Seattle Sounders Can Smell the Playoffs Coming

The Seattle Sounders just took a huge step toward the MLS playoffs with a 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City. But the big question is: are they really ready to face the beasts in the knockout rounds? Well, if we go off this last match, I'd say they look pretty solid—but there’s a catch. The team showed its strength, but we can't ignore the cracks that showed on the field.

With the regular season winding down, every single point is like gold, and head coach Brian Schmetzer knows it. Grabbing three points against a weakened Sporting Kansas City squad has only solidified Seattle’s place in the fight for top spots in the Western Conference. Despite controlling most of the match, Seattle could've done more. And Schmetzer was the first to admit that they missed a chance to make this victory even more convincing.

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You can’t deny the Seattle Sounders had their moments of brilliance. Cristian Roldan’s goal-line block was, for many, the game-changer. A save like that not only stops a goal but gives the team that emotional jolt to keep pushing forward. After that moment, Sporting Kansas City seemed lost, and the Sounders took over.

Now, to be fair, Peter Vermes’ team wasn’t exactly the toughest challenge Seattle could’ve faced. Sure, they started strong, putting on pressure in the first few minutes, but after Ragen's goal hit the back of the net, it all started unraveling for them. Melia tried to keep Kansas City alive with some key saves, but once the ship started sinking, there was nothing he could do.

The truth is, Sporting Kansas City just didn’t play with the confidence needed to take down a team like the Sounders. Vermes admitted in his post-game presser that his squad had some chances but couldn’t land the knockout blow. Their attack lacked sharpness, and after that first goal, it was like they forgot how to play with the ball at their feet.

So, what do the Seattle Sounders need to do moving forward? They’ve got just five games left in the regular season, with the next two at home being absolutely crucial. If they can keep their focus and energy high—especially in the attack—they’ve got a solid shot at heading into the playoffs riding a wave of momentum. But if their performance against Kansas City becomes their standard, they might run into problems when facing stronger teams.

Schmetzer isn’t naive. He knows MLS is unforgiving, and what separates the elite from the average teams is their ability to close out games when the opportunity comes. Against a fragile team like Kansas City, they got the job done, but just doing the basics isn’t gonna cut it come playoff time. Even the players recognized this, with Rothrock saying the squad needs to demand more from themselves.

In the playoffs, there’s zero room for sloppy mistakes. The defense did well—props to Roldan for his standout performance—but the attack needs to be more ruthless. Creating chances is great, but turning those chances into goals is what really counts.

This win over Sporting Kansas City has put the Sounders in a good spot for the playoffs, but there’s still a lot of soccer to be played. With more games on the horizon, this team needs to fine-tune their game. As Ragen said, the key is to keep playing “one game at a time” and not let the hype go to their heads.