at the San Jose Earthquakes

Sounders FC (15-5-6, 51 points) concluded its four-match road stretch across all competitions on Wednesday evening with a 3-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes (8-10-9, 33 points) at PayPal Park. Raúl Ruidíaz scored a first-half brace to give him 60 goals in his Seattle career across all competitions. Cristian Roldan also scored his third goal in as many games, as the Rave Green stayed atop the Western Conference standings.  

Ruidíaz put Seattle up 1-0 in the 25th minute with his 15th goal of the season. After receiving a pass from Cristian Roldan at the top of the 18-yard-box, the Peruvian beat a San Jose defender and slotted a shot past Earthquakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. He completed his brace in the 42nd minute via penalty kick after Roldan was fouled inside the area, making the score 2-0 heading into halftime. Ruidíaz’s 16 regular-season goals this season are second in the MLS Golden Boot race behind D.C. United’s Ola Kamara (17 goals). Tonight’s strikes also give him 60 tallies across all competitions since signing with Sounders FC in the summer of 2018, second in club history behind Fredy Montero’s 67 goals.

Seattle made it 3-0 in in the 49th minute when a speeding Jimmy Medranda crossed a ball in from the left wing that crossed the face of goal to the feet of a sliding Cristian Roldan, who was able to tap it into the back of the net for the midfielder’s third goal in three matches across all competitions.

San Jose got one back in the 51st minute when Shane O’Neill got to a clearance attempt late and deflected the ball over the outstretched hands of Stefan Frei for an own goal.

Brian Schmetzer’s side returns home for the first time in nearly three weeks on Sunday, October 3 for a matchup with the Colorado Rapids at Lumen Field (7:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, 1090 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM). The matchup pits Western Conference-leading Sounders FC against a third-placed Rapids side, with Colorado currently trailing the Rave Green by three points.  

MATCH NOTES

• Seattle remains atop the Western Conference with the win, two points above Sporting Kansas City with one game in-hand, and three points in front of Colorado. Seattle meets the Rapids at Lumen Field on Sunday, October 3. 

• With the result, Seattle ties its record for most road wins in a season with nine away victories, previously matching its mark set in 2011. Atlanta United holds the record for most away wins in a single season with 10, when the Five Stripes achieved that mark in 2018.

• Sounders FC is now 15-11-8 all-time against San Jose in regular-season play, including a 5-4-5 mark on the road. The Rave Green have lost just once in the last 16 meetings between the two clubs (9-1-6).

• With tonight's win, Sounders FC captures the 2021 Heritage Cup after also earning a road victory in the Bay Area on May 12. Contested annually between Sounders FC and San Jose to honor the history between the two sides dating back to 1974 in the North American Soccer League, Seattle retains the Heritage Cup, winning the annual series between the clubs for the past six seasons.

• Raúl Ruidíaz scored his 15th and 16th goals of the season, good for second in the MLS Golden Boot race, one behind D.C. United’s Ola Kamara. Ruidíaz now has 60 goals for Sounders FC across all competitions, second in club history behind teammate Fredy Montero’s 67. 

• Ruidíaz is also now in sole possession of second place in club history with 49 MLS regular-season goals, passing Dempsey’s 47 strikes and four behind Montero’s 53 tallies.

• Cristian Roldan’s goal was his fourth of the season, with the University of Washington product scoring in three straight matches across all competitions. Roldan scored the first goal for the Rave Green in the Leagues Cup Final on September 22. He also scored against Sporting Kansas City on September 26, helping Seattle to another pivotal road win in the process. 

• Making a substitute appearance at halftime, forward Leó Chú made his MLS debut this evening in San Jose. The 21-year-old was signed from Brazilian club Grêmio on August 5, and he made his first appearance in Rave Green in Leagues Cup play on September 14, recording the match-winning assist against Mexican club Santos Laguna. 

• Wednesday’s match in San Jose concluded a four-match road stretch across all competitions for Seattle. Following a 1-0 loss at RSL on September 18, Sounders FC was defeated 3-2 by Club León in the 2021 Leagues Cup Final on September 22 in Las Vegas, before earning a 1-0 win at Sporting Kansas City on September 26. 

MATCH SUMMARY

Seattle Sounders FC 3 – San Jose Earthquakes 1
Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Venue: PayPal Park
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistants: Frank Anderson, Jeremy Hanson
Fourth Official: Michael Radchuk
VAR: Tim Ford
Attendance: 11,361
Weather: 67 degrees and clear

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (Cristian Roldan) 25’
SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (penalty) 42’
SEA – Cristian Roldan (Jimmy Medranda) 49’
SJ – Shane O’Neill (OG) 51' 

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

SJ – Judson (caution) 27’
SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (caution) 38’
SEA – Alex Roldan (caution) 83’ 

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Kelyn Rowe, Yeimar, Xavier Arreaga (Nouhou HT), Shane O’Neill, Jimmy Medranda (Abdoulaye Cissoko 72’); Danny Leyva, Josh Atencio (João Paulo HT), Cristian Roldan (Alex Roldan 82’), Fredy Montero; Raúl Ruidíaz (Léo Chú HT)

Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Ethan Dobbelaere, Will Bruin

Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 12
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 3 

San Jose Earthquakes – JT Marcinkowski; Oswaldo Alanis (Cade Cowell HT), Nathan, Marcos Lopez; Eric Remedi, Jackson Yueill, Judson (Luciano Abecasis 54’); Shea Salinas (Andres Rios 54’), Carlos Fierro (Chris Wondolowski 54’), Eduardo Lopez (Jack Skahan 69’), Benji Kikanovic

Substitutes not used: Daniel Vega, Paul Marie, Jack Skahan, Tommy Thompson, Jacob Akanyirige

Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 13
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 10
Saves: 2