SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC (7-7-7, 28 points) came from behind to earn a 2-1 home win over Chicago Fire FC (4-10-6, 18 points) on Saturday evening on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field. After Chicago went up 1-0 in the first half, Albert Rusnák scored a pair of second-half penalty kicks as the Rave Green extended their unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1). Brian Schmetzer’s side remains at home next Saturday, July 6 with another Eastern Conference matchup against the New England Revolution (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders FC sits in ninth position in the Western Conference with 28 points (7-7-7). Seattle is level on points with Vancouver, but Whitecaps FC holds the total wins tiebreaker. Just four points currently separate the teams occupying fourth through 10th place in the West.
- The Rave Green are amidst a four-match unbeaten streak (3-0-1). Across all competitions, Brian Schmetzer’s side has just two losses in the last 14 matches (7-2-5).
- Seattle is now 10-4-4 all-time against Chicago in MLS regular-season play and is unbeaten at home in eight matchups (6-0-2).
- Albert Rusnák scored his second and third goals of the season via second-half penalty kicks in the second half. It marked his 10th and 11th goals for Sounders FC in regular-season play since joining the club prior to the 2022 campaign. Rusnák also leads Seattle with nine assists this season.
- This marks the first time Sounders FC has overcome a deficit to earn a win in two consecutive matches in the same season since May of 2014 (May 3 vs. Dallas and May 7 vs. Philadelphia).
- Sounders FC remains the most successful Western Conference side against the Eastern Conference since entering MLS in 2009. The Rave Green have accumulated 251 points against teams from the East.
- Pedro de la Vega appeared as a second-half substitute, his first appearance since May 18 due to a hamstring injury. The Argentine has four appearances this season after joining Sounders FC from Lanús in Argentina.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Chicago Fire FC 1
Saturday, June 29, 2024
Venue: Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field
Referee: Joe Dickerson
Assistants: Stefan Tanaka-Freundt, Eric Weisbrod
Fourth Official: Calin Radosav
VAR: Alejandro Mariscal
Attendance: 30,045
Weather: 65 degrees and light rain
SCORING SUMMARY
CHI – Maren Haile-Selassie (Gaston Gimenez) 30’
SEA – Albert Rusnák (penalty) 57’
SEA – Albert Rusnák (penalty) 90’+3’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CHI – Mauricio Pineda (caution) 42’
CHI – Jonathan Dean (caution) 56’
SEA – Jackson Ragen (caution) 77’
SEA – Albert Rusnák (caution) 90’+4’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Alex Roldan (Paul Rothrock 46’), Yeimar, Jackson Ragen, Reed Baker-Whiting; Obed Vargas, João Paulo (Danny Musovski 85’), Cristian Roldan, Albert Rusnák (Nathan 90’+8’), Léo Chú (Pedro de la Vega 76’); Jordan Morris
Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas, Cody Baker, Josh Atencio, Danny Leyva, Dylan Teves
Total shots: 12
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 10
Offside: 2
Corner-Kicks: 3
Saves: 3
Chicago Fire FC – Chris Brady; Carlos Teran (Mauricio Pineda 39’), Rafael Czichos, Jonathan Dean, Allan Arigoni (Chris Mueller 85’); Arnaud Souquet, Brian Gutierrez (Kellyn Acosta 85’), Fabian Herbers, Gaston Gimenez; Maren Haile-Selassie (Georgios Koutsias 86’), Hugo Cuypers (Tom Barlow 85’)
Substitutes not used: Spencer Richey, Wyatt Omsberg, Jeffrey Gal, Javier Casas
Total shots: 8
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 17
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 3
- SOUNDERS FC -
