Six weeks ago, the Sounders were focused on winning enough games just to climb their way back into the playoff hunt.
Today, five consecutive victories and eight matches without a defeat later, they have a shot at a first-round playoff bye. Winning the Western Conference outright might be asking a tad much, but there’s no question the team is positioned to leapfrog several potential playoff opponents in the standings in coming weeks.
“We have a big chance now,’’ said Sounders midfielder Victor Rodriguez, finally healthy again and ready to contribute down the stretch. “We’ve put in a lot of work to be in this position to be in the playoffs now.