By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Frustrations mount in Sounders’ 2-0 loss to Atlanta United

The Sounders returned to competitive action Sunday night after a near three-week break The Sounders earned the break after crashing out of the League’s Cup Tournament. The bright side of a disappointing early exit in the League Cup Tournament was supposed to be time to heal and get right tactically. The Sounders were fully healed before Sunday’s match against Atlanta so part one of the equation was completed. The get right tactically not so much.

DISJOINTED ATTACK

The Sounders looked good for the first five minutes of the game. Leo Chu had several gallops from both flanks of the pitch. The speedy winger used his pace to blow past the Atlanta United defenders. What was lacking, in the end, was a goal-dangerous pass into the box. No Sounder player was running to meet the pass when Chu delivered the ball into the Atlanta goal box. When Raul Ruidiaz and Jordan Morris made runs into the Atlanta goal box Chu chose to shoot the ball. The inconsistency in the final third caused frustration and consternation among the players.

PRESS UNPRODUCTIVE

To make matters worse the Sounders high press was ineffective due to a lack of cohesion between the lines. When the forward pressed up midfield players Joao Paulo, Albert Rusnack, and Nicolas Lodiero were slow to cover the open man and space. Wingbacks Alex Roldan and Nouhou were slow to push up and back up the midfielders in front of them. The lack of unity allowed Atlanta midfielder Muyumba Nkita, Thiago Almda, and Matheus Rossetto to roam the middle of the field uncontested for much of the game.

GOOD NIGHT FOR ATLANTA FORWARDS

With their midfielders controlling the middle of the pitch Atlanta forwards Giorgos Giakoumakis and Zande Silver were given the time to find pockets in the Sounder’s defense. With time and space, Giakoumakis recorded a double against the hapless Sounders defense. Atlanta United is a good team but what was disappointing about the Sounder’s loss was a lack of creativity on the simplest level.

OVERTHINKING CAUSED PARALYSIS

Soccer is a beautiful game when played with free-flowing creative movements. The key to achieving free-flowing creative movement is not to force the play. On Sunday night the Sounders forced the issue when patience was needed and spent too much thinking about what they should do with the next play or run. Simply put the Sounders spent more time thinking about what they were going to do rather than just doing it. The Sounders managed just two shots on goal to Atlanta’s seven. Brian Schmetzer and his staff have a week before the Sounder’s next game which is on the road against Minnesota. A week of basic fundamental soccer principles is what’s needed for Sounder bounce-back effort

POSTGAME NOTES

MATCH NOTES

  • Following tonight’s loss, Sounders FC remains on 36 points for the season through 25 matches played (10-9-6), with the Rave Green currently occupying fourth place in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference, one point behind LAFC and Real Salt Lake, and eight points behind conference-leading St. Louis.
  • Goalkeeper Stefan Frei became Seattle’s all-time leader in club appearances tonight, reaching 340 since 2014 (MLS era only). The previous holder of this record, midfielder Osvaldo Alonso, was on hand tonight as an Atlanta United player. Alonso presented Frei with a framed jersey to commemorate the occasion in a pre-match ceremony. In addition to the all-time club appearance record, Frei has set franchise records in every goalkeeping category, leading Sounders FC to five major titles in the process. He leads MLS in shutouts this season (11).
  • In the all-time series dating back to Atlanta’s inaugural season in 2017, Seattle moves to 1-2-3. At Lumen Field, the Rave Green are now 1-1-2 against the Five Stripes.
  • With the start tonight, fullback Alex Roldan made his 150th all-time appearance for Sounders FC in all competitions. The Seattle University product has been a mainstay for the Rave Green, joining the club in 2018 as the 22nd overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft.
  • New addition Paul Rothrock made his official Lumen Field debut in Rave Green tonight, coming into the match as a 68th-minute substitute after being unveiled earlier this week. Rothrock, a Sounders FC Academy product, notably scored three goals in three appearances for Sounders FC earlier this year via short-term agreements prior to signing his new deal. After finding the net in a pair of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches against San Diego Loyal SC (April 26) and LA Galaxy (May 10), Rothrock scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 regular-season win at Houston (May 13).
  • Atlanta United forward Giorgos Giakoumakis recorded a brace in tonight’s match, good for his 11th and 12th goals of the year. The Greek international is now tied for second place in the MLS Golden Boot race.
  • Prior to tonight’s match, Sounders FC honored former Sounders Gonzalo Pineda and Garth Lagerwey. Pineda, a former Sounders FC player and assistant coach on Brian Schmetzer’s staff, is currently Head Coach of the Five Stripes, while Garth Lagerwey, who served as General Manager & President of Soccer for Seattle, is now the Georgia club’s President & CEO. Lagerwey received a commemorative watch in recognition of the 2022 Concacaf Champions League title, presented by Owner Adrian Hanauer on behalf of the club.

MATCH SUMMARY

Seattle Sounders FC 0 – Atlanta United FC 2

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Venue: Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field

Referee: Allen Chapman

Assistants: Jeremy Hanson, Kali Smith

Fourth Official: Mark Allatin

VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.

Attendance: 31,149

Weather: 75 degrees and smoke

SCORING SUMMARY

ATL – Giorgos Giakoumakis (Brooks Lennon) 11’

ATL – Giorgos Giakoumakis (Thiago Alamada) 65’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

SEA – Yeimar (caution) 8’

ATL – Thiago Almeda (caution) 26’

ATL – Edwin Mosquera (caution) 64’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Alex Roldan, Yeimar, Jackson Ragen, Nouhou (Reed Baker-Whiting); João Paulo (Obed Vargas 68’), Albert Rusnák, Jordan Morris, Nico Lodeiro (Fredy Montero 68’), Léo Chú (Paul Rothrock 68’); Raúl Ruidíaz

Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas, Xavier Arreaga, Josh Atencio, Ethan Dobbelaere, Héber

Total shots: 16

Shots on goal: 2

Fouls: 11

Offside: 2

Corner-Kicks: 8

Saves: 5

Atlanta United FC – Brad Guzan; Luis Abram, Brooks Lennon, Miles Robinson, Caleb Wiley; Tristan Muyumba Nkita (Juan Jose Purata 86’), Thiago Almada, Matheus Rossetto (Osvaldo Alonso 77’), Edwin Mosquera (Amar Sejdic 78’); Giorgos Giakoumakis (Miguel Berry 86’), Xande Silva (Tyler Wolff 66’)

Substitutes not used: Ronald Hernandez, Santiago Sosa, Derrick Etienne Jr., Quentin Westberg

Total shots: 9

Shots on goal: 7

Fouls: 15

Offside: 1

Corner-kicks: 6

Saves: 2

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