The Sounders broke their three-match MLS losing streak in large part thanks to the solid play of a 16-year-old homegrown holding midfielder making his first MLS start. That’s significant for a lot of reasons — most of which are more important in the long term (i.e. future success with the Sounders, future sell-on value, benchmark for both Seattle and U.S. youth development) than in the short term (i.e. helping the Sounders win a championship this year).
But, as the standings will show after the Sounders’ win helped them gain ground in the West, Danny Leyva may be significant to that short-term goal as well.