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Rookie midfielder Alex Roldan got the nod to make his first MLS start for the Seattle Sounders against Sporting Kansas City April 15. The 21-year-old performed well in the match, providing a crucial pass that led to Seattle’s second goal during a 2-2 road draw.
Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer praised Roldan, whose brother, Cristian, has become a mainstay at defensive midfield for Seattle in his first three years in the league, saying the young player had earned the chance to start.
“He’s been training well all throughout preseason,” Schmetzer said of Alex Wednesday. “I hate comparing him to Cristian. He is his own player, but he does have some of the same characteristics that I liked. He’s determined, he’s got a little bite to his game. I think Alex has a lot of nice attacking movements in his game. Cristian you’d always think, ‘OK, is he a six or and eight?’ It’s good to have them both on the field. Alex has a good future if he keeps his head down and keeps playing.”
Cristian could often be spotted in the stands while Alex was playing for Seattle University. Alex said the last time he and his brother started a match together was for El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, Calif.
The difference in the quality of MLS play, he admitted with a smile, was vast.
Still, here they both are, chasing dreams of professional careers and meeting with success. For Alex, the goal is more playing time as the season moves forward.
“It’s my rookie season,” he said. “Day in and day out, I’m trying to prove a point here and trying to get the coaches to see the potential that I have. They take care of me. I’m learning a lot from them along with the veterans. That’s helped me grow in the short amount of time that we’ve had this season, and hopefully I can continue to grow as the season progresses.”
It’s a similar refrain to what his brother Cristian would often say during his own rookie season, a time when a rash of injuries depleted the midfield and allowed the former University of Washington standout a chance to develop his skills on the pitch. With the Sounders dealing with another spate of strains, sprains and muscle pulls, Alex may have the same opportunity that Cristian was afforded.
If Alex makes the most of his opportunities, he could earn more praise from Schmetzer moving forward.