September 7, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release
Seattle Sounders FC on game night
(Seattle Sounders FC)
COLUMBUS, OHIO – Seattle Sounders FC (12-9-7, 43 points) secured a 4-0 victory over the 10-man Columbus Crew (14-5-7, 49 points) on Saturday evening at Lower.com Field, with Albert Rusnák recording a hat trick and Jordan Morris adding a goal of his own. Crew goalkeeper Abraham Romero was sent off for serious foul play in first-half stoppage time, with Seattle forward Jordan Morris on the receiving end of a hard collision outside the Columbus area. Rusnák drilled home the ensuing free kick, as the home side played on with 10 men and outfield player Sean Zawadzki in goal due to not having a backup goalkeeper available on the bench. Morris added the match’s second goal in the 60th minute, with Rusnák completing his hat trick in the 67th and 70th minutes.
Following tonight’s contest, Seattle returns to the Emerald City for a pivotal late season homestand. In the first of three Western Conference matches in a row at Lumen Field, Seattle takes to the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch on Sunday, September 15 against longtime foe Sporting Kansas City (4:15 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FS1, iHeartMedia Seattle, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH NOTES
Tonight’s three points give Seattle 43 points on the season, with the Rave Green moving up to fifth place in the Western Conference as a result. In the race for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, Sounders FC has six matches remaining in the regular season, with four of those matches at Lumen Field. All remaining games are against Western Conference opposition, beginning with Sporting Kanas City on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch on Sunday, September 15. The top nine teams in the West qualify for postseason play.
Seattle attacker Albert Rusnák bagged three goals in tonight’s contest, the first coming via a free kick in first-half stoppage time, with the remaining two occurring during the second half. The trio of strikes gives the Slovakian international eight goals on the season, accompanying his 12 assists.
Interestingly, Rusnak’s hat trick was not the first Sounders trio of goals to be scored against Columbus in the same match. Lamar Neagle and Blaise Nkufo both recorded hat tricks versus the Crew. Nkufo’s came on September 18, 2010 in a 4-0 win, while Neagle’s occurred on August 27, 2011 in a 6-2 victory.
Jordan Morris’ strike in the 60th minute of play was good for his team-leading 11th goal of 2024. In his Sounders…
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