Sounders FC Opens 2023 MLS Campaign with 4-0 Home Win over Colorado

February 27, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Seattle Sounders FC News Release

Seattle Sounders FC react after a goal in their MLS season opener
(Seattle Sounders FC)

SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC (1-0-0, 3 points) began its 2023 Major League Soccer campaign with a bang Sunday evening, defeating the Colorado Rapids (0-1-0, 0 points) 4-0 on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field. Jordan Morris scored a brace, with Cristian Roldan and newcomer Héber adding goals as the Rave Green opened their 15th regular-season campaign with a decisive shutout win.

Roldan opened Seattle’s 2023 scoring account in the 25th minute. After his initial header off a Morris cross was parried away by Colorado’s William Yarbrough, Roldan’s follow-up header deflected off the hands of Yarbrough and into the back of the net to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Morris doubled the Rave Green’s lead in the dying minutes of the first half, chesting a Nicolás Lodeiro cross into a defender before diving to head the ensuing rebound across the line for Seattle’s second goal of the night.

Seattle’s newest acquisition, Héber, got his first Sounders FC goal in the 53rd minute. After a nice piece of buildup play, Lodeiro took the ball to the right side of the area, firing in a cross that took a deflection off a Colorado defender right to the feet of Héber, who hammered home the rebound off the post and into the net.

Sounders FC added one more tally in the 83rd minute, with Morris scoring with his head once again. Lodeiro sent a corner kick into the area, with the ball taking a few deflections before Morris found the finishing touch, sending the ball into the top corner of the net. It was Morris’s first multi-goal game since August 30, 2020 against LAFC.

Sunday’s match marked Seattle’s second competitive fixture of 2023, with the club losing to Egyptian side Al Ahly 1-0 on February 4 in the Second Round of the FIFA Club World in Morocco. Seattle remains home to face Real Salt Lake next Saturday, March 4 at Lumen Field (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).

MATCH NOTES

With tonight’s victory, Sounders FC is now 9-6-0 all-time in MLS season-openers.

Seattle Head Coach Brian Schmetzer moves to 4-3-0 in MLS season-openers dating back to 2017, his first full season as Sounders FC Head Coach in Major League Soccer.

Sounders FC has won 16 of its 19 home matches against Colorado in MLS play, including the MLS Cup Playoffs. Tonight’s victory marks seven wins in a row for the Rave Green…