SEATTLE – Slow starts are hardly something new to the Seattle Sounders. As recently as 2022, they started 0-2-0 in league play. In 2018, it wasn’t until Game 5 that they won their first match. Their first win in 2016 came in Game 4. The list goes on.
While going 0-1-1 in the first two games is hardly cause for panic, there is a growing sense of urgency within the Sounders to get that first win.
“We need to win and we need to win now,” Sounders right back Alex Roldan said following Thursday’s training session at Lumen Field. “We’re going out to get three points, especially at home where we’ve not had the kind of form we’re used to having.”
Sounders goalkeeper Andrew Thomas said last week’s rained out match has only increased the players’ focus.
“It’s put a little extra expectation on this game,” said Thomas, who is expected to start again on Saturday when the Sounders face the Colorado Rapids. “It feels like week 4 and we definitely need a win.”
Contributing to that urgency is the knowledge that the Sounders’ struggles stretch beyond this season. The Sounders are just 3-3-4 over their last 10 home games across all competitions, scoring only eight goals and getting shut out four times in that span.
“We need to get back to people wanting to watch us play at home,” Roldan said. “It’s a big piece to this very long year. It’s a high-pressure moment where we need to win.”
Nathan returns
Slowly but surely the Sounders are getting reinforcements. After Yeimar Gomez Andrade made the bench last week and Albert Rusnák fully rejoined training earlier on Tuesday, Nathan is now back with the team after missing most of the last two weeks while he was obtaining his green card in Brazil. Nathan was not quite a full participant, however, and may be given another week off as he regains fitness.
No call-ups
The United States men’s national team announced their roster for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League matches and no Sounders were on the list. In fact, as of now it doesn’t appear as if any Sounders will miss the match against the San Jose Earthquakes on March 23 due to international duty.
