The Seattle Sounders hosted Real Salt Lake at Lumen field looking to continue their hot start to the season and looking to avenge the team that knocked them out of the playoffs in 2021. Brian Schmetzer made no changes to the side that beat Colorado 4-0 in the season opening match.
Once again, Seattle looked to assert their dominance at home with a fast start, as Heber looked to finish off a deflected shot from Nico Lodeiro, but RSL goalkeeper MacMath made a good initial save and just got enough on the follow up to allow Justin Glad come make a goal line clearance to keep it 0-0 in the opening minutes.
As the game went on, Seattle would grow in confidence and start to find their rhythm in passing and cutting out chances. This would prove vital as a 20+ pass buildup led to a perfect Alex Roldan cross to Jordan Morris who headed it home for 1-0 in the 35th minute, just wonderful soccer from the hosts.
That would be the highlight of the first half as Seattle would be looking for more of the same in the back half of the game.
Coming out of halftime, the visitors would look to pile on the pressure to equalize and did find a few chances to test Stefan Frei in goal, but nothing the veteran goalkeeper couldn't handle.
After seeing off the pressure to start the half, Seattle would find the upper hand again with lots of combination play and possession in the RSL third of the field. Once again the danger would come from a cross from deep which found Alex Roldan at the back post, who fired in a ball across the 6 yard box to a waiting Heber who had the simplest of finishes to redirect from close range and make it 2-0 in the 58th minute.
This would effectively see off the game as Seattle would hold the majority of possession and had a few more chances to increase the lead but were much more concerned with finishing with another shutout to open the season 2-0 with two shutout victories at Lumen Field.
With last seasons MLS struggles, it surely would be a huge boost to know that Lumen Field is becoming a fortress again where the Sounders can take a lot of confidence going into home matches and look to maximize points as much as possible.
Be sure to check out the post match show as well as the highlights below.