If you don't love Ozzie Alonso...well, you're probably on the wrong website.
The Sounders FC Designated Player returned to the pitch for the Rave Green on Saturday as his side topped the Houston Dynamo 1-0 in a very tight contest at CenturyLink Field. Three points and all that...BUT OZZIE IS BACK!
After spending the majority of the offseason recovering from groin surgery, the 29-year-old holding midfielder was in the starting XI against Houston and played a pivotal role in the result. Let us discuss.
First, it started with this lovely graphic welcoming our No. 6 back to the lineup. Not everyone gets this treatment, you see. Or this treatment:
Alonso, as you'll soon read, holds a number of team records in the participation category. Impressive numbers really.
He's an invaluable member of Sigi Schmid's roster and has been for quite some time. Let the coach explain:
“Ozzie has such good instincts when he sits deep in midfield," said Schmid after the match. "He reads the play really well, and he is quick to anticipate and react. In the second half, even when he was running out of gas, he almost got a goal.”
That he did! And what a goal it would have been...
See? That would have been crazy. For a guy who was already over his alotted minutes in the match, to do that says a lot. The crowd went crazy, of course.
Brings back some memories, for me at least, of the below stunner the Honeybadger scored way back in 2011:
If those two little moments of amazing Ozzie-ness weren't enough, let him describe to you his feelings on returning to the Xbox Pitch for the first time in 2015. They are some great, warm (and also fuzzy) feelings:
“I’m happy. It’s been a long time since I’ve played. To win this game, even with 10 men, I feel so happy. I can’t describe this moment for me.”
Here is a guy that loves his team, loves his fans and loves his city. He feels so happy. Be still my beating heart.
The love did not end there as he sent a beauty of a tweet out following the match that further conveyed his emotions after his long-awaited comeback from injury. Ok, it wasn't that long...just felt really long.
This is just the best ever.
Welcome back, Ozzie. You were missed. Don't ever leave again.
