Sounders vs. Rapids, final result: a new beginning

SEATTLE — The Seattle Sounders kicked off their 2023 MLS campaign Sunday night at home against the colorado rapids With a 4-0 victory that included a brace from Jordan Morris. Thanks to goals from Maurice and Cristian Roldan, the Sounders went up 2-0 at half-time, making the most of the chances the team was able to create against a Rapids team full of fresh and promising talent, but missing some key contributors. .

The second half was very similar to the first. Less than 10 minutes into the second half, it seemed the Sounders had missed a dangerous counterattack by being too tricky and soft, but when Lalas Abubakar sold everything he could to block a Nico Lodero cross, he sat in the box to heber. run towards. He scored his first goal for the Sounders in his MLS debut for the club. Seattle continued to push, getting Morris’s fourth as he volleyed in after a corner kick bounced into the penalty area in the 83rd minute. Liu Zhu nearly scored at home with some dangerous kicks, but his pass missed by the widest margin. narrow. . In the end, the Sounders will be content with a dominant start to the MLS season.

2′- Darren Yabe dribbles past the Sounders defense and hits the crossbar before going on target.

4′- João Paulo sends Alex Roldán down the right channel with Cristian in company; Alex slices off his left foot at the top of the box and nails the crossbar for Seattle’s first look.

25′- Goal! He took a few tries, but Cristian Roldan leads Seattle in front after receiving Jordan Morris’s cross down the right to the far post. 1-0 Mermaids

45′- Jordan Morris does it second! Nico Lodero lasers into the box at half ball, and after he rebounds, Morris ducks to head him. 2-0

53′- They are three! Heber adds to the lead, rebounding off a loose ball in the box after Lalas Abubakar blocked a ball from Ludero. 3-0

58′- Heber almost caught another! Morris runs behind the starboard broadside to find Heber for the cut, which almost ends with William Yarbrough’s nutmeg.

67′- Stefan Frey makes a great save in front of Darren Yabe and puts the striker alone in the penalty area.

83′- Jordan Morris again! Lodeiro serves up a corner kick that connects to Jackson Ragen, but the ball bounces before finding Morris at the far post for a home run. 4-0

Earn your extensions: Jordan Morris and Christian Roldan signed new long-term contracts before this season and immediately began implementing those agreements. They each scored in the first half to take a 2-0 halftime lead, and while neither had their own assists, both helped create chances that the other scored. With players on the wings, and even occasional changes, Seattle boasts skilled chance-makers and first-game scorers widely spread out for the foreseeable future. Morris added another late on to secure two goals and put a candle to the opening victory.

João Paulo is back! Joao Paulo’s absence was acutely felt last season after he crashed out in the CCL final with an ACL injury. But now he’s back, and Sounders is all the better for it. His stats don’t jump off the page: 4 of 9 duels on the ground, 1 chance occurred, 79% passing on 63 attempts, but it’s the timing of his tackles and the passes he chooses to play that make the difference. His ability to get the ball out or win a challenge and instantly direct his attention forward to intercept a pass to a teammate makes running completely baffling opponents and making it difficult for the entire Sounders team to defend. His willingness to fully commit to every challenge, every half, whatever is asked of him, motivates this team. This Seattle Sounders team can’t function ideally without him, and now that he’s back, so can the Sounders.

Play to your strengths: The Sounders have a new system of play this season when they have possession that involves pushing Jordan Morris, Alex and Cristian Roldan up front and moving Nuhu into a third-position role designed to suit the strengths of the team’s best players. These men often get into dangerous situations. Against the Rapids, who never quit, Colorado’s approach to the game left plenty of opportunities for the Seattle forward in transition or going straight instead of being patient with possession. This approach produced the first three goals of the game, as Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris terrorized the Colorado players and let the defense chase Rave Green’s lines around the field.

Heber’s joy for the first time at the end of the offensive streak.

It seems that Héber will like this place.

4 – The Seattle Sounders scored 4 unassisted goals in their 4-0 win, a club record.

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