A little over two weeks ago, the Seattle Sounders defeated Inter Miami to collect their first-ever Leagues Cup title at Lumen Field.
The two teams will go head-to-head once again on Tuesday, Sept. 15 — this time in Miami’s stomping grounds — in a fiercely contested matchup between two of the premier clubs in Major League Soccer.
“It’ll be fun,” said center back Jackson Ragen. “We know they're going to be motivated after the last game, but nothing changes for us. [We just need to] come out and play the way we want to play and expect a very tough opponent.”
The last time the two sides battled it out, the Sounders restricted the lethal offense led by Lionel Messi to zero goals while scoring three of their own, emerging as Leagues Cup champions in dominant fashion.
“The guys dug down deep because at 1-0, the game could have gone either way,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “They were putting a lot of pressure on us, and then that second goal helped us relieve the pressure, and then you couldn't have asked for a more story book ending for Paul [Rothrock] to score that third goal.”
The Sounders found a way to secure the victory despite missing influential players Stefan Frei, Jordan Morris, Albert Rusnák, Danny Musovski and Nouhou. The win symbolized just how strong the team’s roster is from top to bottom, with several players rising to the occasion when the team needed them most.
From former Tacoma Defiance forward Osaze De Rosario scoring the game-winner and finishing the tournament with the most team-goals (4), to Andrew Thomas holding down the fort as the team’s goalkeeper throughout the competition, the club was able to come together in a crucial moment without some of the team’s regular starters.
“I actually started my pre-game talk with a quote: “Individuals win games, but a collective and intelligence wins championships,” said Schmetzer following the Aug. 31 result. “And it came true, because [Miami] has unbelievably talented players. Beginning the second half, they were all over us, and they probably should have scored a couple goals, but our collective, you know the intelligence, the smarts, keeping our composure, I think that was the reason why we won the game”
Now, as the Sounders head into Tuesday night’s match, the return of Frei, Morris, Rusnák, Musovski and Nouhou will provide them even more ammunition as they look to secure another win over Miami and kickstart their two-match road stretch on the front foot.
“We'll see the best team out there for Miami and Austin,” said Schmetzer. “Those are going to be two challenging road games.”
Considered one of the best attacking teams in MLS with 54 goals so far this season, Inter Miami will be itching to get on the scoresheet early. This is especially true given the club’s consecutive 3-0 losses against the Rave Green and most recently, Charlotte FC.
While Luis Suárez is suspended due to an altercation that occurred post-match against the Sounders, players like Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Sergio Busquets are sure to bring on the heat. The three players combine for over four decades of experience at the highest levels of international and club soccer, winning the UEFA Champions League, La Liga and the FIFA World Cup.
Miami will likely push the Sounders’ back at times, but with the Rave Green’s comfort in a low block and strength in transition, the team has the potential to make line breaking passes and find space behind to create goal scoring opportunities. This, in addition to a confident demeanor in and around the eighteen yard box, will pave the way for another strong result over the Florida side.
“We are very motivated after the game that we had,” said defender Reed Baker-Whiting. “We're ready for what’s coming.”
