Sunday was a formality.
The Sounders season ended on the road last week when Sporting Kansas City defeated the club 1-0 to mathematically eliminate Seattle from the postseason. Co-captain Nico Lodeiro covered his head with a towel and mourned the end in the visitor’s locker room at Children’s Mercy Park.
MLS will open its playoffs next weekend without the Sounders, a first since 2009.
But one game remained for the Sounders. There were patches of empty seats in the lower-bowl of Lumen Field, signaling many didn’t care. Whether the finale against San Jose mattered to those gathered on a rare, warm October afternoon was evident early.
Especially Lodeiro.
The crowd’s signature “boom-boom clap” was thunderous like those when the 68,000-capacity stadium is full for championship games. And before the pregame pyrotechnic equipment could cool off, Lodeiro fired a shot into goal.
The midfielder had a brace in the eventual 2-2 draw.
Lodeiro’s unassisted opening score from center of the box was 23 seconds into the match — second fastest in team history. Sounders legend Clint Dempsey mashed a header into the net 18 seconds into a 2015 loss to the Quakes at Lumen for Seattle’s all-time fastest goal.
The Uruguayan’s second goal was even more stunning. He powered a volley into the back of the net in the 49th minute. Teammate Albert Rusnak initiated the play with his corner kick.
Yet, part of the reason why Sunday didn’t have any implications showed minutes later after both Lodeiro goals.
Seattle’s defensive line was chasing back to stop a San Jose attack in the first half. Sounders keeper Stefan Cleveland blocked the first attempt, but Quakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse was unmarked at the penalty kick spot to send the rebound past Cleveland in the 14th minute. It was Ebobisse’s 17th strike of the season.
In the 75th minute, San Jose forward Cade Cowell dribbled around Seattle’s defense for a right-footed shot outside the box. Miguel Trauco had the assist.
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer had a trifecta of thoughts when considering his starting lineup for the first insignificant match in franchise history. He slotted Cleveland in goal for Stefan Frei, giving the backup keeper his first start since July and seventh overall this season.
Fredy Montero, the club’s all-time leading scorer, started up top. First-choice striker Raul Ruidiaz missed his second consecutive match due to a sprained right ankle.
The addition of Montero moved teenage midfielder Danny Leyva to the bench and changed positions for Rusnak and Jordan Morris after last week’s road loss to Sporting Kansas City, which mathematically eliminated Seattle from the postseason.
Rusnak moved back to the central midfield alongside Josh Atencio and Morris returned to the left wing.
Although the Sounders aren’t in the playoffs, they will still have a few training sessions in the upcoming week. Internationals Morris (U.S.), Cristian Roldan (U.S.), Xavier Arreaga (Ecuador) and Nouhou (Cameroon) also need to remain fit as they vie for FIFA men’s World Cup roster spots.
Nations are required to declare their preliminary rosters by Oct. 21 and the final 26-player list headed to Qatar must be decided by Nov. 14 and will be announced Nov. 15 by FIFA.
Sunday’s final image was the players handing out white carnations and soccer balls to fans, a tradition started in the 1970s as a lower-division club. News that Cascadia rivals Portland and Vancouver, who entered the day playoff eligible, were eliminated was also an uplifting exit into the offseason.