In a captivating encounter at Lumen Field, Seattle Sounders and Colorado Rapids fought hard, ultimately settling for a 3-3 draw. Albert Rusnák was the star of the match, scoring two goals and showcasing his skills. Despite Seattle’s early lead and multiple chances to secure a win, they watched as Colorado rallied back to equalize, leaving both teams sharing the spoils.
Obed Vargas opened the scoring for Seattle with a goal at the 15th minute, followed by Rusnák’s first strike in the 42nd minute of the first half and a spectacular long-range effort just a minute after the break. However, the Rapids were determined, with Djordje Mihailovic converting a penalty in the 49th minute, Cole Bassett also netting from the spot just three minutes later, and Darren Yapi sealing the comeback with a well-placed shot in the 74th minute.
Rusnák’s moment of brilliance came early in the second half when he capitalized on a pass from Danny Musovski, launching a powerful shot that found the left corner of the net.
Rusnák’s outstanding performance earned him the Man of the Match award, as he registered two goals and took four shots at goal throughout the game.
Darren Yapi was another standout player, contributing a goal for Colorado in a tightly contested match.
Seattle’s coach, Brian Schmetzer, set up his team in a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Andrew Thomas in goal; a defensive line of Alexander Roldan, Yeimar Gómez, Jackson Ragen, and Jonathan Bell; a midfield comprising Obed Vargas, Cristian Roldan, Jesús Ferreira, Albert Rusnák, and Paul Rothrock; and Danny Musovski spearheading the attack.
On the other side, Colorado Rapids, managed by Chris Armas, adopted a similar 4-5-1 setup with Zack Steffen in goal; Reggie Cannon, Chidozie Awaziem, Andreas Maxso, and Sam Vines in defense; and a midfield trio of Cole Bassett, Connor Ronan, and Calvin Harris alongside Djordje Mihailovic and Theodore Ku-Dipietro, while Rafael Navarro led the attack.
The officiating for this thrilling match was overseen by referee Lorenzo Hernandez.
Looking ahead, Seattle Sounders will host San José Earthquakes in their next clash, while Colorado Rapids will travel to face Philadelphia Union.
Substitutions for Seattle Sounders
45’ 2T – Yeimar Gómez out for Kim Keehee
64’ 2T – Danny Musovski out for Jordan Morris
77’ 2T – Paul Rothrock out for Ryan Kent and Jonathan Bell out for Reed Baker-Whiting
78’ 2T – Jesús Ferreira out for Pedro De La Vega
Yellow Cards for Seattle Sounders:
26’ 2T – Cristian Roldan (Unsporting Behavior), 26’ 2T – Jesús Ferreira (Dissent), 37’ 2T – Kim Keehee (Unsporting Behavior), and 37’ 2T – Jackson Ragen (Dissent).
Substitutions for Colorado Rapids
62’ 2T – Connor Ronan out for Joshua Atencio
69’ 2T – Calvin Harris out for Darren Yapi
80’ 2T – Theodore Ku-Dipietro out for Oliver Larraz
Yellow Cards for Colorado Rapids:
30’ 1T – Connor Ronan (Unsporting Behavior), 30’ 2T – Andreas Maxso (Unsporting Behavior), 34’ 2T – Darren Yapi (Unsporting Behavior), 46’ 2T – Chidozie Awaziem (Unsporting Behavior), and 50’ 2T – Oliver Larraz (Unsporting Behavior).