Brian Schmetzer: “Time is running out” on Seattle Sounders FC’s playoff bid | MLSSoccer.com

Now comes a three-game highway swing, beginning with Western Convention matchups at LA Galaxy (Aug. 19) and Portland Timbers (Aug. 26) – two golf equipment one level above them – earlier than a cross-conference journey to Orlando Metropolis SC (Aug. 31). Their outlook, with a half-month away from Lumen Discipline awaiting, ought to get a lot clearer quickly.

“The message is you have to win your house video games,” stated Schmetzer, who led Seattle to MLS Cup titles in 2016 and 2019. “It is laborious to win on the highway in MLS, so we will not wait till there’s a few laborious highway video games arising. So this was a vital second the place we might have pushed ourselves into a greater place. After which thought of a few powerful video games.”

In simple vogue, Schmetzer stated postgame “now we have to attain extra targets.” The Cascadian membership has scored twice simply as soon as of their present 2W-6L-0D stretch, getting star striker Raul Ruidiaz again into the beginning lineup Sunday for the primary time since July 9 vs. Portland. The Peruvian worldwide was restricted to 65 minutes vs. RSL, a workload cap as he returns from a hamstring damage.

Additionally on the damage entrance, homegrown midfielder Danny Leyva was deployed centrally alongside Albert Rusnak, the scorer of a short 62nd-minute equalizer towards RSL. It’s one other mixture Seattle have tried, with Joao Paulo (ACL) and Obed Vargas (again) each out long-term.