MATCH RECAP: Sounders FC Takes Down Second-Place Austin FC 3-0 Saturday at Lumen Field

SEATTLE, WASH. – Raúl Ruidíaz scored a brace as Seattle Sounders FC (12-15-3, 39 points) earned a 3-0 win over Austin FC (15-9-6, 51 points) on Saturday evening on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field. The result marks the second consecutive win for the Rave Green, who remain in ninth place in the Western Conference with four games left in the 2022 regular season, three points back of the seventh and final MLS Cup Playoffs position (at the time of writing).

Ruidíaz opened the scoring in the 12th minute with the first of his two first-half tallies. Xavier Arreaga played a long ball down the right wing to Morris, whose deflected cross found the feet of Lodeiro, who laid a ball off to the Peruvian for a point-blank strike. In the 34th minute, it was Morris again providing the service after getting behind the defense on a ball from Alex Roldan. The Mercer Island native fed Ruidíaz near the penalty spot for another easy finish into the back of the net. Ruidíaz now leads the team with nine goals in MLS regular season, and his 73 career strikes for Seattle across all competitions are two behind Fredy Montero for the most in club history.

Seattle made it 3-0 in the 68th minute on an Austin FC own goal. Lodeiro sent a free kick from the left wing into the area that glanced off the head of Arreaga, whose deflection ricocheted off the back of an Austin defender and into the goal. 

Brian Schmetzer’s side has four games remaining in the regular season, beginning on the road next Saturday, September 17 against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place Stadium (7:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).

MATCH NOTES

• With the win, Seattle continues its push to break above the playoff line in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference. Sounders FC now has 39 points and is three points from the seventh and final postseason position at the time of writing.

• With tonight’s win, Seattle has won back-to-back matches for the first time since consecutive victories over Charlotte and Vancouver on May 29 and June 14. 

• Seattle remains unbeaten against Austin, holding a 2-0-2 record in four meetings with the Texas side.

• Sounders FC continues its push for the MLS Cup Playoffs in a week’s time, as the Rave Green face Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on Saturday, September 17. Seattle beat Vancouver 4-0 earlier this season on June 14 at Lumen Field.

• Scoring a brace this evening, Seattle forward Raúl Ruidíaz now has 12 goals across all competitions in 2022. The Peruvian has nine goals in MLS play, good for the team lead and two ahead of teammate Jordan Morris.

• Dating back to his summer transfer window signing with the Rave Green in 2018, Ruidíaz now has 73 career goals across all competitions for Seattle. Only teammate Fredy Montero has more strikes in club history (75 goals).

• Ruidíaz now has three career goals against Austin FC, good for first all-time among Sounders FC players.

• Stefan Frei made one save en route to his fifth shutout of the 2022 regular season. His 91 career clean sheets rank third in MLS history, behind only Nick Rimando (154) and Kevin Hartman (112).

• Coming into the match as a substitute in the 76th minute of play, Kelyn Rowe recorded his 300th MLS career regular-season appearance. Rowe joined Sounders FC prior to the 2021 campaign, appearing in 34 matches for the Rave Green last year after an eight-season run in New England and stints with Real Salt Lake and Sporting KC.

MATCH SUMMARY

Seattle Sounders FC 3 – Austin FC 0

Saturday, September 10, 2022 

Venue: Lumen Field 

Referee: Marcos Deoliveira

Assistants: Michael Barwegen, Jose Da Silva 

Fourth Official: Katja Koroleva

VAR: Ted Unkel 

Attendance: 34,721 

Weather: 89 degrees and smoke 

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (Nico Lodeiro) 12’ 

SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (Jordan Morris, Alex Roldan) 34’ 

SEA – Ruben Gabrielsen (OG) 68’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

SEA – Josh Atencio (caution) 25’          

SEA – Alex Roldan (caution) 58’ 

ATX – Jhojan Valencia (caution) 67’      

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Alex Roldan, Yeimar Gómez Andrade (Jackson Ragen 88’), Xavier Arreaga, Nouhou; Danny Leyva, Josh Atencio (Kelyn Rowe 76’); Jordan Morris (Fredy Montero 76’), Nico Lodeiro, Albert Rusnák (Léo Chú 88’); Raúl Ruidíaz (Dylan Teves 90’) 

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

Total shots: 5 

Shots on goal: 4 

Fouls: 8 

Offside: 5 

Corner-kicks: 4 

Saves: 1 

Austin FC – Brad Stuver; Jon Gallagher, Ruben Gabrielsen, Julio Cascante (Jhohan Romaña 73’), Nick Lima; Daniel Pereira (Jhojan Valencia 61’), Alexander Ring; Diego Fagúndez, Felipe Martins (Owen Wolff 61’), Ethan Finlay (Emiliano Rigoni 61’); Maximiliano Urruti (Sebastián Driussi 84’)

Substitutes not used: Danny Hoesen, Hector Jimenez, Andrew Tarbell, Zan Kolmanic

Total shots: 10 

Shots on goal: 1 

Fouls: 12 

Offside: 2 

Corner-kicks: 1 

Saves: 2