WATCH: Sounders Unravel for Worst Loss to Timbers in MLS Era
The Seattle Sounders, fresh off six weeks away from MLS play for the FIFA World Cup, came into a Thursday night home bout with their archnemesis, the Portland Timbers, looking to start the summer run strong.
Not only did they not accomplish that feat, but the Sounders (7-4-3, 6th in Western Conference) lost 5-1.
It’s already being labeled the worst loss to Portland in franchise history, as striker Kevin Kelsy bagged a brace. Seattle midfielder Hassani Dotson scored off a set-piece header late with the game far out of reach.
The Timbers (5-8-2, 7th) worked the wide areas to death, scoring three goals in seven minutes early in the second half to completely demoralize Seattle. The nearly 36,000 fans in attendance, a franchise best this season, left in droves.
After the game, head coach Brian Schmetzer took accountability as his team, down key pieces like Cristian Roldan and Alex Roldan, was simply out-competed in the biggest derby game of the season. Players cleared out of the locker room quickly postgame, seemingly opting to process the stunning result on their own.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali attempts to make sense of the landslide defeat.
Former Sounders Star Midfield Pairing Could Get Increased World Cup Roles in Group Stage Finales
It's been an exceptionally exciting FIFA World Cup in North America so far.
From two of six games scheduled to be played in Seattle finishing with resounding success and the tournament's brightest stars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland off to impressive starts, the world's biggest sporting event is everything fans hoped it would be.
But the two players with strong ties to the Seattle Sounders, current midfielder Cristian Roldan and February transfer Obed Vargas, haven't seen the field much. Vargas got on for the final 25 minutes of Mexico's win over South Korea and impressed with multiple dynamic runs to burn clock and preserve a 1-0 win to clinch the group.
His strong minutes have pushed Mexican fans and media to suggest the 20-year-old Atletico Madrid man playing in his first World Cup should see a larger role going into a Wednesday group stage match with Czechia at 3 p.m. PT.
Meanwhile, Roldan, a career Sounders man at 31, is on track to go a second straight World Cup with the USMNT without a single second of playing time.
But after two convincing wins (4-1 over Paraguay and 2-0 over Australia in Seattle last Friday), the U.S.'s group stage finale against eliminated Turkiye on Thursday will serve little meaning. With key pieces like Christian Pulisic dealing with ailments, the chatter around the country has been whether head coach Mauricio Pochettino should rest his starters in Los Angeles on Thursday.
While Roldan was dealt a muscle injury during training that he's still dealing with, he seemed confident he'd be fit and ready to go for the Turkiye fixture when he spoke to the media on Tuesday.
Previewing the 6 World Cup Matches in Seattle
It's finally here.
Soccer, soon to be football, fans across the Pacific Northwest have been waiting with bated breath for Seattle to play host to the largest sporting event in the world: The FIFA World Cup.
The tournament is bigger than ever in this fixture. Set to span Canada, the U.S. and Mexico from mid-June through mid-July, with Mexico and South Africa opening festivities on Thursday. As such, the field has expanded for the first time since 1998 with 48 teams instead of 32, meaning 104 matches rather than 64.
Seattle will play host to six of those matches, with four group matches through June culminating in a Round of 32 match on July 1 and a Round of 16 match on July 6. With the expanded field, the number of teams qualifying for those knockout games will increase from the top two finishers in each group after three group matches to the top two finishers plus the top eight of 12 third-place finishers, making a 32-team field.
This added opportunity to qualify for knockout games should only benefit the viewers in Seattle, as many of the seven unique squads set to play in the Emerald City are slated to finish second and third in their groups. While any World Cup game is special, the chances of fans showing up to a game lacking real tournament implications are quite low.
While the knockout-match teams in Seattle are obviously TBD, Belgium will take on Egypt on June 15 to kick off Seattle's run while the United States and Seattle Sounders star Cristian Roldan will play Australia on June 19. From there, Qatar will take on Bosnia & Herzegovina on June 24 before Egypt and Iran finish the group stage off on June 26.
What can fans expect to see in those matches?
WATCH: Recapping Sounders Solid Start, And Late Troubles, Ahead of the World Cup
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a 7-3-3 start to the Seattle Sounders’ 2026 campaign. The team started 6-1-1 before falling into a slump and entering the June FIFA World Cup break at sixth in the Western Conference.
The Sounders will be back in action on July 16 against their rival Portland Timbers, as Cristian Roldan (United States) is the only Seattle player rostered for the World Cup.
He's In: Cristian Roldan Makes USMNT Cut Ahead of World Cup
The saga is over.
Cristian Roldan was one of 26 players named to the United States Men's National Team for the June FIFA World Cup after months of speculation on whether the 30-year-old would make the cut. Roldan, who has notched 45 caps with the USMNT, enters the largest sporting event in the world alongside stars like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie. He's the only Sounder projected to play in this year's World Cup.
Roldan made the cut in Qatar in 2022 as the U.S. finished in the Round of 16, but never got on the pitch. If his form is good enough to get minutes this time around, local fans will get a chance to see him when the U.S. takes on Australia in the group stage on June 19 at Lumen Field (AKA Seattle Stadium for the next month and a half).
The USMNT will take on Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6 in friendlies as it ramps up.
With the eye of former skipper Gregg Berhalter in the past, Roldan's versatile skillset in the defending midfield captured the attention of new USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino in recent months as he made practically every camp the team has put on.
How Do Sounders Stack Up in MLS All-Star Voting?
The MLS All-Star Game may not be the most popular among fans for its unusual place in international football culture, but it's an easy way for teams to get publicity for their highest-performing players.
Last season, now Atletico Madrid midfielder Obed Vargas was the only Seattle Sounder to make the squad. With the Sounders off to a much better start at 7-2-3 (4th in Western Conference) this time around, Seattle is generating buzz with one day of fan voting left before the July 29 All-Star Game in Charlotte.
This season, the Sounders are tied for the fewest goals allowed in league play (10), but are tied for the fifth-fewest scored (17). As such, solid offensive seasons for Paul Rothrock (5 G+A), Albert Rusnak (6 G+A) and Jesus Ferreira (5 G+A) simply don't stack up with the rest of a league that is oversaturated with ridiculous scoring lines this season. Instead, look for the pieces that are powering the elite defense performance to get some love in Charlotte.
Keeper Andrew Thomas, USMNT midfield prospect Cristian Roldan, center back Jackson Ragen, right back Alex Roldan and left back Nouhou were all top-five in fan voting at their respective positions as of May 18, according to MLS. The voting process will take fan, media and player votes into account for 11 of the players, while Charlotte coach Dean Smith will select 13 and MLS Commissioner Don Garber will pick the remaining two All-Stars.
Sounders’ Home Unbeaten Streak Ends at 22, Pec Runs Riot for Galaxy
The Seattle Sounders had been through the wringer in a three-game week, but were facing an LA Galaxy team coming off a tough loss to Kansas City to close the stretch Saturday. Seattle, on the other hand, was riding high with a win over the top-ranked San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, and set their lineup to rotate against the 11th-place Galaxy.
Unfortunately for Seattle, LA found its footing in this one, as star winger Gabriel Pec had a goal and an assist in transition late to bury the Sounders in a 2-0 shocker. The loss meant the end of a 22-game home unbeaten run dating back to last summer against European champion Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup.
Seattle, as it has for the past few matches, spent plenty of time in LA's box with 30 touches in the 18, but couldn't cash in on 1.4 expected goals on mostly half-chances. The Sounders also took 15 shots and got five on frame with 58% possession, but the Galaxy's counterattacks late buried Seattle as LA generated 1.7 xG on nine shots.
Sounders Equalize Late, Survive San Diego with Draw Despite Missed Chances
It's becoming a theme, and the Sounders don't seem thrilled with it.
For the second straight game, the Seattle Sounders have taken a 1-1 draw in a game where they generated far more than one goal's worth of opportunities. Last time came at a struggling Sporting Kansas City squad, and this time was against a floundering San Diego FC squad (3-5-4, 11th in Western Conference), trying to pick up the pieces after a slow start.
In all, Seattle (6-1-3, fourth in Western Conference) took 25 shots, just four on frame, and generated 3.6 expected goals.
To create all of that, the Sounders forced eight corner kicks, crossed the ball into scoring chances 11 times, had seven of their shots blocked, and touched the ball 52 times in San Diego's box after doing the same over 40 times against KC.
But after all those chances that ended in poor decisions or a lack of quality in bringing them to fruition, the Sounders finally broke through in the 80th. They had trailed nearly all night thanks to an 18th-minute goal from San Diego's Marcus Ingvartsen as Nouhou failed to mark the Danish national in a run-of-play goal.
After multiple chances ended in a Seattle corner, though, Albert Rusnak found Cristian Roldan at the near post, who flicked the ball back to Danny Musovski through a sea of bodies in the box. Musovski did what he does best, tapping it in with precision just moments after hitting the crossbar on one of many frustrating opportunities on the night.
Quick Hits: Sounders Offense Hits Season-High Four Goals vs. St. Louis
The Seattle Sounders continued their offensive brilliance at home, scoring a season-high four goals against St. Louis City on Saturday night in a 4-1 win. The result, which came in Seattle's second MLS home game of the season (this time on grass made for the World Cup), pushed the Sounders to 5-1-1 on the young season — good for fourth place out west.
Cristian Roldan followed a two-assist Concacaf Champions Cup second leg win vs. Tigres on Wednesday with a brace on Saturday night. Albert Rusnák assisted on both of Roldan's set-piece goals while scoring his own on a second-half penalty drawn by Paul Rothrock. Striker Osaze De Rosario came on late to score the fourth — his first of the season as the young forward vies for minutes in a competitive lineup.
Sounders' Furious Concacaf Comeback Comes Up Short
The Seattle Sounders had a mind for a comeback heading back to Lumen Field for the first time since February 22.
Seattle lost 2-0 to Mexican side Tigres UANL in Monterrey last Wednesday in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals. With the tournament adhering to an away-goal tiebreaker, Seattle needed to avoid a Tigres goal to ensure its best chance to make up the multi-goal disadvantage.
The Sounders started strong, benefitting from a renewed Albert Rusnák, who scored in the 11th and 82nd minutes to break a cold streak in the scoring department with Cristian Roldan assisting on both.
Ultimately, a rally wasn’t meant to be as the Sounders won the match 3-1, but lost the 3-3 series on the tiebreaker, courtesy of a late first-half goal from Tigres.
Sounders Stumble in Monterrey, Drop First Leg of Concacaf Quarterfinal vs. Tigres
The Seattle Sounders were looking for the sound of silence at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico on Wednesday night. But in the 79th minute of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals first-leg duel with Liga MX side Tigres UANL, all they got was a deafening scene. Fans jumped in unison as their team had just scored a second goal to make it 2-0 and fought for a third, as the Sounders went on to suffer their first loss in any competition since February.
The Sounders will return to Lumen Field for the first time since Feb. 22 on April 15 to see out the second leg of the fixture, down 2-0 with a full week to lick its wounds.
Sounders Steal One in H-Town, Rothrock Stars Again
The Seattle Sounders are rolling.
Even as a lightning delay derailed the beginning of the game and the Houston Dynamo gave Seattle's offense fits all night, the Sounders refused to stop rolling.
Paul Rothrock scored his fifth goal in all competitions to break a scoreless deadlock in the 83rd, turning a solid draw into a stolen 1-0 road win on Saturday night, as Seattle carries its road warrior persona through early April with a six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions.
"It's not easy to win on the road, it's not easy to even get points on the road, a draw. But we came out with a gritty performance because the guys just grinded it out," Seattle head coach Brian Schmetzer said.
Indeed, the Sounders earned the points despite the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals matchup with Mexican giant Tigres looming on Wednesday. As such, Schmetzer rotated and leaned on a roster that has well over 11 starters, by his account, to get it done on a soggy night in Houston.
Sounders Continue to Struggle in Sandy, Suffer First Loss of 2026 vs. RSL
The Seattle Sounders ran into a familiar wall in Real Salt Lake on Saturday night, losing 2-1 against a short-handed young squad in Sandy.
Standing out for RSL was 18-year-old Zavier Gozo, who had a definitive hand in each goal, and keeper Rafael Cabral, whose six saves placed the 35-year-old firmly atop man-of-the-match conversations.
Cristian Roldan opened his 2026 scoring account with a header off a corner from Albert Rusnak, but his score started what turned out to be a doomed comeback attempt. By the end of the night, the Sounders extended arguably the most notorious current club streak — Seattle is now 0-13-3 at America First Field since 2011.
Sounders Split Friendlies in Spain as De Rosario Shines; Backline Injuries Pile Up
The Seattle Sounders have plenty to sort out in the way of getting their lineup ready for Feb. 22's MLS opener against Colorado. The team took steps toward answering some questions on Thursday, wrapping up their multi-week trip to Portugal and Spain with a pair of friendlies in Marbella, Spain.
Seattle claimed the first game against Swedish side Hammarby IF 3-1, thanks to an impressive brace from Osaze De Rosario and a score from Jesús Ferreira. The latter contest, featuring mostly young or reserve talent, didn't go so well as the Sounders lost 3-0 to Ukrainian side FC Metalist 1925.
Here are some quick storylines to come out of the team's final few days in Spain.
Sounders First Day of Training Camp Notebook: Anticipated Competition Begins
The Seattle Sounders returned to training on Monday as the team prepares for preseason trips to Portugal and Spain.
Storylines to Watch as Sounders Return to Training Monday
The Seattle Sounders will start the training for the 2026 campaign on Monday, looking to follow a spectacular 2025 season with more success. What should fans be watching as the team starts prepping for a new campaign?
He's Back: Rothrock and Sounders Come to Unlikely Agreement; Ballard Stalwarts Join Club
Paul Rothrock came to a surprise re-signing in Seattle on Tuesday, but that’s not all from the Brougham End for the week. What else is Sounders GM Craig Waibel doing for roster construction as December rolls on?
Sounders Finalize Club Options, Leyva Possibly on the Move
The Seattle Sounders have 22 players rostered after deciding on their club options for the 2026 season.
Recapping Busiest Sounders Season Ever: The Brand and Trophy Case Grow, MLS Ambitions Fade Late
The Seattle Sounders felt it all in the 2025 season, struggling in the early going before turning things around at the Club World Cup to capture their first-ever Leagues Cup trophy before going out in the MLS Cup Playoffs First Round. Should the season be viewed as a success, a failure, or right down the middle?
Sounders Eliminated in Game 3, Minnesota Forces PK Shootout in All-Timer
The No. 5 Seattle Sounders saw a 2-0 lead slip away in Saturday afternoon's Game 3 of the MLS Cup Playoffs First Round with No. 4 Minnesota United, losing 7-6 in penalties after a 3-3 regulation period.
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