With their first trophy of the year the Sounders put themselves in a position not just to control the red line, but also to capture first in the Western Conference. It will take more than a week to get first, but second could be theirs as soon as Sunday. They could also be as high as third on the Supporters’ Shield table. The Cascadia Cup isn’t just a trophy they captured, it is the reminder that more is available in 2018.
Nine straight wins and a run of 12 without a loss. Summer is for Sounders, so is autumn.