Jordan Morris scored a dramatic game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time, sending the Seattle Sounders to a 2-1 victory over Chicago Fire FC in their MLS season-opener at CenturyLink Field on Sunday.
Morris bagged his second of the day just minutes from the final whistle, nodding home a feed from Cristian Roldan off a corner kick to give Seattle all three points on the day the championship banner commemorating their 2019 MLS Cup title was unveiled in front of a raucous home crowd at CenturyLink Field.
After a scoreless first half, it was Chicago that jumped on top just after second-half kickoff courtesy of a finish from Robert Berić.
Seattle looked to have an equalizer in the 56th minute after Morris sent in a cross to Roldan for a tap-in finish, but the goal was called off for offside on video review.
The Sounders would get the leveler in the 62nd, however, with Morris cashing home a finish from Roldan to knot the contest at 1-1. It would stay that way until Morris’ late winner, which sealed the 2-1 victory.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
THE BANNER IS UP
It was a celebratory pregame scene at the CLink, as a crowd of 40,126 gathered to watch Seattle unveil its 2019 MLS Cup banner. Get used to seeing it, because that thing is going to be up there forever.
SUPERSUB J-MO
What a shift from Morris. It can’t be overstated how much the game changed when he entered the game in the second half after resting during the first half following Seattle’s Concacaf Champions League game on Thursday. The guy was everywhere, bounding down the flank, sending in crosses and scoring both of the team’s goals. Brian Schmetzer couldn’t have asked for a more stellar individual effort from the Homegrown attacker to start off the season.
ROTATED SQUAD GETS IT DONE
With the CCL fixture on Thursday, the Sounders put out a rotated squad by necessity and it took them a little while to find the match. But once Morris came on and the others found their footing, it was off to the races in a back and forth and entertaining second half that eventually ended in the last-gasp victory. It wasn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s looking like we’re all in for a fun season.
