With one point through their first two games of the MLS is Back Tournament, the Seattle Sounders find themselves in a perilous situation heading into their Group B finale against Cascadia rival Vancouver Sunday (10:30 pm ET | FS1, TUDN, TSN).
For Jordan Morris, the need in that last game is clear.
“To have any chance of going through we’ve got to win,” the forward said following the Sounders 2-1 loss to Chicago Fire FC Tuesday morning. “That’s our mentality for the next game is doing everything we can. We’ll have a little more rest, which will be good and Vancouver is a team that we’re familiar with so we’re going to have to come out and do everything we can to get a win because we know that’s our chance to move on in this tournament.”
Morris said the Sounders can’t dwell on his team’s first two games, which includes a 0-0 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes. Sure there are lessons to be learned, but ultimately it’s about three points against the Whitecaps. And to get the desired result, Morris said Seattle need improvements in chance creation and finishing in the attacking third.
“It’s frustrating when you can’t generate chances, but that’s always the hardest thing to get when you’re in preseason,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said.
Handwalla Bwana has the squad’s lone goal in the tournament, a 77th minute equalizer Tuesday that was canceled out when Mauricio Pineda struck for the Chicago winner seven minutes later.
“It’s a mentality. I think in both boxes it’s a mentality, you’ve got to be strong in both boxes,” Morris said. “Obviously we made a couple of mistakes for their two goals today. [Bwana] had a really good finish so that’s a positive thing. For us, it’s a mentality thing, I think, as well as its early on so you’ve got to get that sharpness back, but I think it’s a combination of both.”
The Sounders head into their group stage finale with clarity, both in terms of their opponent — a shorthanded Whitecaps squad — and what is needed to remain in the tournament.
“It’s not good,” Schmetzer said of his team’s current standing after two games. “We’ll have to make sure we get a result in the last game and see where we end up.”
