Sounders Down Western Conference Front-Runner San Jose in Heritage Cup Classic
News, Analysis, Video, Preview Qasim Ali News, Analysis, Video, Preview Qasim Ali
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Sounders Down Western Conference Front-Runner San Jose in Heritage Cup Classic

Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a 3-2 barn-burner between the Seattle Sounders (7-1-3, 3rd in Western Conference) and San Jose Earthquakes (9-2-2, 2nd in Western Conference).

Osaze De Rosario netted an 89th-minute game-winner as the game swung back and forth after an early Sounders mistake led to a second-minute San Jose goal. Albert Rusnák scored off a penalty kick late in the first half to equalize before Jesús Ferreira went coast-to-coast in a spectacular individual effort to give Seattle the lead.

The goals come at good times for Ferreira and De Rosario, who have both been lacking on the scoring edge as Seattle finally met its expected-goal mark after two frustrating draws against Kansas City and San Diego.

The win also meant history for the Sounders, who swept San Diego in the regular season for the first time.

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Sounders Equalize Late, Survive San Diego with Draw Despite Missed Chances
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

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.

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Sounders, Reign Look to Make Statements Ahead of World Cup Break
News, Analysis, Video, Preview Qasim Ali News, Analysis, Video, Preview Qasim Ali
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Sounders, Reign Look to Make Statements Ahead of World Cup Break

The Seattle Sounders (6-1-2, 4th in MLS Western Conference) and Seattle Reign (3-2-2, 7th in NWSL) have gotten off to strong starts, but are both coming off draws in which they could have come away with more on the offensive end.

The Reign’s Mia Fishel also spoke with The Spectrum on Wednesday about reigniting the team’s offense, which is coming off three straight scoreless showings as the striker recovers from an injury-riddled stretch.

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Sounders Draw with Struggling Kansas City Despite Wealth of Chances
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Sounders Draw with Struggling Kansas City Despite Wealth of Chances

The Seattle Sounders went into their Saturday matchup with Sporting Kansas City in great form.

Seattle was 6-1-1, in the thick of the Supporters Shield race, going to play the bottom-ranked team in the Western Conference, fresh off six straight losses at 1-7-1.

After Paul Rothrock scored his team-leading sixth goal in all competitions just two minutes in, it looked like the Sounders were about to repeat the 5-0 drubbing the Chicago Fire had subjected Kansas City to the week before.

But 16 minutes later, USMNT hopeful and Sounders legend Cristian Roldan made a lackadaisical pass deep in Seattle territory to let KC striker Dejan Joveljic strike a first-time shot past Andrew Thomas for what was the final goal of the game.

Yes. Seattle had scored just two minutes into the game on a fortuitous bounce forced by Jesús Ferreira to find a waiting Paul Rothrock in close, only to be held scoreless for the remainder despite 26 shots and three expected goals generated.

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Ferreira and Morris Regain Scoring Prowess, Sounders Outlast FC Dallas
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Ferreira and Morris Regain Scoring Prowess, Sounders Outlast FC Dallas

The Seattle Sounders, down the likes of Cristian Roldan, Albert Rusnák and Paul Arriola, continued their strong start on Saturday night. They downed a visiting FC Dallas squad 2-1, weathering dangerous set-piece opportunities and benefitting from a return to form from goal scorers Jordan Morris and Jesús Ferreira.

The result moves Seattle to 6-1-1 (fourth in Western Conference) with just four goals allowed in eight MLS fixtures. It also meant Seattle's 20th straight game unbeaten at home, as the Sounders haven't lost under the arches of Lumen Field since June of 2025… when they played European champion Paris Saint-Germain.

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Quick Hits: Sounders Offense Hits Season-High Four Goals vs. St. Louis
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

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.

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Sounders' Furious Concacaf Comeback Comes Up Short
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

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.

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Sounders Return Home For Second Leg with Tigres Trying to Repeat Comeback History
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Sounders Return Home For Second Leg with Tigres Trying to Repeat Comeback History

The Seattle Sounders aren't an easy club to faze.

The squad has won the MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield, U.S. Open Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup in its storied history since joining MLS in 2009. With that amount of credibility in its trophy cabinet, Seattle is respected across the continent as a perennial contender.

So when the Sounders went to Monterrey last Wednesday to face Liga MX side Tigres UANL at el Volcan (the Volcano), as their stadium is known, Seattle was always going to compete for a result.

But the Sounders, thanks in part to poor offensive quality and elite play by Tigres in tight spaces, dropped the first-leg matchup 2-0 to fall in a deep hole in this Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal fixture.

They'll attempt to repeat an iconic 2013 comeback when they do battle with Tigres again on Wednesday night in Seattle.

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Sounders Stumble in Monterrey, Drop First Leg of Concacaf Quarterfinal vs. Tigres
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

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.

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Sounders Steal One in H-Town, Rothrock Stars Again
Analysis, Game Day Qasim Ali Analysis, Game Day Qasim Ali

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.

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Meet Peter Kingston, Sounders Midfielder and Son of the Seattle Soccer System
Features Qasim Ali Features Qasim Ali

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.

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Sounders Trade Georgi Minoungou to Colorado for $2 million
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Sounders Trade Georgi Minoungou to Colorado for $2 million

The Seattle Sounders continue to stockpile money and assets, trading Burkina Faso national winger Georgi Minoungou to the Colorado Rapids for $2 million in general allocation money (GAM) on Thursday, per Niko Moreno of Sounder at Heart and confirmed by Tom Bogert of The Athletic.

Georgi, 23, is one of the most dynamic dribblers in the MLS. He came into the league by way of the team's MLS Next Pro side, Tacoma Defiance, before earning a contract through 2029 with the first team. In 34 MLS matches with the team, Georgi scored two goals and picked up 11 starts, usually manning a "super sub" role to add a punch to head coach Brian Schmetzer's offense.

Georgi has been dealing with a lingering foot injury, missing a few games for Seattle before returning to start in the team's 0-0 draw with Minnesota this past Sunday.

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Sounders Draw with Minnesota in Scoreless Grudge Match
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Sounders Draw with Minnesota in Scoreless Grudge Match

The Seattle Sounders played to a 0-0 draw with Minnesota United on Sunday morning, which eliminated Seattle in a dramatic three-game series last season.

The Seattle Sounders went into Allianz Stadium looking for a fifth consecutive win away from Lumen Field. They got about a third of what they bargained for, playing to a 0-0 draw with the Loons to move to 3-1-1 on the young season.

Minnesota played its usual low block, dropping five defenders back and daring Seattle to beat them without giving up transition chances. Both sides generated around one expected goal, as there were moments of brilliance, especially toward the end of the game.

In the end, the Sounders kept their fifth clean sheet of the year as they head into a short international break in the middle of the Western Conference standings.

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Sounders Finish Off 'Caps, Advance to Concacaf Quarters
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

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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Sounders Epitomize 'Bend Don't Break' in 1-0 Win Over Earthquakes
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Sounders Epitomize 'Bend Don't Break' in 1-0 Win Over Earthquakes

There were heroes everywhere in the Seattle Sounders' 1-0 MLS win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday afternoon.

Paul Rothrock led a depleted Sounders (3-1-0 W-L-D) front with strong runs that netted a 20th-minute goal, while keeper Andrew Thomas had arguably his best game in 2026 with seven saves.

But what Antino Lopez did in the 74th minute to preserve that scoreline will stand the test of time.

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Arriola Picks Up Brace for Sounders in First Leg Domination In Vancouver
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Arriola Picks Up Brace for Sounders in First Leg Domination In Vancouver

From the first moments of the Seattle Sounders' Concacaf Round of 16 clash with the Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday, Paul Arriola tested his limits. The veteran, subjected to nearly a year of rehab after tearing his ACL in the 2025 edition of the tournament, earned his first start of the year for a Sounders squad mauled by injuries early.

He paid off the team's confidence in him, attacking Vancouver's backline with unceasing runs to the endline. His hard work manifested a brace, as Seattle won the first leg of the two-game series 3-0 in a stunner. Paul Rothrock added the other score after coming on for Arriola late, as it was truly a day to remember for the Pauls of Seattle.

Seattle will finish the series next Wednesday in Spokane as Lumen Field undergoes renovations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

It was a signature early win for Seattle, which downed a 3-0-0 Vancouver squad that had looked about as good as any team in North America heading into Thursday.

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Sounders Announce Extensions for 4 Players Ahead of Concacaf Run
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Sounders Announce Extensions for 4 Players Ahead of Concacaf Run

The Seattle Sounders made sure to hold on to some key pieces of their 2025 Leagues-Cup-winning team, extending four players on Tuesday with multi-year extensions.

Defenders Alex Roldan and Nouhou and strikers Osaze De Rosario and Danny Musovski each inked extensions, with the first three set to stick around through the 2028-29 campaign with options for 2029-30. Musovski's deal runs through 2027-28 with an option for 2028-29.

Roldan and Nouhou have each become staples in the backline, with Roldan occupying the right back spot of the 4-2-3-1 alignment while Nouhou stays on the left. Nouhou, a top talent for Cameroon in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, is arguably the best duelist on a Sounders side full of great defenders.

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Sounders Earn Second Clean Sheet, Notch Road Win over St. Louis
News, Analysis, Game Day Qasim Ali News, Analysis, Game Day Qasim Ali

Sounders Earn Second Clean Sheet, Notch Road Win over St. Louis

A night full of pressing left both sides tired, but the Seattle Sounders prevailed 1-0 over host St. Louis City on Saturday night thanks to an early second-half goal from Kalani Kossa-Rienzi. It was the first road win of the season for the Sounders (2-1-0 W-L-D), who warded off plenty of late chances from City (0-2-1) in front of a rowdy home crowd at Energizer Park.

Keeper Andrew Thomas earned that clean sheet, picking up five saves while Sounders defenders escorted five shots away on their own. Paul Arriola got his first extended run of the season, while veteran defensive pieces like Cristian Roldan and Jackson Ragen shined to hold St. Louis to a goose egg.

While points on the road are something to celebrate, as the Sounders check off game two of five consecutive MLS fixtures on the road while Lumen Field undergoes World Cup alterations, it wasn't all good.

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