The Seattle Sounders nabbed a 2-0 victory at CenturyLink Field against the Vancouver Whitecaps Saturday. Nicolas Lodeiro scored both goals—one one from the penalty spot and one from long-range—as Seattle took all three points at home.
Here are three takeaways from the match.
Raul Ruidiaz makes club debut
The long-awaited debut of Raul Ruidiaz — who the club announced June 29 and who missed his first match of eligibility against Atlanta United due to Jordan McCrary being sent off — finally came Saturday. The Peruvian midfielder checked in for forward Will Bruin in the 61st minute to a raucous reception from the announced 41,849 in attendance.
Ruidiaz managed one shot on target during the match, streaking on to the end of a long Lodeiro through ball and fighting off Vancouver centerback Kendall Waston before his effort was blocked by keeper Stefan Marinovic.
Ruidiaz was grateful for his warm reception.
“It was a very good feeling to have all of these people and making all of the noise they made,” the striker said of the fans in Seattle. “I knew there were going to be a lot of people coming, so it felt very good. It filled me with motivation to do well during the game.”
Sounders attack sees new life
Saturday’s win was something of a return to form for a Sounders club that struggled in the first half of the season. The team moved the ball at will against Vancouver, harassing the visitors in their own end.
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Though the club finished with only three shots on goal, Lodeiro felt that Saturday’s result could be the sort of spark that begins the improbable runs that have seen Seattle through to the postseason in 2016 and 2017, leading to repeat appearances in the MLS Cup.
“I think yes because we don’t have time to lose more points,” Lodeiro said. “This is the way. We know the situation. The last two years we started the same, we played bad and then we played better, I hope this time it’s the same and we start winning.”
Victor Rodriguez injured
Seattle midfielder Victor Rodriguez was unable to finish the match. The Spaniard, who missed the first several months of the season due to lingering knee injuries, remained on the ground after an attack in the first half and left the field in the 43rd minute, eventually to be replaced by Osvaldo Alonso in stoppage time.
Schmetzer said after the match that Rodriguez had suffered a hamstring issue and that the club would assess him on Monday.