If there is a match that was a microcosm for the Seattle Sounders’ 2021, it might have been their regular-season finale against the Vancouver Whitecaps. With a chance to finish at the top of the Western Conference, a supremely shorthanded Sounders side fought valiantly on the road, managed a goal on a penalty, but couldn’t hold the lead due to a lapse in concentration.
While they created some additional chances throughout the match, they lacked that clinical sharpness in front of goal, and the adjustments weren’t quite enough to secure the full points. As a consequence, they surrendered their hold atop the Western Conference.