There were plenty of questions circling Seattle Sounders FC entering their 2023 MLS regular-season opener Sunday at Lumen Field.
How would the Sounders respond to a disappointing defeat to Al Ahly in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco? What type of team will they be after missing the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in the club’s MLS history?
It’s a small sample size played over 90 minutes, but Seattle’s 4-0 thrashing of the Colorado Rapids showed the Rave Green intend to remain an elite squad, looking more like the group that became MLS's first modern-day Concacaf Champions League winner than the one that limped down the stretch of the 2022 season.
“We didn't like what happened last year. We didn't like what happened in Morocco,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said after the match. “And we are now motivated to try and replicate this type of performance and replicate it a bunch of times throughout the early part of this season to see if we can't make a strong run and get the season really started on a good note.”
Seattle showcased an attacking flair highlighted by a Jordan Morris brace, a debut goal by Heber (acquired in an offseason trade with NYCFC), and a Cristian Roldan tally that got the party started in the 25th minute.
Designated Players Albert Rusnák and João Paulo, who missed the majority of last season due to an ACL injury suffered in the Concacaf Champions League final, partnered in central midfield – and the front six played with more fluidity, a point of emphasis after last year’s disappointing 11th-place finish in the Western Conference.
And they accomplished all that without star striker Raúl Ruidíaz, who sat out with a right hamstring strain.
“You guys saw tonight what the team is capable of. And Raúl didn’t even step on the field,” Schmetzer said. "I thought it was great. I thought it was awesome. I thought the guys were sharp, they were mentally into the game.”
Schmetzer credited assistant coach Preki with working on the movement and timing of runs into the box. It was one of the points of emphasis during the preseason.
“We had some new ideas leading into this year. We had talked about being a little bit too predictable last year,” Schmetzer said. “I think you're seeing a lot of that stuff tonight. Now let's see again if we can sustain that. But the fact of the matter is, our attacking movements were very good and it's due to the work that the coaching staff did with the players throughout preseason.”
Schmetzer was effusive with his praise of João Paulo, who exited to a standing ovation in the 80th minute. It was his first regular-season appearance since last April.
"He was tremendous tonight, I can't compare him with anybody," the longtime coach remarked. "I mean Ozzie \[Alonso] was a true No. 6, Gustav [Svensson] was a true No. 6. JP does some of that defending work, some of those tackles that he makes he uses his shoulder, his body well, his strength. … And he’s got good passes, good vision, his leadership on the field. He was tremendous."
Are the Sounders back? The jury is out, although Schmetzer said the conversation in a motivated locker room postgame was already about their Matchday 2 showdown against Real Salt Lake on March 4 (10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
