Seattle Sounders: 5 questions for the 2020 season
By Paul Taylor
2. Continuing the playoff streak?
When the Seattle Sounders first entered MLS in 2009, no one knew quite what to expect. They showed they belonged right away, however, as they finished just one point out of first place in the Western Conference and only two points off the best overall record in MLS.
This resulted in qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card, where they were unlucky to lose by just a solitary goal to the Houston Dynamo in the opening round. More importantly, though, this started a streak of qualifying for the playoffs every year since joining MLS. As of today, that streak stands at 11 consecutive seasons. This also doubles as the longest streak in MLS history.
You have to fancy Seattle’s chances of making it 12 straight playoff qualifications in 2020. No one will take this for granted though, especially as Euro 2020 and Copa America will mean losing key players such as Nicolas Lodeiro, Gustav Svensson and Xavier Arreaga during June and July.
One last aspect to consider which should provide some motivation, are the New York Red Bulls, who have the second-longest playoff streak in MLS history with 10 years. It is also an active streak, having qualified for the playoffs every year since 2010. Seattle, then, cannot afford to slip up.