Despite conceding a stoppage-time equalizer at home in a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas on Wednesday night, there was a positive moment in the 87th minute that will have far greater repercussions for the Seattle Sounders moving forward than that individual result.
Nicolás Lodeiro, who had played just 24 minutes in one appearance all season while battling a quad injury and then knee surgery, made his long-awaited return. In doing so, he also received the captain’s armband from Cristian Roldan, who wore it to begin the game and was making his first start in six matches as well after returning from United States national team duty.
“He brings leadership to the locker room and quality on the field,” Roldan said of Lodeiro. “Something that we’ve been lacking is that final pass, that final shot. Hopefully Nico can bring that for us. It’s been a long time for Nico to be away. He’s normally on the field, probably one of the most sustainable players that we see. It’s great to see him back on the field, we’re happy for him because I know he misses it so much.”
Lodeiro at his best is a top five player in Major League Soccer. The Uruguayan playmaker is coming off an MLS Best XI season last year in which he recorded seven goals and 10 assists in just 20 matches and led Seattle to an appearance in MLS Cup for the fourth time in five seasons.
“I’m very happy for Nico,” said forward Fredy Montero, who scored his fourth goal of the campaign on Wednesday. “It’s always good to have that addition when other teams are looking to the [transfer] market. We are happy to have Nico back. He’s an amazing player, and it’s going to give us another plus that we are needing.”
While Lodeiro works his way back to full fitness, the Sounders saw an immediate boost from Roldan in midfield. Seattle started the season 7-0-5 with him in the lineup and went just 2-3-0 while he was at the Concacaf Gold Cup. On Wednesday, he had a match-high four key passes, six defensive recoveries and countless off-the-ball runs to open space in the attacking third.
“Games are hard when you’re missing a lot of guys, so what I saw tonight was Cristian playing where I like him to play, and he was effective,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer.
After needing several Extreme Hardship signings in the past few matches, it’s a positive sign for Seattle to see some of its key pieces return. The Sounders have also been buoyed recently by the returns of Will Bruin, Alex Roldan and Shane O’Neill, all of whom have missed time.
The Sounders will need that depth in the coming weeks, especially as they begin a three-match road week starting with a rivalry clash at the Portland Timbers on Aug. 15 (5:30 p.m. PT; FS1, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM). And even though Lodeiro had a short spell in his first game back, just his presence alone should raise the level of the entire squad.
“It was a pretty short cameo,” Schmetzer said of Lodeiro’s return. “It might be premature to judge Nico on [six] minutes of play, but it certainly was a boost mentally for the team to have him back on the field.”
