The Seattle Sounders’ comprehensive 4-0 victory over Pumas UNAM in the Round of 16 of the Leagues Cup on Monday was about much more than just advancing in the tournament. It was a stake in the ground, a signal of intent for who this team is and what it is capable of achieving.
Fresh off an impressive win over the Western Conference-leading LA Galaxy last round, the Sounders had a perfect opportunity to lay their claim as a serious Leagues Cup contender in a highly anticipated rematch of the 2022 Concacaf Champions League Final. They delivered.
“That was a statement by that group that we’re going to do good things this year,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “What I’m most proud about this group is against Necaxa [in the group stage], when things started to shift sideways, we didn’t have an answer. But [Monday], when Pumas was on top of us and they got the [disallowed] goal and things were going their way, we shifted that momentum. We brought it back to ourselves.”
Everything clicked for Seattle on Monday. Jordan Morris had a brace. Albert Rusnák put in a Man of the Match performance. Paul Rothrock’s legend grew even greater. The defense kept a clean sheet.
Still, one of the most impressive parts of the showing was how fiery and intense the Sounders were. After he was dragged down dangerously in the box in stoppage time, a normally even-keeled Morris got in guys’ faces. Jackson Ragen was grabbing opponents by the handful. Even goalkeeper Andrew Thomas ended up 100 yards from his own goal to get in on the action.
“When teams are taking cheap shots at you, you can’t just let those slide,” said Rothrock. “You have to protect each other in those moments.”
Schmetzer enjoyed Morris’ reaction in particular.
“I’m proud that number one, Jordan stood up for himself because that wasn’t a nice tackle,” he said. “Whether it was calculated or not, whether Jordan is trying to shed the nice guy image he has, he earned that penalty, he stood up for himself, he buried the penalty and that shows that he cares and that he was going to do whatever it takes to help his team in that moment.”
Morris converted his first career penalty attempt, one he admitted was under less pressure given the time and score, but it was ever so important in the attitude with which Seattle finished the contest.
“I wanted to put a punctuation mark on the game to end it,” said Morris. “Winning 4-0 is a statement.”
The Sounders were also spurred on by a raucous and lively crowd that gave Lumen Field an electric aura, one that truly felt like a match of major significance from minute one through 90. Morris said many of the players walked off the field feeling like they had just played in a final.
“It did feel more like a proper playoff game, a do-or-die game,” echoed Rothrock. “Especially after the first goal, we really settled into the game more. I loved how we kept pushing at 3-0. Guys kept working really hard, pressing really hard.”
The character that Seattle showed is one of many reasons why it is still alive in every competition this season. The Sounders are in a playoff position in MLS regular season play, they’re in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup and are now in the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup, the last remaining competition that the Sounders have yet to conquer.
“As the rounds go on and on, it becomes closer and closer to a trophy,” said Morris. “The games and the energy are going to get more and more intense.”
Now the Sounders turn their attention to another home match in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals (5 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, SiriusXM FC, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360AM | TICKETS). They’ll welcome the winner of LAFC and the San Jose Earthquakes, who play in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening.
Historically under Schmetzer, when the calendar turns to late August and into the fall is when the group really begins to shine. Everything fell into place on Monday, which should serve as a warning shot to the rest of the field in MLS, the Open Cup and Leagues Cup.
“The team is all on the same page,” said Morris. “When we’re playing at this level together, especially at home, we’re a really tough team to beat.”
