Sounders remain undefeated with drama-filled 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake

MATCH NOTES

• With the win, Seattle remains unbeaten in 2021. Through 10 matches, the club has seven wins and three draws, good for 24 points.

• In addition to being the best start in club history to begin the season, Seattle is just the eighth team in MLS history to go unbeaten through the first 10 matches of a season. Four clubs have started a season unbeaten through 12 games. 

• Following the win, Seattle remains atop both the Supporters’ Shield race and MLS Western Conference standings. The Rave Green lead the New England Revolution by one point for the top record in MLS, while also maintaining a four-point lead over Sporting Kansas City in the West.

• Raúl Ruidíaz’s 88^th-minute penalty kick was his 50^th career MLS goal for the Rave Green (regular season and playoffs). Since joining Seattle midway through the 2018 season, the Peruvian has accomplished this feat in just 73 total games played. The only other player to hit 50 goals or more in MLS regular season and postseason play is Clint Dempsey (53 goals), while Fredy Montero holds the all competitions club scoring record (62 goals).

• Ruidíaz’s second-half goal gives him eight strikes so far in 2021, tied with the Galaxy’s Javier Hernández for first in MLS.

• With his goal in the 58^th minute of play, Seattle midfielder Cristian Roldan notched his second strike of the season and 24^th overall in his MLS career. Since being acquired by Sounders FC from the University of Washington in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, Roldan has made 183 regular season appearances for the Rave Green, starting 166 of those games.

• Starting in midfield for the eighth time in 2021, Kelyn Rowe made his 250^th MLS regular-season appearance this evening. In a career dating back to 2012, Rowe has represented the New England Revolution (2012-2018; 2020) Real Salt Lake (2019) and Sounders FC (2021).

• Following Saturday’s 2-1 victory in Los Angeles against the Galaxy, Head Coach Brian Schmetzer made just two changes to tonight’s starting lineup against RSL. Jimmy Medranda made his first start as a Sounder, replacing Brad Smith at left wingback. Will Bruin returned to the starting lineup for Fredy Montero.

• Returning from a right quad strain, Josh Atencio made the bench for the first time since April 24 vs. LAFC. The Homegrown midfielder made a substitute appearance in the 85^th minute, replacing Kelyn Rowe.

• Despite conceding a penalty-kick goal tonight, Seattle still has not allowed a goal from the run of play in 2021. Of the league-best five goals the club has allowed, three have come from penalties and two have come from direct free kicks.

• With two goals scored tonight and one conceded, Sounders FC maintains the best goal difference in MLS (+13). Orlando City is second in the league at +10.

• Seattle now has 15 wins, 13 losses and six draws all-time versus RSL (both regular season and MLS Cup Playoffs). Sounders FC has claimed a win or a draw in five of the past six meetings against the Utah side (including a win in the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs).

• The Lumen Field crowd of 24,652 was the largest Sounders FC home attendance since March of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began.