Seattle leaves no doubt in Orlando; earning a playoff spot for the 10th straight season
The Seattle Sounders needed a win or a tie to clinch a spot in the 2018 MLS Playoffs at Orlando on Wednesday night.
They didn’t waste any time in punching their ticket.
Two goals in the first 15 minutes set the tone in what was a playoff spot-clinching 2-1 victory over Orlando. The first goal was off a tremendous touch pass to Victor Rodriguez, who volleyed a shot out of reach from the goalkeeper and into the net for the 1-0 lead.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">What a DREAM start in Orlando!<br><br>Víctor Rodríguez scores for the third consecutive match!<br><br>SEA 1 | ORL 0<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ORLvSEA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ORLvSEA</a> <a href="https://t.co/E8Vooqm13l">pic.twitter.com/E8Vooqm13l</a></p>— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoundersFC/status/1052706889866260480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Sounders were not done. Handwalla Bwana scored his second goal of the season in the 13th minute giving the Sounders a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
After a Dom Dwyer goal got Orlando within one in the 57th minute, the Sounders denied numerous Orlando scoring chances. After six minutes of stoppage time, the referee blew his whistle and Sounders were playoff bound.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FT - 3️huge road points and our postseason ticket is punched!!!!<br><br>SEA - Rodríguez 3'<br>SEA - Bwana 13'<br> ORL - Dwyer 57’<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ORLvSEA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ORLvSEA</a> <a href="https://t.co/oDneDh5RDq">pic.twitter.com/oDneDh5RDq</a></p>— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoundersFC/status/1052734465888333825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Sounders sit in third place in the Western Conference standings. If the season ended today, the Sounders would be hosting Real Salt Lake in the first round knockout stage. The Sounders have two games left: Sunday at Houston now and then Oct. 28 vs. the San Jose Earthquakes at CenturyLink Field.
One for Mr. A llen
The Sounders players wore black armbands in tribute to Paul Allen, who passed away on Monday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are wearing black armbands tonight in honor of Sounders FC Owner <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulGAllen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PaulGAllen</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoundersMatchday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SoundersMatchday</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ORLvSEA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ORLvSEA</a> <a href="https://t.co/aCR2SKnY15">pic.twitter.com/aCR2SKnY15</a></p>— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoundersFC/status/1052713505823055872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This story was originally published October 17, 2018 at 7:36 PM with the headline "Seattle leaves no doubt in Orlando; earning a playoff spot for the 10th straight season."