> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Sounders Pick Up Much Needed Win as Jordan Morris Makes History - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/sounders-pick-up-much-needed-win-as-jordan-morris-makes-history/ - Published: 2025-03-09T04:54:30.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:21:10.000Z - Author: Corbin Smith - Tags: Sounders, Pedro de la Vega, Jordan Morris, Paul Rothrock, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4000"\] ![ Seattle Sounders FC Midfielder Danny Leyva (75) runs in on goal during the first half of an MLS match against LAFC at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on March 8, 2025. (Photo credit Nate Koppelman/Alamy Live News) ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/3a1g21w-format-original-1.jpg) Seattle Sounders FC Midfielder Danny Leyva (75) runs in on goal during the first half of an MLS match against LAFC at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on March 8, 2025\. (Photo credit Nate Koppelman/Alamy Live News) \[/caption\] On a day when club history was made, there were many standout performances to choose from. The Sounders got off to a great start in their MLS campaign, dominating rivals LAFC in a 5-2 shellacking at Lumen Field on Saturday afternoon. The early impressions belonged to Tacoma Defiance loanee Kalani Kossa-Rienzi as his goal in the 11th minute put the home side ahead. The goal also marked a historic personal moment for the 22-year-old as that tally was his first in MLS play. “Know that you’ve worked for this … it was going to come” was Kossa-Rienzi’s message to himself that he thought after opening his account to put the Sounders ahead 1-0 early on. He wasn’t satisfied with the goal either as he impressed for the rest of his time on the pitch as well and head coach Brian Schmetzer was sure to point that out in his post-game press conference. "It's not just because of the goal, that was the icing on the cake. He has the talent he has the potential, he’s going to be an excellent MLS player," Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said in a plea to get the young midfielder signed to a contract. The goal was spectacular, as the play started deep with Jesus Ferreira who played a perfect ball over the top to Kalani who then had some work to do to get there before LAFC left back Artem Smolyakov. The Sounders winger used his pace and physicality to get there and muscle off the LAFC defender then cut it back onto his weaker left foot and slotted in a perfect finish past LAFC’s goalkeeper Tomas Hasal. This day of many positive outcomes was not without one negative outcome as in the 36th minute Pedro de la Vega went down with a quad injury and had to be replaced before the halftime whistle came. Just another huge blow to a player who has had injury issues since arriving at the club ahead of the 2024 season. “We’ll assess him and I’ll tell you guys what we find either tomorrow or probably when we’re back from Mexico,” Schmetzer said in his post-game press conference regarding an update about the Sounders’ #10. As someone who was brought in to be a main piece of this team, and after an injury-riddled first season with the club, it has to be frustrating for fans, the team and Pedro himself to see yet again another setback in his quest to live up to his price tag and expectations. Just before halftime, LAFC would equalize as following a corner kick, a scramble in the box fell to Nathan Ordaz who took the gift and buried it to set things back to even heading into the break. Coming out of halftime, Schmetzer made his ambitions clear when, on a day where both teams seemed to play a heavily rotated squad, he would start the second half subbing in Jordan Morris for Danny Musovski. Morris, seeking his record-setting goal, was on a mission as he would be involved multiple times in chances for Seattle, both playing roles as the playmaker and finisher. It would be another homegrown player to get the Rave Green back in front, however, as Paul Rothrock found a pass from Albert Rusnak at the top of the box with no pressure on him. He let one rip, and it was a sweet strike into the bottom corner past Hasal to make it 2-1\. Rothrock, after a stellar campaign in 2024, has started the year slow for his standards but it was encouraging to see him shrug off the struggles and bag his first of the 2025 season. He would also play the role of playmaker later in the match for a certain record-setting goal. “The last 3 or 4 months have been difficult … keeping that enthusiasm, that positive energy is the most important \[thing\]” Rothrock said post-game, reflecting on a difficult offseason for him nursing a quad injury and trying to get back into the form that saw him burst onto the scene in 2024. The moment, however, would belong to Jordan Morris. In the 77th minute, after a wonderful passage of play from Seattle, playing in complete control, Morris would find himself through in on goal after a perfect pass-through from Paul Rothrock splitting the lines of the LAFC defense. On a tough angle, he went through the legs of Tomas Hasal to give him 87 career goals, passing Raul Ruidiaz for the most goals in Sounders history. It was a perfect score to celebrate as it showcased his skills of getting in behind and finishing very smartly in a tough situation to capitalize on. “It means everything to me to play for this club, and to have my name in the record books is a really special moment,” Morris said post-game. For a player that grew up in the Puget Sound to be the all-time leading goal scorer in club history, on a day where two other homegrown players scored, it’s a day that is truly representative of what this club stands for. While he isn’t technically homegrown through the Sounders academy, another local product Cristian Roldan also would add to the scoring later in the match with another great goal from the top of the box. On a near-perfect game for the home fans with a record-breaking performance from Jordan Morris, the opening of another MLS account for Kalani Kossa Rienzi and a bounce-back game for Paul Rothrock, there was some concern with the injury and early exit from Pedro de la Vega. But it was a great performance from the Rave Green to get their first win of the MLS season.