Veteran Jair Marrufo will be the head referee for the Seattle Sounders’ Week 2 match against the Montreal Impact on Saturday (4 p.m. PT; JOEtv, ROOT Sports outside Seattle, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360AM), the Professional Referee Organization announced on Wednesday. He will be joined by assistants Corey Rockwell and Brian Poeschel and fourth official Geoff Gamble.
Marrufo has officiated more than 200 Major League Soccer matches in his 15-plus year career. He was the 2008 MLS Referee of the Year and has refereed two MLS Cup Finals (2006, ’15).
Marrufo was in charge of two Sounders matches last season: A 3-1 road loss to the Portland Timbers on July 17 and a 1-0 home win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sept. 17. He issued seven total yellow cards in those two matches, four to the Sounders and three to opponents. Marrufo only issued one red card in 17 matches last year.
Marrufo opened the 2017 season in the middle for Orlando City SC’s 1-0 win over New York City FC last Sunday, issuing three yellow cards.
