The Seattle Sounders’ 2-0 home win over Austin FC on Saturday was more than just a run-of-the-mill three points. It was a culmination of three games’ worth of effort during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup against some of the most massive names in global football.
The Sounders went punch-for-punch with reigning Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo from Brazil in a contest where Seattle dominated the entire second half. Seattle then held its own in a match against Spanish giants Atlético Madrid before ultimately succumbing to Paris Saint-Germain, arguably the best team in the world right now having just won the UEFA Champions League, in a game that was much closer than many pundits had expected.
Still, the Sounders dropped their final two MLS matches prior to entering the Club World Cup as well, so they knew that it was imperative to get back into the win column by any means necessary against Austin.
“The team knew that it was time,” said Sounders forward Jesús Ferreira, who had a goal and an assist en route to an MLS Team of the Matchday nod. “The coaches didn’t want to tell us, but we knew that we hadn’t won in five games. The coaches trust us enough that they don’t have to mention it and try to stay positive because we know that we’re a good team.”
Forward Danny Musovski, who also scored on Saturday on the receiving end of Ferreira’s assist, echoed that feeling of relief.
“We were feeling the pressure a little bit,” said Musovski. “It was five straight losses, even if three were against some really good teams. That had an effect on us, so we wanted to make sure we got back on the right foot. To be at home and have the [natural] grass and have the fans, it set us up in a good way.”
The Sounders were notably strong in their possession on Saturday, with Musovski’s goal coming at the end of a nice bit of passing that started from the back line and ended in the back of Austin’s net. Sounders Head Coach Brian Schmetzer liked that his team stayed within itself and was able to capitalize.
“You could see bits and pieces of what transpired in the last three games [on Saturday],” said Schmetzer. “They found the commitment and the courage to keep possession. We did that against PSG, against Atlético, against Botafogo. We were able to be good in our possession.
“From back to front when you score goals like that, it just shows that the team is committed to play and play with good possession,” he continued. “I was very pleased with that.”
Seattle will look to ride this confidence into another big result this coming Sunday when Columbus Crew SC comes to Lumen Field for an interconference clash (2 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TICKETS). The Sounders, who have just one loss at home through nine MLS matches this season, will look to try and jump into a home playoff position in the Western Conference table with a win.
“We felt like we had some good performances during the Club World Cup, but we were sloppy in front of goal and we made some errors in our box,” said midfielder Cristian Roldan. “That was the difference.
“Hopefully we can build off this performance because we saw another level during the Club World Cup,” he added. “If we can bring that into MLS play, we’re going to be in a really good spot.”
