The Seattle Sounders just plunged to their eighth consecutive league loss and fourth straight at home, falling 2-1 to 14th-place Austin FC on Wednesday night. This one stings, Emerald City, because even a late goal couldn’t overcome Austin’s two strikes and the bitter taste of another defeat. We watched our boys get punched in the gut, yet again.
First Half Struggles and a Scary Moment
The opening 45 minutes? Man, it was a snooze fest. Dull as can be, with both sides struggling to really threaten. Austin dominated possession, holding onto 64% of the ball, which is wild considering we’re usually the ones trying to control the pace. The one moment of real emotion was a total lowlight for the Sounders: Jackson Ragen went down hard after a challenge in our box, clutching his knee. A stretcher crew even came out! Thankfully, he was able to get back on his feet and keep playing for a bit, but he eventually had to leave the game in the second half. That’s a huge concern, especially with how this season is going.
Halftime Spark Snuffed Out by Austin’s Punches
Coming out of halftime, it looked like a different team! The Sounders made a smart move, bringing in Snyder Brunell for Sebastian Gomez, and shifting Peter Kingston to right back while Kalani Kossa-Rienzi pushed up to the wing. That change actually sparked some dynamic play. For about 15 minutes, Seattle looked much better, holding the ball, creating four decent scoring chances between the 46th and 61st minutes. But what happened? No finish. No quality. And Austin made us pay. Facundo Torres, with Brunell trailing too far behind, easily tapped in a cross from Zan Kolmanic in the 66th minute to make it 1-0. We had chances to respond, but couldn’t find the quality needed. Then in the 87th minute, Paul Rothrock tried to dribble out of pressure after a corner, turned the ball over, and immediately Torres sent a cross to the back post. Guilherme Biro nailed it with a flying volley, beating Andrew Thomas at the post to make it 2-0 and seal the deal.
A Consolation Goal, But Still No Points
Just when you thought it was over, Stuart Hawkins fought off a defender in the 90th minute to head home a free kick from Albert Rusnák. That gave us a sliver of hope, a 2-1 scoreline heading into stoppage time, a chance for a point. The stadium came alive for a moment! But, just like the story of the last eight games, Seattle found themselves wanting once again. No points. Eight straight league losses, four straight at home. It’s brutal, plain and simple. We need to see a complete turnaround because this slide is just heartbreaking.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Sounder at Heart.
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