Sounders hope to continue turnaround; NYCFC seeks fifth straight win (Jul 28, 2018)
Raul Ruidiaz could not have asked for a better start.
The Peruvian international celebrated his 28th birthday and his first MLS start for the Seattle Sounders with a goal Wednesday at San Jose in a 1-0 victory.
"(I feel) an incredible happiness," Ruidíaz said. "The most important thing is the team got three points."
The two-time defending Western Conference champion Sounders (6-9-5, 23 points) remained unbeaten in five matches this month (3-0-2) as they attempt to rally for a playoff berth in the second half of the MLS season. They will play host to New York City FC on Sunday.
"We have certainly talked about momentum, but it's all about collecting points," said Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer, whose team enters the weekend seven points out of the West's sixth and final playoff berth.
NYCFC (13-4-4, 43 points) is coming off a 2-0 victory Thursday night in Orlando, its first road win since March 31. Maxi Moralez and Anton Tinnerholm scored late in the first half for New York. It was Moralez's eighth goal of the season, tying Ismael Tajouri-Shradi and David Villa for the team lead.
NYCFC has won four straight matches -- all by shutouts. It hasn't allowed a goal in a club-record 398 consecutive minutes.
Still, coach Domenec Torrent, who was hired after Patrick Vieira left for French Ligue 1 side Nice last month, wasn't pleased with Thursday's showing.
"We were able to win, but I'm not happy with our performance because I can't play that way," Torrent said. "If you want to win MLS, even when (Orlando) play with 10 players, we play bad, really bad. ... I don't know, but we have to improve, improve a lot. Believe me."
And with a cross-country trip and only two off days before Sunday's game, Torrent admitted any changes might have to wait until next week.
"We have no time for the next game," Torrent said.
Villa wasn't on the 18-man roster for Thursday's game because of a knee injury and remains questionable for Sunday. Tajour-Shradi (hamstring) and Jo Inge Berget (quadriceps) both came on as reserves in Orlando.
The Sounders not only got a boost from Ruidiaz in their last match but also the return of central defender Roman Torres, who made his first start since April 22 because of injury and a trip to the World Cup with Panama.
NYCFC holds a 2-1-0 edge in the all-time series, including winning the only previous meeting in Seattle.
