By Wednesday night’s match at D.C. United, the first three months of the MLS season had worn the Sounders down to the rails.
Clint Dempsey and Nelson Valdez were both at points distant for Copa America duty. Roman Torres still has not returned from his 2015 knee injury. Chad Marshall sat with a lingering injury. Zach Scott left the match in the 40th minute with an injury, giving way to a first-half bench stint from Tony Alfaro for the second consecutive match.
None of that mattered.