Osvaldo Alonso returning from injury to a starting role on Sunday should do more than help the winless team out defensively.
Alonso’s first start of the season, paired with Gustav Svensson in the defensive midfield, will allow Cristian Roldan to bump a spot higher up into the attacking third. He’ll be in the middle paired there alongside his younger brother, Alex, on the left wing and Nicolas Lodeiro on the right. The Roldans last weekend combined on a late goal — one of only two scored all season by the Sounders — and the hope is, they’ll help the team find the back of the net for the first time at home in MLS play this year.