As we head into the Leagues Cup on the heels of an uninspiring run of form in MLS, maybe we should look back to the best of times?
What are your all-time favorite Sounders moments?
One of mine is from 2015: the Sounders complete a comeback win against CD Olimpia in CCL at CenturyLink after a Brad Evans 90+7 PK (video). Sounders were losing in the 90th minute 1-0 after a goal by Alberth Elis in the 5th minute for the visitors. We had the run of play for the rest of the match - possession, chances, but nothing was finding the back of the net. The Concacaf shithousery started infuriatingly early, with time wasting, fake injuries, etc. from maybe the 60th minute on.
Then, Friberg scored the equalizer in the 90th minute on an unmarked back post header, and the 4th official put up a massive number for stoppage time. You could sense in the building that maybe, this time, the soccer gods were going to mete out justice for the time wasting, giving us enough time to snatch the win.
Then, in the 90+5’, Dylan Remick got taken out at the top corner of the box in a clear penalty. The shenanigans continued as the Olimpia players surrounded the ref, blocked Brad from setting up the penalty, and tried to get in his head. When the players were finally cleared, up stepped The Man Who Never Missed – and he slotted it calmly home, sending the keeper the wrong way. In the celebration, Brad ran towards the keeper and shouted some choice words, drawing a shove and setting off a fracas. Aside from the CCL and MLS cup finals, the roar when he converted the penalty was one of the loudest I’ve heard at CenturyLink/Lumen.
I think that this resonates with me because we had just started attending matches a year or so previously, and it was one of the first big minutes that I got to see live (after the supporters shield clinching game against LAG). It also showed off that resilience / fight and that little bit of an edge / attitude that has defined the Sounders for so long (and maybe seems to have been missing of late).
What are yours?
Oh yeah that Evans PK is way up there.
One of the only times I ever involuntarily stood on my couch and freaked out was the 2020 semis against Minnesota. Ruidiaz equalized in the 89th, Svensson won it in the 93rd. Absolutely bonkers. Somehow we all knew they were going to come from behind to win that and they left it til the very end.
Honorable mention: red card wedding.
Of course there was also the moment I realized we were going to win CCL. Somewhere around the 70th minute when we continued to look in full control. But that wasn’t a specific event.
Oh yeah, the Minnesota game was great. And I know exactly what you mean about CCL - you were more optimistic than I was. We just had the one goal aggregate lead after Raul’s goal just before halftime, which didn’t seem like enough. The second goal was a “hey, this might be happening” moment. But Pumas were a good club and had had their chances, and 10 minutes + stoppage seemed like an eternity. I don’t think it really set in for me until Nico’s 87’ goal - which really sealed it.