Andrew Thomas pulled off two absolute game-changing saves within about two minutes on Wednesday, and those plays absolutely SAVED the Sounders, snapping that brutal 13-game winless streak. It was wild. Seriously, if we’re gonna turn this season around, those two minutes are gonna be the reason why.
The Goalie Clinic That Changed Everything
First up, RSL forward Sergi Solans somehow snuck past Jackson Ragen after what looked like a routine clearance. Suddenly, Solans was 1v1 with Thomas. My heart stopped, right? But Thomas, that dude is ice cold. He stayed on his feet, didn’t commit too early, then dove to swat the ball away just as Solans tried to round him. Turns out, Solans had a heavy touch there, which probably helped. Thomas broke it down perfectly after the game: “The ball was bouncing a little bit initially off of his touch, and I didn’t want to get chipped on an early early shot. As it settled, I came out a little bit higher and was going to try and make myself big, expecting him to kind of take an early finish. And then as he took his touch, I thought that ‘I can get to this,’ and got my feet going and got a good push. Once I was in there, I think I can get this pretty easily.” Just a minute later, Danny Musovski bangs in the game-winner, but the drama wasn’t over. Immediately after kickoff, Solans again found himself with another look, lacing a left-footed shot that looked destined for the upper-90. But Thomas, sprawling, made a sick right-handed save. T-Mobile Park was absolutely electric. Thomas felt it, too, saying, “You can hear the crowd and feel that energy, and it makes a massive difference in how I’m feeling for sure, and over the rest of the team. They made a massive difference. They were loud.” Those two plays were HUGE.
Thomas’s Game-Saving Numbers
These saves weren’t just lucky breaks; they’re pure Thomas. He’s a first-year starter, yeah, and he’s got a couple of things to work on like his distribution and communication. But let’s be real, his strengths are lights out. He is an elite shot-stopper, and his athleticism when he comes off his line is seriously impressive. The stats back it up: Thomas leads the entire league in Opta’s “goals prevented” category with a ridiculous 10.1! He’s also fifth in shutouts with 7, seventh in save percentage at 74.2, and ninth in goals allowed per 90 at 1.32. And get this: he’s facing more shots on target than all but TWO of the goalkeepers in the top 20 of that category. Plus, he’s in the 94th percentile for “high claims,” which means he’s not afraid to charge out and deal with crosses or set pieces. This dude is built different.
That win was massive. The momentum from those saves? It could totally spark the turnaround we need. Next up, the Sounders face Minnesota United on Saturday. With Thomas standing on his head like this, you gotta feel good about our chances. Let’s keep that energy rolling, Emerald City!
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.
Leave a Reply