Sounders Enter Unprecedented Territory with Fifth Straight Loss

The Seattle Sounders continued their tailspin on Saturday night, losing 1-0 to the last-place Philadelphia Union (3-10-4) on the road. The result extended Seattle's losing streak to five, the worst in MLS play under coach Brian Schmetzer.

The Sounders, who started the campaign at 6-1-1, now sit at 7-6-3 and in sixth place in the Western Conference with one more game before their Leagues Cup title defense begins on Aug. 5.

It was only the seventh meeting all-time between Philadelphia and Seattle, and the Sounders gave up a rare kind of goal in the 31st minute of Saturday's game. Union striker Milan Iloski scored his ninth of the season by running past a makeshift Seattle backline, which defended well all night, and floated a ball over keeper Andrew Thomas in an awkward moment for the first-year starter.

It's the first time since 2015 that the Sounders have lost five straight MLS games. Schmetzer started coaching the squad in 2016.

The 63-year-old skipper said he “isn’t killing” the players over this streak, as Seattle continues to try and survive missing at least five usual starters at once.