It’s official: with the 4-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps at Lumen Field on Saturday night, the Seattle Sounders have clinched a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the 13th consecutive season.
“I think that’s an awesome accomplishment," forward Will Bruin said after the match. "That just shows you the standard this club holds itself to because there’s been many players that have come through in those 13 years and the standard of the club has never faltered. So, I think it’s a great testament within itself. There’s still work to be done because we want to have home field advantage through the playoffs and win first in the West.”
Since entering the league in 2009, the Rave Green have secured passage to the postseason in every year of their MLS existence. The 13-year streak extends Seattle’s MLS record for most consecutive berths in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
“The consistency of our franchise has been that we take pride in what we do," added Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. "We take pride in the job that we’re asked to do… The fans that have stuck with us through all of these years are the real winners. The people tonight were great.”
The win over the Whitecaps also saw the Sounders pull level with the Portland Timbers atop the 2021 Cascadia Cup standings. Both Seattle and Portland have one game remaining against the Whitecaps to decide the regional trophy.
The Sounders return to action next Saturday as they visit the Houston Dynamo (5:30 p.m. PT; FOX 13+, Prime Video, 1090 KJR AM, El Rey 1360AM) at BBVA Stadium in the second and final meeting between the two sides of the 2021 MLS campaign.