Sounders Escape Sporting KC on Late Cristian Roldan Goal
The Seattle Sounders collected their third home win in eight days with a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Thursday night thanks to a second-half stoppage-time goal from Cristian Roldan off a deflection. The win moved Seattle (10-9-8) into seventh in the MLS Western Conference, extending their unbeaten run to eight games off the heels of an MLS-worst eight-game losing streak.
Jordan Morris set up both Seattle goals to continue his solid run of games, assisting on 20-year-old Sebastian Gomez’s first MLS goal while being dragged down in the second half. The homestand proved to be a good tune-up against some non-playoff teams, as Seattle readies to welcome back striker Dejan Joveljić from international duty ahead of a tough road trip at the New England Revolution and FC Dallas in the coming weeks with just seven games to play.
'Everything's On the Table:' Sounders' Schmetzer May Need Some Outside Help
Brian Schmetzer seemed a tad impatient.
After a 2-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday, the longtime Seattle Sounders coach fielded many of the same questions he has been dealt over the franchise-worst seven-game MLS losing streak his team is enduring. Themes varied from a stagnant attack that has posted 20 goals in 18 games to the concession of a late indirect free kick that rubbed salt in the wound. And of course, Schmetzer was asked whether he needs help during this current summer transfer window from GM Craig Waibel and majority owner Adrian Hanauer.
Schmetzer, ever the company man with his ties to the Sounders dating back to the 80s, has typically stood pat on those questions.
On Sunday, he began to crack.
"As far as Craig and Adrian and feeling pressure, yeah, they feel it," Schmetzer said. "I don't need to say anything."
He then went on to challenge the media present at Tuesday's training session ahead of Wednesday’s duel with Austin FC on the topic. When asked whether he was surprised at the lack of summer signings, Schmetzer said, "Maybe stuff hasn't been leaked out yet. Maybe you guys aren't doing your job. So maybe you guys need to dig a little deeper."
The team at Sounder at Heart has reported on talks the Sounders have been in with prospects like Danish striker Casper Tengstedt, but so far there hasn't been a particular move that's come close to fruition. Whether Schmetzer was bluffing or hinting at a future present for his lineup on his Tuesday birthday remains to be seen.
For now, Jeremiah Oshan of Sounder at Heart shared on Bluesky that his sources within the team confirmed "we are close" on some kind of move, so Schmetzer may actually be hinting something soon.
Sounders Implode Late Against Vancouver; Extend MLS Losing Streak to Seven
SEATTLE, Wash. — The Seattle Sounders have found many ways to end up in the loss column in the franchise-worst seven-game losing streak they find themselves in. But their 2-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night may end up taking the cake, as Seattle gave up a 77th-minute transition winner before conceding a rare in-the-box free kick five minutes later.
'Caps star Thomas Müller buried a shot off the set piece to send the Rave Green faithful to the exits, their faith bordering on broken with how things crumbled.
The ones who stuck around let the boos rain down on the home team.
"They paid the ticket, they paid the money," Schmetzer said. "They can say what they need to say, they can boo, they can leave, that's fine."
Still, despite a long list of injuries that grew with midfielder Jesús Ferreira (hamstring) going down on Sunday, Schmetzer drew on the effort his team showed as a silver lining. Seattle kept Vancouver at bay for the first 40 minutes before the Whitecaps took over to finish with a 16-4 shots advantage. Seattle didn’t manage a shot on target.
Schmetzer acknowledged the lack of production, but continues to stand by his players’ collective work rate.
"The energy and the fight that the team will show, maybe that's something they can latch onto," Schmetzer said. "The players haven't given up on them. The players are still working, so hopefully the fans don't give up on the players."
It was a duel of two typically prolific squads who have each been struggling for the last few months. Vancouver entered Sunday without a win in its last seven games while Seattle was on a six-game MLS slide.
The Sounders dropped to 7-8-3, falling below .500 for the first time in 2026 after starting 6-1-1. Seattle’s free-fall has it out of the MLS Cup Playoffs as things stand, sitting at 11th place with 16 games to go.
What happened?
Sounders Snap 7-Game Skid, Down Queretaro 3-0 in Leagues Cup Group Stage
The Seattle Sounders finally got a result on Sunday afternoon, and they did it emphatically.
To snap a franchise-worst seven-game losing streak, the Rave Green took down Liga MX side Queretaro 3-0 in the second game of their Leagues Cup run, scoring in a variety of well-executed attacks.
Seattle's offense was fueled by Tacoma Defiance signee Sebastian Gomez, who made his first start on the right wing to total an early goal and an assist by the game's end. Designated player Albert Rusnak scored his first goal in three months late, while Danny Musovski scored one of two Paul Rothrock assists for the first goal by a Sounders starting striker in 2026.
Just as the good feeling peaked late in the second half, 2025 Leagues Cup MVP Pedro de la Vega made his season debut after rehabbing from a knee injury since last fall. After eight solid minutes in which he opened eyes with his individual quality on the ball, de la Vega went down with a non-contact left quad injury to put a dampener on the good vibes Seattle had meticulously accrued.
The Sounders, still on a six-game MLS losing streak at 7-7-3 and out of the playoff picture, out-possessed Queretaro at over 60% and put up over two expected goals, thanks in large part to an improved performance from a rejuvenated defending midfield.
All in all, Seattle addressed plenty of issues and filled in gaps caused by key injuries well, starting the path toward salvaging what's been a 2026 season gone awry.
"The focus was on (the team) believing that they could win," head coach Brian Schmetzer said postgame.
From all appearances, and a lighter locker room postgame, the Sounders have at least started the process of regaining that confidence.
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.
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.
Sounders Sign Peter Kingston to First-Team Deal
The Seattle Sounders signed Tacoma Defiance midfielder Peter Kingston to a contract through the end of the season, with options for the 2027 and 2027-28 seasons, on Friday morning.
The move comes after weeks of lobbying from head coach Brian Schmetzer, injuries and transfers of key depth pieces.
Kingston, who played for the Sounders academy growing up, has had a unique journey to the first team.
Meet Peter Kingston, Sounders Midfielder and Son of the Seattle Soccer System
Some of the most impactful Seattle Sounders are from the Emerald City and its surrounding area.
The team's leading scorer this season, Paul Rothrock, hails from Seattle, while the club's all-time leading scorer, Jordan Morris, is from across the I-90 bridge on Mercer Island. With head coach Brian Schmetzer of Lake City and a former Sounder himself prioritizing local talent, the Sounders have become a beacon for all nearby talent to work toward.
"Any kid who probably grew up in the Seattle area that wanted to be a Sounder, like you don't want to just be a part of the team, you want to be a guy who's well-known amongst your peers," Peter Kingston, who splits time with the Defiance and Sounders, told The Spectrum after training on Friday morning.
Kingston, who comes from just across 520 and up the 405 in Kirkland, has worked through every local avenue possible to tab his first MLS minutes with Seattle in 2025. The 24-year-old has played for the two prominent collegiate programs in the state, Seattle University and the University of Washington.
In the midst of the rush of college athletics, Kingston had a unique experience. He had a daughter during his three seasons with Seattle U and son while at UW with his girlfriend, Shay.
Balancing pursuing his dream and being a local father led Kingston to USL League Two side Ballard FC, Tacoma Defiance and eventually back to the Sounders as the young player pushes for a roster spot.
Sounders Finish Off 'Caps, Advance to Concacaf Quarters
"SEEEEEAAAATTTTLEEE. SOOOUUUUNNDDERSS."
The classic chant of Lumen Field echoed through downtown — Spokane, that is — on Wednesday night.
The Rave Green had plenty to be happy about east of the Cascades — their Sounders are Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal-bound for the first time since 2022, when they won the continental tournament.
The Sounders did it by first beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 on the road last week before leveraging two late goals to win the second leg 2-1 at One Spokane Stadium on Wednesday as Lumen Field undergoes FIFA World Cup preparations.
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