The Seattle Sounders have accomplished something in 2023 that they have never done in their 15-year Major League Soccer history. After last weekend’s 1-0 win over Minnesota United, Seattle set a club record by posting five consecutive home matches without conceding a goal.
The Sounders have been locked in defensively through a little more than the first quarter of this MLS season. Through nine matches, they have allowed just seven goals, four of which came in a 19-minute blip against the Portland Timbers on Matchday 8. Only two other teams (Nashville SC and LAFC) have allowed fewer goals so far than Seattle, and no one has been more impenetrable at home.
“I’m very proud of that because we had discussed that, we had messaged it publicly, internally, about making sure that Lumen Field is a place where teams cannot steal points off of us,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “So far so good.”
The Sounders have outscored their opponents 10-0 in five matches at Lumen Field and own a nearly perfect 4-0-1 record. With the first-year center back partnership of Yeimar and Jackson Ragen, along with the ageless Stefan Frei in goal, Seattle is on pace for its best defensive mark in team history.
Since MLS expanded to 34-match campaigns in 2011, Seattle’s joint-best defensive records came in 2012 and ’21, when the club allowed just 33 goals (0.97 goals/game). The Sounders are currently allowing just 0.78 goals/game and are well on their way of surpassing a franchise record of 13 clean sheets set in 2017.
“We’re trying to make it a fortress,” Ragen said of Lumen Field. “A clean sheet is super important. When teams come here, we suffocate them and make it hard to play against us.”
The Sounders are also benefitting from the stellar play of João Paulo, who has returned in a massive way after missing most of last season recovering from a torn ACL. The Brazilian is one of the league’s best defensive midfielders and helped Seattle to three clean sheets in his seven Concacaf Champions League matches en route to the Sounders’ historic 2022 title.
In the 27 MLS matches the Sounders played after João Paulo was sidelined for the year, they recorded just six total shutouts.
“It’s like having a new player back,” said Schmetzer. “We missed him last year, especially in the stretch run. What I always love about JP is he makes everyone around him better.”
It’s no coincidence that Seattle’s renewed defensive prowess has catapulted it back toward the top of the Western Conference standings after missing the playoffs last season for the first time in franchise history. With 19 points from nine matches, the Sounders have firmly reestablished themselves as both Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup contenders.
Seattle will also kick off its quest for its fifth U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday against USL Championship side San Diego Loyal (7:00 p.m. PT; B/R App, B/R Football Youtube Channel, El Rey 1360AM | TICKETS) before heading to Sandy, Utah, to take on Real Salt Lake (6:30 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app) on Saturday.
Defending has always been, and will continue to be, a full 11-man effort, and Schmetzer acknowledged as much, praising in particular the pressing duties of his forward line of Raúl Ruidíaz, Héber and Fredy Montero. The Sounders won’t beat themselves, and the cohesion as a unit has made them as formidable an opponent of anyone in MLS this year.
“I’m super proud of that,” Ragen said of the five straight clean sheets at home. “It’s not just the backline, it’s Stefan Frei as well. The whole team, the midfield cutting everything out so we don’t have to do as much. It’s a team accomplishment.”
