Sounders defeated Colorado 4-0 in the MLS home opener.
SEATTLE — The Seattle Sounders kicked off their 2023 MLS season at home to the Colorado Rapids on Sunday night with a 4-0 win that included a brace from Jordan Morris. Thanks to goals from Morris and Cristian Roldan, the Sounders went 2-0 into the half-time break as they took the best chances the team could create against a Rapids side riddled with new talent and promising talent, but some important ones Teammates missed .
The second half was similar to the first. Less than 10 minutes into the second half, the Sounders seemed to have wasted a dangerous counterattack by getting too complicated and cute, but when Lalas Abubakar sold out to block a Nico Lodeiro cross, the ball stayed in the box, for Héber to walk on and hammered home his first Sounders goal on his MLS debut for the club. Seattle kept pressing and grabbed a fourth from Morris when he headed a ball in in the 83rd minute after a corner bounced around in the box. Léo Chú came close to scoring with some dangerous runs, but his passes just missed the target. In the end, the Sounders can look forward to a dominant start to the MLS season.
2′ — Darren Yapi dribbles onto the Sounders defense and fires a shot that hits the bar before going out for a goal kick.
4′ — João Paulo puts Alex Roldan on the right channel with Cristian to accompany him; Alex slices in at the top of the box with his left foot, pinning the bar for Seattle’s first look.
25′ — GOAL! It takes a few tries but Cristian Roldan puts Seattle ahead at the back post after a cross from Jordan Morris on the right. 1-0 sounders
45′ — Jordan Morris makes two! Nico Lodeiro smashes a laser towards the 6-yard box on the half-volley and after bouncing around, Morris stoops low to bring him home. 2-0
53′ — That’s three! Héber adds to the lead, lunging for an erratic ball in the 6-yard box after Lalas Aboubakar blocks a ball from Lodeiro. 3-0
58′ — Héber almost grabs another one! Morris races down the right and finds Héber for the cutback, whose finish nearly overtakes William Yarbrough.
67′ — Stefan Frei comes with a big save against Darren Yapi, stuffs the striker alone into the penalty area.
83′ — Jordan Morris again! Lodeiro sends a corner which connects Jackson Ragen but the ball bounces around before finding Morris at the back post to head home. 4-0
Earning their extensions: Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan both signed new long-term deals ahead of this season and immediately began implementing those deals. Both scored in the first half and led 2-0 into the half and while neither gets assists, both helped create the chances the other scored from. With the two players manning the flanks — and even occasionally switching sides — Seattle has veteran chance creators and prime scorers for the foreseeable future. Morris added another late on to secure a brace and set the opening win.
Joao Paulo is back! João Paulo’s absence was severely felt throughout last season after he exited the CCL Finals with a cruciate ligament injury. But now he’s back and the Sounders are so much better for it. His stats don’t jump out of the page – 4 for 9 ground duels, 1 chance created, 79% passing on 63 attempts – but the timing of his interventions and the passes he plays make all the difference. His ability to surface and get away with a loose ball or win a challenge and immediately shift his attention forward to select a pass for a teammate who’s going on a run completely unsettles opponents and makes defenses for the entire Sounders team difficult . His willingness to devote himself fully to every challenge, every run, whatever is asked of him spurs this team on. This Seattle Sounders team just can’t do what it ideally wants without him, and now that he’s back, so can the Sounders.
Play to strengths: The Sounders have a new system of play when in possession for this season, which consists of pushing Jordan Morris, Alex and Cristian Roldan into attack and placing Nouhou in a third central defender role designed to play to the strengths of the best Match players on the team and put those guys in dangerous positions more often. That didn’t play into much against the Rapids, as Colorado’s approach to the game gave Seattle plenty of opportunities to attack in transition or go straight rather than being more patient with possession. That approach led to the first three goals of the game as Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris terrorized Colorado full-backs and sent the defense chasing the field.
A debut joy for Héber as he completes the attack sequence.
It seems Héber likes it here.
4 – The Seattle Sounders scored four goals without assists in their 4-0 win, a club record.
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