Lessons learned and points earned: Sounders top Loons

SEATTLE – The Seattle Sounders opened up their Leagues Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Minnesota United on Friday. It took a second half red card to Hassani Dotson and a pair of goals in the 87th and 90+4 minutes from Jordan Morris and Paul Rothrock, but the Sounders got the win and a shutout for goalkeeper Andrew Thomas.

Although the first half was about as close to one-way traffic as you’re likely to see in a reasonable professional game, the Sounders came away with nothing to show for it. They created a handful of really strong chances – Opta credited them with two “Big Chances” from seven total shots – but time after time the final touch or incisive pass was just lacking. They bossed possession throughout the opening 45 minutes 59% to 41%, with 138 passes in Minnesota’s half to 56 going the other way and 21 touches in the penalty area to 11. No matter, the two sides went into halftime tied 0-0.

The Sounders continued to largely control the game, putting together a couple of good looks to start the second half. Things really opened up in the 65th minute though when Seattle were poised to get out on a break after a Minnesota free kick via Raúl Ruidíaz, only to have Hassani Dotson commit an awful tackle. Dotson was shown a red card and Ruidíaz spent some time on the ground before having to come off with a knee injury five minutes later. With a man advantage Seattle continued to push while doing their best to limit Minnesota’s threat on the counter, and finally in the 87th minute the Sounders got their breakthrough.

Danny Leyva played a pass into a pocket of space behind the back line on the right wing for substitute Paul Rothrock to run onto. Rothrock bent his pass around a defender and between the center backs and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair for Morris to punch home, his 11th goal across all competitions this year. In the 1st minute of stoppage time the Sounders had a prime opportunity to double the lead when Cristian Roldan drew a penalty. Reed Baker-Whiting had battled to keep the ball down in the left corner before playing the ball back towards the top of the box where Roldan ran onto it and drew the foul inside the area. Albert Rusnák took the penalty, but put his shot too close to St. Clair, who dove well to make the save and put the ball out for a corner.

Whatever frustration remained from the saved penalty was erased in the 4th minute of stoppage time when Morris and Rothrock connected once again, this time with Morris setting Rothrock up for the dagger. Morris dribbled across the goal from left to right before laying the ball off to Rothrock on Minnesota’s weak side, and Rothrock made no mistake as he slotted his shot inside the post.

The Sounders now turn their attention to Necaxa, who they’ll host at Lumen Field on Sunday, Aug. 4. If Minnesota fails to beat Necaxa by at least two goals on Tuesday, the Sounders will secure advancement before they even play.

Key moments

6 - Morris jumps on a slip by a defender in the Minnesota box and lays the ball off for de La Vega, who dribbles and cuts the ball inside but it’s cleared out for a throw-in.

11 - Cristian Roldan drives at goal and draws defenders then lays the ball off for Rusnák to shoot, but his effort is saved easily enough by Dayne St. Clair in goal.

19 - Alex Roldan gets sprung down the wing by Cristian and hits a low cross towards the penalty spot for Rusnák who gets a touch to it but can’t make enough contact to put the shot on frame.

25 - Minnesota get their first real look on a pretty open header from near the penalty spot as Bongokuhle Hlongwane ghosts off of Ragen’s back shoulder but the header is off the top of the crossbar.

30 - De la Vega just misses wide with an audacious shot from distance, then follows it up by creating space on the edge of the box and sending in a cross for Morris at the back post. Morris gets his head on it, but St. Claire catches it.

45 - Jon Bell gets a look on the doorstep off of a corner kick, but doesn’t make contact with his kick and the chance fizzles out.

45+2 - Rusnák springs Morris in behind. Morris battles off Hassani Dotson but his touch brings him too close to the GK and the play turns into a corner.

45+3 - Vargas sends in a great cross from just inside the box that finds Bell at the back post, but the ball skips off of his head rather than making clean contact.

58 - A Sounders corner gets recycled and Cristian Roldan sends in a cross that goes all the way back across to Rusnák who hammers a shot from a tight angle but St. Clair makes a big save.

64 - A curling shot from distance for Minnesota seems destined to slide under the bar, but Andrew Thomas makes a fingertip save to send it over and out for a corner.

76 - Another corner for the Sounders that gets recycled out to the top of the box. Cristian Roldan sends a cross to the back post for Jackson Ragen, but it goes just over his head.

86 - Leo Chu does all the hard work to lose his man near the top of the box, but he gets closed down and his shot is blocked.

87 - GOAL! Paul Rothrock glides in on the right and wraps a ball around his defender and between a CB and the GK for Morris to poke home and give Seattle a lead. 1-0 Sounders

90+1 - Cristian Roldan runs onto a nice pass from Reed Baker-Whiting after battling in the corner, and Roldan is taken down in the area to earn a penalty.

90+2 - Rusnák steps up to the spot, but St. Clair dives the right way to save the shot and put it out for a corner.

90+4 - GOAL! Jordan Morris dribbles across the box before laying the ball off for Rothrock, who hammers his shot first-time in on the weak side. 2-0

Quick thoughts

The Judkins Park Junction: Jordan Morris and Paul Rothrock have what seems to be a blossoming partnership, with the pair having now combined on three goals – although two of those came in tonight’s game. With the local boys and Academy players doing well as pros, it seems appropriate to start workshopping names for their partnership. There are plenty of options with Morris hailing from Mercer Island and Rothrock representing Capitol Hill. There’s the 550 Express bus and the upcoming expansion to Sound Transit’s 2 Line. We could call it the “Calkins Connection,” but I personally like the Judkins Park Junction (the name of the light rail stop between the two locales). I don’t know, it just hits different, kind of like those two players. When they’re on the field, more often than not good things happen.

The safe hands of Andrew Thomas: Andrew Thomas isn’t going to supplant Stefan Frei, at least not in the immediate future. But in his performance tonight against a solid, albeit struggling and rotated, MLS team he showed that when he’s called upon the Sounders are in safe hands. Thomas was credited with four saves, one of which was a fabulous fingertip save and another came shutting down a dangerous transition play in open space. He also did well to control his area and showed improved distribution from his earlier appearances with the first team, as he created real danger with his throw and barely put a foot wrong all night. The shutout at Lumen Field was well deserved.

The only real negative: The Sounders have things they’ll want and need to work on after this game – despite the shutout the defense had their struggles, and for 86 minutes the offense created chances but couldn’t turn them into goals – but there’s only one real concern coming out of this game. Raúl Ruidíaz had to come out of the game after only about 15 minutes following the tackle that saw Hassani Dotson sent off. The Sounders will evaluate what was reportedly a right knee injury to determine how bad it actually is. For as much as having a Designate Player play as a super-sub is less than ideal, losing that player to injury is probably worse.

Notable quote

Brian Schmetzer on his substitutions and keeping players accountable: “I made personnel changes because I didn’t think that some players were playing up to their potential. De La Vega was on a minutes limit.”

Player spotlight

Paul Rothrock – In 33 minutes plus stoppage time, Rothrock had a goal and an assist plus another chance created, went 2/2 on ground duels, had a successful dribble and won the only tackle he attempted.