Fewer than two minutes into the post-Clint Dempsey era, the Sounders had allowed a goal for the first time in weeks in a game they could not afford to lose.
Fortunately for them, a couple of summer transfer window imports who had gotten to see Dempsey mainly in practice alone would soon restore confidence in the team’s future direction. Raul Ruidiaz provided an easy, tying tap-in of a stellar Brad Smith cross in the 12th minute and the Sounders caught some second half breaks from there for a record-setting 3-1 win Saturday over Sporting Kansas City.