TUKWILA — The closest thing to a literal must-win game the Seattle Sounders have ever played during the regular-season takes place on Tuesday. While a loss wouldn’t literally eliminate them, the scenarios that would still allow them to qualify for a 14th consecutive postseason would become almost laughably far-fetched.
Given the stakes of the match, Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer would surely hope to have something closer to a full-strength lineup. But despite a fair amount of behind-the-scenes work, it does not look like any of the players called into international duty will be available. None of Xavier Arreaga (Ecuador), Jordan Morris (United States), Nouhou (Cameroon), Alex Roldán (El Salvador) and Raúl Ruidíaz (Perú) were training with the Sounders on Monday nor are they expected to suddenly show up for Tuesday’s match.