Rothrock Steps Up as Sounders Open Season With 2-0 Win Over a Colorado Side Still Finding Its Feet
Photos: Ruben Becerril Geiger
Paul Rothrock delivered a goal and an assist off the bench on a rainy Sunday night at Lumen Field, helping Seattle pick up three opening-day points despite early injury concerns and a chaotic first half that stretched to over an hour.
SEATTLE — The 2026 MLS season began on a wet Sunday night at Lumen Field, and Seattle Sounders came through it with all three points, defeating a Colorado Rapids side still in the early stages of life under a new head coach. Paul Rothrock, called into action earlier than anyone planned after Jordan Morris left the game in the eighth minute, finished with a goal and an assist to help the Sounders win 2-0.
It was a useful opening win for Seattle, though the result tells only part of the story. A first half that ran over 61 minutes was filled with VAR reviews, injuries, and a card that was upgraded and then downgraded again. In that chaos, the Sounders held firm and scored in both halves. For Colorado, there were moments of promise, but Matt Wells' first game in charge of the Rapids was always going to be a learning exercise. Coming to Lumen Field on opening day, against a team of Seattle's experience, was about as steep a debut as a new manager could ask for.
FIRST HALF
Before the match had even found its rhythm, Seattle lost one of their key players. Jordan Morris, less than ten minutes into his 2026 season, pulled up on the left wing and was helped off the field with what appeared to be a thigh problem. It was a gut punch of a moment, particularly for a player who spent much of 2025 battling injury. Rothrock came on to replace him, and within minutes, the atmosphere shifted.
In the 15th minute, Rothrock chased down a Ferreira pass that looked to be drifting out of play on the left flank. He kept the ball in play before whipping a cross into the six-yard area. Albert Rusnak timed his run well and glanced a header beyond Zack Steffen, who had no chance.
Seattle thought they had doubled their lead just minutes later. Hassani Dotson put away a rebound from an Alex Roldan shot, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review found a foul by Ferreira during the build-up. Then, in the 26th minute, Colorado's Noah Cobb was shown a straight red card for what looked like an elbow on Rothrock. That decision was also reviewed and walked back to a yellow, much to the frustration of the home fans.
Colorado, to their credit, did not fall apart. A young and relatively new group under manager Wells kept things reasonably tight at the back after going a goal down. They defended with shape and did not give Seattle the kind of gaps that would have led to a more lopsided scoreline before the break.
The stoppages continued to pile up. Dotson was forced off in the 14th minute of added time after a collision with Paxten Aaronson left him with a head injury. Teenager Snyder Brunell came in his place.
SECOND HALF
Seattle came out of the break with similar intent. Rothrock tested Steffen with an early cross, and Ferreira had a header tipped away as the Sounders pressed for a second goal. Colorado made a halftime change of their own, bringing on Keagan Rosenberry for Reggie Cannon, a tactical shift that suggested Wells was already looking to adjust on the fly.
The second goal did come, and it was well constructed. In the 62nd minute, De Rosario played a well-timed through ball that released Ferreira into space down the right. Ferreira drove forward and played a low pass across to Rothrock, arriving at the back post. His attempt was deflected but still dropped perfectly for him, and Rothrock did what he does: he drove a left-footed strike up and over Steffen and into the top of the net.
Colorado made further changes as the game wore on, bringing on Alex Harris and Alexis Montoya and later Theodore Ku-DiPietro. There were glimpses from the visitors in the final stages, and goalkeeper Andrew Thomas was tested in the second minute of added time, making a sharp near-post stop from Harris before gathering the rebound.
Paul Arriola jogged on for a brief cameo. It was his first appearance since tearing his ACL in a Concacaf Champions Cup game in March 2025. A small thing in the grand scheme of the result, but for a club that has seen several key players work their way back from serious injuries, it meant something.
TACTICAL BREAKDOWN
Seattle lined up in their familiar 4-3-3 shape, with Cristian Roldan and Hassani Dotson providing the engine room in central midfield alongside Rusnak, who operated in a more advanced role between the lines. The Sounders were looking to invite Colorado into areas where they could then win the ball back. Colorado came in with a 4-2-3-1 setup under Wells, who has spoken publicly about wanting his team to press high and dominate with intensity. In their first competitive match together, those ideas were still very much being worked out. The Rapids had some decent spells, particularly in the later stages of both halves when Seattle sat a little deeper, but they struggled to consistently connect their midfield to their attack. Three points from three on opening day is the outcome Seattle wanted, and they got it. Losing Morris before the match had barely started is a worry that will linger well beyond this result. If his injury is anything like what his reaction suggested, the Sounders could find themselves without him for some time.
For Colorado, this was game one of what will likely be a bumpy adjustment period. Matt Wells has brought real ambition and a demanding style to Colorado; his players reportedly described the preseason as the hardest of their careers. That kind of commitment takes time to show up in results. On the evidence of this game, the Rapids' organisation and shape held up better than the scoreline suggests, and their home opener against Portland will tell us more about what Wells is actually building.
Key Notes
Player of the Match: Paul Rothrock — 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 chances created after coming off the bench in the 8th minute.
Goal Scorers: Albert Rusnak (15'), Paul Rothrock (62') | Colorado: None.
Jordan Morris (thigh, 8') and Hassani Dotson (head, 45+13')
Noah Cobb (Colorado) received a yellow card after a VAR review downgraded what was initially a straight red.
At 61 minutes, the opening period is believed to be among the longest first halves ever played in MLS.
Paul Arriola returned from an ACL injury suffered in March 2025, making a brief cameo appearance in the 88th minute.
Andrew Thomas claimed the starting goalkeeper spot over club legend Stefan Frei, who Schmetzer indicated will feature in cup competitions.
Seattle is now unbeaten in nine home matches against the Rapids (W8 D1)
New head coach Matt Wells, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur's coaching staff, made his competitive debut in charge of the Rapids.
