Yes the Seattle Sounders (13-9-5, 44 points) own the MLS record for most consecutive wins in the post-shootout era, ( nine for this keeping score at home) and yes the Sounders beat Cascadia Rivals Vancouver Whitecaps (11-10-7 40 points) 2-1 to bring home the Cascadia Trophy, but what Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer will most be pleased about is how his team accomplished the tasks.
Summer splash signing Peruvian forward Raul Ruidiaz scored two goals, the first a Sounders classic in which midfielder Cristian Roldan fed an overlapping right back Kelvin Leerdam who slide ruled the ball back into the Whitecaps goalmouth for the Diaz tap in to give the visitors the 1-0 lead after 21minutes of play.
Ruidiaz’s second goal in the 41st was right out of the goal scoring textbook. The best forwards to ever play the beautiful game are surgical, lethal and opportunistic. Ruidiaz intercepted an errant pass between two Whitecaps defenders, juked Whitecaps goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic with a foot- over- ball sidestep move that left the netminder helpless on the pitch and the Peruvian calmed slotted the ball into the wide-open net for the 2-0 lead and his third goal in four MLS games.
The Whitecaps Kei Kamara pulled one back for the home side just before the halftime break but it was to be of no avail as the Sounders held off the charging Whitecaps for the hard-fought victory.
GAME NOTES
- Sounders FC is now 13-9-5 on the season, and currently sits above the red line at fifth in the Western Conference with 44 points. Brian Schmetzer’s side is level with the Portland Timbers on 44, but ahead of its Cascadia rival via the total wins tiebreaker.
- With seven matches remaining in the 2018 regular season, Seattle is just seven points out of first place in the West.
- With the win, Sounders FC clinches the 2018 Cascadia Cup title after earning nine points in four qualifying matches (3-1-0). Seattle reclaims the regional trophy for the first time since 2015, giving the club five total Cascadia Cup titles since the competition began in 2004, one shy of Vancouver’s six. In the MLS era of the Cascadia Cup, Seattle and Vancouver each have three, while Portland has two.
- Sounders FC brings its winning streak to nine consecutive victories, extending its single-season league record in the post-shootout era (since 2000). Seattle is now tied with Sporting Kansas City’s league record for consecutive wins over multiple seasons, who achieved nine straight wins over the 2011 and 2012 campaigns.
- The result extends Seattle’s unbeaten streak to 12 games (10-0-2), dating back to July 4 at Colorado. The run is the longest spell without a loss this season, and is the club’s second-longest unbeaten streak in club history. The longest unbeaten streak in club history is 13 games (6-0-7) from June 21-September 23 of last season.
- Raúl Ruidíaz scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season, giving him four in his last four games. Seattle today improved to 8-0-0 in games in which he starts, and 4-0-0 in games in which he scores.
- Sounders FC is now 10-7-5 all-time against Whitecaps FC in MLS regular season play, including a 5-3-4 record in Vancouver. Dating back to 1975, Seattle leads the all-time series against Vancouver 72-52-25.
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