It's a fantastic time to be a Seattle Sounder.
After winning back-to-back matches on the road, the Rave Green returned to the friendly confines of Lumen Field and secured a comprehensive 3-0 victory over St. Louis CITY SC. With the win, Seattle leapfrogged the visitors into first place in the Western Conference with 16 points from the first seven games.
As a result, the Sounders have claimed the No. 2 and No. 1 spots on the Matchday 7 Power Rankings for MLSsoccer.com and ESPN.com, respectively.
In particular, pundits were impressed by the manner in which Seattle dispatched a St. Louis side that entered the weekend first in the West with five wins from the first six games.
"The new kids rolled into town and the Sounders were more than happy to provide them with their first beating in club history," wrote MLSsoccer.com's J. Sam Jones. "Raúl Ruidíaz found the field and found his first goal of the season in a 3-0 win over St. Louis, taking the Western Conference lead. Good soccer team is good."
MLS experts also took note of Seattle's squad depth and tactical flexibility.
"It's no surprise that the Sounders were able to capably handle the St. Louis press," wrote ESPN.com's Ryan Rosenblatt. "They are, after all, one of the best teams on the ball in the league. What was eye-opening is how many second balls they won, showing off a pace and physicality that, combined with their skill on the ball, makes Seattle truly exceptional. The Sounders dismantled a good City side 3-0."
The Sounders face another stern test this weekend as they travel south for a rivalry match against the Portland Timbers (7:30 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass on Apple TV app) at Providence Park.
