LOOKING FOR EALY KNOCK OUT PUNCH
The Sounders went for broke as soon as referee Allen Chapman blew the whistle to commence the game between the Sounders and the road-weary FC Dallas. The Sounders’ strategy was to punch early and often in the hope of delivering a lethal knockout punch. For the visitors, it was about absorbing early punches and then delivering one big blow via the counterattack.
HUNTING EARLY BUT NO CATCH
Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer implored a 4-2-3-1 lineup on paper with Stefan Frei in goal, Nouhou, Kim Kee-Hee, Yeimar Gomez, and Alex Roldan filling up the back four. Cristian Roldan Obed and Vargas were in the middle, and above them were Ryan Kent on the left, Albert Rusnák in the center, and Pedro de la Vega on the right. Jesus Ferreira was up top for the injured Danny Musoviski. The plan was on track in the first twelve minutes of the game. Ferreira nearly scored inside the first two minutes of the contest. A deft pass from Kent landed the striker open inside the box, but he could not steer his header on goal.
YEIMAR REPLACED BY JONATHAN BELL
A hamstring injury to Yeimar in the 16th minute forced Schmetzer to shuffle his center-back pairing. Jonathan Bell slotted to the left center back, and Kee-Hee shifted to the right center back. The backline shuffle did not affect the Sounders’ attacking plans; Bell has been a solid debutant all season.
LACK OF EXECUTION IN THE FINAL THIRD
The Sounders continued to hunt for that early goal, using width to stretch the FC Dallas defense and then knocking the ball back in the middle. The issue was timing. Once Kent and De la Vega reached the primary assist zone, there was a lack of precision in their passes.
“ I think if we had been a little more patient in the first half, I think we might have opened up the gaps a little bit bigger because we seem to like the first pass we saw towards goal. We’d play that pass instead of waiting five or six more passes because maybe you bring them all over here, and then you six passes over here, the gaps get bigger, “ said Schmetzer after the game. So I thought we had some good moments, but it’s funny to say that when I asked the guys to play at a high tempo to have a little bit more patience. But it’s kind of a, you know, fine balancing act.”
The inability to find that knock-out punch allowed FC Dallas to find a foothold in the game. The visitors shifted into a flat 4-4-2, which clogged the middle of the field, slowed the Sounders’ attack, and created opportunities of their own. FC Dallas manufactured three set pieces and a corner kick between the 35th and 41st minutes. The opportunities did not turn into clear-cut chances, and the two sides went into the halftime break goalless.
MORE OF THE SAME TO START THE SECOND HALF
The Sounders’ first-half frustration continued into the second half. One might argue that things got worse for the home side. The team’s lines became more stretched as the Sounders’ front four searched for the elusive goal. A lack of sustained possession left wingbacks Alex Roldan and Nouhou in no man’s land. The stretched lines gave FC Dallas room to operate, and in the 56th minute, the visitors forced a game-stopping save from Frei. Dallas striker Logan Farrington’s two-step over froze several Sounders defenders, then laid the ball off to midfielder Ramiro, whose steaking shot was shoved just wide of the post by a diving Frei in the 56th minute.
SUBSTITUTIONS CHANGE THE GAME
Sensing a possible opportunity for a smash and grab, FC Dallas coach Eric Quill made three substitutions and switched to a back three in the 61st minute.. Schmetzer countered with a high press. The changes resulted in a wide-open game as both teams became stretched, leaving gaps between the lines. Six minutes after Quill’s substitutions, Schmezter inserted Georgi Minoungou for De la Vega and Paul Rothrock for Ferreira in the 67th minute. The two youngsters’ speed and pace stretched the Dallas defense. Rothrock played uptop, and his movements created space for Rusnák, who is playing just below him.
FINAL SHUFFLE OF THE DECK
With the game hanging on a knife-edge and his side gaining momentum, Schmetzer saw an opportunity for the knock-out punch. In the 82-minute, Schmetzer inserted Osaze De Rosario for Kent and Reed Baker-Whitting for Nouhou. De Rosario replaced Rothrock as the striker, giving the Sounders a bigger target in the middle. Rothrock moved to the left wing. Sustained pressure by the Sounders caused a handball infraction inside the box just two minutes after Schmezter’s substitutions.
FIVE GOALS IN FIVE GAMES
The Sounders ‘ most informed player, Rusnàk, converted the penalty kick, notching his fifth goal in five games. The goal was the 25th for Rusnák as a Sounder. With the goal, Rusnàk became the second player to record 25 goals and 25 assists for multiple MLS teams. FC Lalas Abubaka Dallas nearly snatched a point in the third minute of stoppage time. FC Dallas defender Lalas Abubakar’s left-footed half-volley shot hit the post. The Sounders survived the moment and the remaining three minutes to remain undefeated at home in 2025.
BIG PICTURE
FC Dallas was up for the fight and gave the Sounders all they could handle. Conversely, credit the Sounders for winning a game when they were not at their best. Good teams find a way to win when they are not playing at their best. This was a character-building win for the Sounders. In boxing terms, the better fighter wore down an inferior opponent.
POST GAME NOTES
MATCH NOTES
- Seattle is now 17-8-11 against Dallas in the regular season since the Rave Green joined MLS in 2009. Including playoffs, Sounders FC is 23-11-13 against FC Dallas, only losing one match at home (11-1-4).
- With the result, Sounders FC sits in fifth place in the Western Conference with 23 points (6-4-5).
- Saturday marked the 47th MLS meeting between Seattle and Dallas (including postseason) making the Texas side Seattle’s most-played opponent in MLS.
- Albert Rusnák’s penalty kick in the 86th minute was good for his seventh goal of the MLS campaign and 25th regular season goal since joining Seattle, becoming the second player in MLS history with 25 goals and 25 assists in regular-season action for two different clubs (Steve Ralston, Tampa Bay and New England). Rusnák tallied 41 goals and 39 assists for Real Salt Lake from 2017-2021.
- Stefan Frei earned his 120th career regular-season shutout in the win, second in MLS history (Nick Rimando, 154). Frei was honored in a pre-match ceremony for recently earning his 400th career all-competition appearance for the club, the most in all eras dating back to 1974.
- Seattle remains unbeaten at home in 2025 following the result, holding a 5-0-3 record in all competitions. Dating back to last season, Seattle is unbeaten in its last 13 home matches (7-0-6).
- Brian Schmetzer kept nearly the same lineup as last week against Portland, with only Pedro de la Vega replacing Danny Musovski, who was out with a hip injury.
- Seattle next hosts San Diego FC on Wednesday, May 28 (5:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM) and Minnesota United FC on Sunday, June 1 (3:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 – FC Dallas 0
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Venue: Lumen Field
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistants: Mike Nickerson, Nick Balcer
Fourth Official: Alexis Da Silva
VAR: Chris Penso
Attendance: 30,575
Weather: 63 degrees and sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Albert Rusnák (penalty) 86’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
DAL – Ramiro Benetti (caution) 10’
DAL – Lalas Abubakar (caution) 44’
DAL – Petar Musa (caution) 85’
SEA – Albert Rusnák (caution) 87’
DAL – Kaick (caution) 90’+5’
DAL – Osaze Urhoghide (caution) 90’+5’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei – Captain; Alex Roldan, Yeimar Gómez Andrade (Jonathan Bell 16’), Kim Kee-hee, Nouhou (Reed Baker-Whiting 82’); Obed Vargas, Cristian Roldan; Pedro de la Vega (Georgi Minoungou 68’), Albert Rusnák, Ryan Kent (Osaze De Rosario 82’); Jesús Ferreira (Paul Rothrock 68’)
Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Danny Leyva, João Paulo
Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 8
Offside: 6
Corner-Kicks: 4
Saves: 5
FC Dallas – Maarten; Marco Farfan, Sebastien Ibeagha, Osaze Urhoghide, Lalas Abubakar; Show (Kaick 61’), Ramiro Benetti, Anderson Julio (Bernard Kamungo HT); Patrickson Delgado (Shaq Moore 61’), Pedro Martins; Logan Farrington (Petar Musa 61’)
Substitutes not used: Tsiki Ntsabeleng, Nolan Norris, Diego García, Michael Collodi, Álvaro Augusto
Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 14
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 5
Saves: 4
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