Eight minutes in. Or less.
Eight minutes in Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park, the Seattle Sounders went route one to lone striker Jordan Morris. If it wasn’t before then, Seattle’s plan to defeat hosts Sporting Kansas City became crystal clear in that moment. Morris’ speed and guile were a mismatch in favor of the Sounders. Moments after, Seattle left winger Leo Chu beat Sporting right back Graham Zusi down Sporting’s flank, inspiring more recognition, more head nodding. The despairing kind.
Also easily identifiable was Seattle’s shape.
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The placing of two Sounders between the pressuring Agada and Sporting’s midfield block of five made it more possible for Seattle to find outlet passes to those two, and, when either of those received in-between the lines, for them to attract defensive pressure and pull Sporting out of their defensive midfield shape.