Sounders’ Comeback Comes Up Short in Concacaf Champions Cup

The Seattle Sounders Concacaf Champions Cup run ended frustratingly as the club was eliminated because of away goals. Despite beating Tigres 3-1 in the Second Leg, the aggregate score was tied 3-3 and Tigres advanced thanks to the away goal they scored in Seattle. Concacaf is the last major soccer federation to still have the away goals rule.

The Sounders last home match at Lumen Field was a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids back on February 22. The club played eight games away from Lumen Field before this match. Despite the long stretch away from home, the Sounders were able to be the team with more energy and more pressure on the night.

“Look we had seven/eight games on the road consecutively, and guys were pretty fatigued toward the end of it,” said Cristian Roldan post-game, “To come back home and show that type of energy was something that we are all proud of.”

Lumen Field had gotten a makeover since the last time the club played at home. Natural grass was installed in preparation for the World Cup, and the playing surface looked fantastic. With a consistent downpour, the newly placed grass got a real test of how it will withstand matches being played on it. Players seemed comfortable on the new pitch, although I’m sure the Sounders wouldn’t have minded the advantage of turf.

The Sounders wore their Evergreen Kits in the match, while Tigres wore all light blue. It was the Rave Green who showed early pressure, but in the 5th minute, Angel Correa forced a save out of Stefan Frei.

Breakthrough came early for the Sounders, and in controversial fashion of course. In the 11th minute of the match, Cristian Roldan found Albert Rusnak with a ball over the top of the back line. Rusnak took one touch to settle the ball before chipping the keeper. Initially called offside live, VAR would award the goal after review. Rusnak was kept onside by the tip of the retreating defender’s cleat.

Photo: Ryan Hampton

The Sounders cut the aggregate lead in half, although still needing two more goals to win outright. A second goal would ensure extra time in the second leg. Stefan Frei had his number called again in the 24th minute, forced into a save by Juan Brunetta.

Just moments after the save by Frei, there was a chance to get the second goal. Albert Rusnak found Kalani Kossa-Rienzi with a magnificent through ball. Kossa-Rienzi’s cross found Paul Rothrock at the back post, but he scuffed his effort and it went up and over the post.

Tigres would find a potentially tie-winning goal in the 32nd minute. A corner kick that was conceded after a misclearance by Jackson Ragen. The whipped in ball found the head of center back Joaquim, whose header found the back of the net. The goal made it 3-1 on aggregate for the Mexican side. The away goal meant the Sounders could only win the series if they were to score three more goals.

There were chances before halftime for the Sounders to find a second. Both chances had Albert Rusnak at the center of them. First, in the 36th minute Rusnak cut a ball back across the box to Jordan Morris. Morris was able to get a cheeky touch to the ball and redirect it on frame, but veteran keeper Nahuel Guzman made the save.

Guzman had to stand big again in the 43rd minute. Albert Rusnak crossed a ball to the far post to find Paul Rothrock. Rothrock’s header came off the near post before bouncing off the face of Guzman to deny the goal. While more lucky than anything, Guzman would be credited with a save in the moment.

Photo: Jon Brennan

The first half came to an end with the match tied at 1-1, but Tigres led 3-1 on aggregate. The Sounders would need to score three goals in the second half to pull off the comeback.

The Sounders came out the gates flying in the second half. Just three minutes into the half, a ball from Alex Roldan found Jordan Morris in behind. Morris cut the ball quickly across the box to the foot of second-half substitute Danny Musovski for a quick second goal. The Sounders would still need two more to pull off the comeback.

Tigres would not go down without a fight. Despite being out-shot and out-possessed, the Mexican side was determined to find a second away goal to truly kill off any hope the Sounders had left.

In the 66th minute following a barrage of half-chances for the Sounders, Tigres finally got their clearest chance of the second half. Forward Angel Correa got his head onto a dangerous cross, but was denied by an acrobatic save from Stefan Frei.

The Sounders maintained their pressure in the second half. A couple of shots for a potential handball fell on deaf ears as the referee crew did not award a penalty. VAR did not send the referee to the monitor, despite a relatively clear handball offense committed by Tigres.

Photo: Jon Brennan

Hope was revived and rejuvenated in the 82nd minute. Albert Rusnak received the ball just outside the top left corner of the box. He took a touch to set himself up before driving the ball into the far post of the goal, a rocket of a goal for his second of the night. The Sounders now level on aggregate, but trailing the away goal.

The Sounders searched for a winning goal as the clock painstakingly ticked forward. The referee only added on six additional minutes beyond the 90, despite multiple lengthy stoppages. Regardless, the Sounders were not able to find a way through the Tigres defense as the clock struck the 96th minute and the referee blew his whistle for full-time.

Despite winning 3-1 on the night, the Rave Green were eliminated thanks to the away goals rule. Tied 3-3 on aggregate, the lone Tigres goal in the first half of the match was the deciding factor. Tigres will advance to play Nashville in the semifinals.

One interesting factor in the match was the formation the Sounders played the second half with. Danny Musovski came on to the pitch at halftime, replacing Snyder Brunell. The move set up the Sounders to have two forwards up top, leaving Cristian Roldan as the anchor in the midfield. Jordan Morris was then able to play further wide, which opened up the attack.

“Jordan (Morris) is a number 9 but he can also play on either side of the wing. So whether he ends up on the left or the right, we wanted him to always come inside when the ball was on the opposite side,” said Brian Schmetzer regarding the two forward set-up. “It’s useful to have a guy who can be goal dangerous and can run in behind someplace on either side of a true number nine like Musovski.”

While unlikely that the Sounders will run a two-forward set-up regularly, there were some promising signs that if the club needs to push for a goal, bringing a second forward onto the pitch can be a successful tactic.

The Sounders will have just a few days to prepare for their next MLS match. On Saturday, April 18 the club hosts St. Louis CITY at Lumen Field. The two sides met in March, where the Sounders won 1-0 thanks to a goal by Kalani Kossa-Rienzi. In MLS, the Sounders are currently sitting in 5th place while St. Louis are 14th in the Western Conference.

Cover Photo: Ryan Hampton

Sounders Starting XI:

(4-2-3-1)

Frei

Kossa-Rienzi

A. Roldan

Ragen

Nouhou

C. Roldan ©

Brunell

Ferreira

Rusnak