Sounders suffer another defensive lapse in loss to Real Salt Lake
SEATTLE – The image is unforgettable.
Sounders keeper Stefan Frei crotched, ready to make a basic stop on a Real Salt Lake cross in front of his goal. And defender Nouhou racing in front of Frei to head the ball into the net.
A shocking error that gifted RSL a score in the eighth minute Saturday. The Sounders ended up losing 2-0 at America First Field.
Seattle (0-1-1) is two matches into its MLS slate and in both games the defense has cost the team an outright win. In the league opener against Charlotte FC last month, botched play between center backs Jackson Ragen and Yeimar led to the latter conceding a second-half equalizer for a 2-2 draw.
Once the match settled Saturday, the Claret-and-Cobalt (1-1-0) managed to create their own chances that required smart defending from Yeimar, Jon Bell, who started in place of Ragen, and Nouhou. Frei had one save in the half to keep RSL’s lead at 1-0 headed into the break.
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer continued to dig deep in his roster to remain competitive in CONCACAF Champions Cup and league competitions. He started Paul Rothrock and Georgi Minoungou on the wings and subbed the duo off at halftime for Paul Arriola and Pedro de la Vega.
Schmetzer later exchanged Ragen for Nouhou and Jesús Ferreira for Kalani Kossa-Rienzi in the 69th minute. Kossa-Rienzi replaced mainstay right back Alex Roldan, who remained in Seattle to be present for the birth of his first child.
Saturday marked Kossa-Rienzi’s first MLS start and second league appearance since being drafted by the Sounders in 2023.
While the changes were in effort to at least get a draw and the Sounders had opportunities in both halves, it was RSL that was crafty in getting an earned score.
Salt Lake keeper Rafael Cabral used a long goal kick to get the ball in the midfield to help set up the goal in the 79th minute. Teammate Diogo Gonçalves slipped a ball past Jackson, Yeimar and Bell for Forster Ajago to chase down and outwit Frei for the goal.
The Sounders were shutout for the first time since ending their 2024 season with a 1-0 loss in the Western Conference final last fall. They stacked goals in the preseason and had eight combined in two CCC matches and their MLS opener this year.
But the afternoon could be viewed as on trend for the club. Seattle hasn’t won a regular season match in Utah since 2011. They haven’t scored a goal in the state since 2020.
Seattle returns to CCC play Wednesday. They’ll host Mexico’s Cruz Azul in the Round of 16 at Lumen Field.