Fight for First: Sounders FC take the lead from St. Louis City SC

Seattle Sounders FC shut out St. Louis CITY SC after carefully studying how their last opponent had held the newcomers off.

It was like that scene in the 1996 film Independence Day. When the Morse Code message went around the world that the Americans knew how to bring down the attackers’ shields. But last time it was Minnesota United. Now it’s Seattle Sounders FC bringing down St. Louis CITY SC.

St. Louis surprised everyone by opening with a 5-3-2 against home team Seattle’s 4-2-3-1.

That held the home team off during the first half, but St. Louis only got as close as some off-target shots. Seattle got in two on-target.

Then the visitors came out of their locker room after halftime and changed to a matching formation. Just as in the first half, St. Louis kept the ball mainly on Seattle’s side of the pitch. The strategy worked only for the first 20 minutes of the second, as neither side could score a goal.

Then, just like in the 1996 movie, one side figured out something. In this real-life match, the St. Louis shield failed.

Midfielder Nicholas Lodeiro got a cross to fellow midfielder Joshua Atencio for his first career MLS goal in the 65th minute.

That was the Independence Day – broke through the shield – moment for Seattle Sounders FC.

After that event, momentum belonged to Seattle. The Sounders didn’t need any other goals to win as it ended. However, they got another goal in the 71st minute from striker Raul Ruidiaz. Then came a double-insurance score off an 88th-minute corner kick.

During what promised to become a goalmouth scramble, defender Jake Nerwinski attempted to snag the ball. It caromed off his left foot right into the net for an 89th-minute Own Goal.

It wasn’t just that Seattle, more than any other MLS team in this early season, was the only one to prepare for more than an expansion squad in St. Louis. In a 2017 interview with MLS Multiplex, keeper Stefan Frei hinted that the Sounders always expect some level of struggle from opponents.

After that interview, the team headed to Houston and shut the Dynamo out in a playoff match 2-0.

After this match, CITY head coach Bradley Carnell attributed much of the team’s failure to poor passing. He said they would initially concentrate on improving there. Also, he said the team would reinvestigate their early success this season by playing their own game style, rather than adapting to each opponent.

That’s the strategy as they get ready for Sporting Kansas City. Improved passing, resulting in several smart key passes, will start moving St. Louis City SC back toward first in the Western Conference.