After spending much of his time in a double-pivot since joining the Seattle Sounders ahead of the 2022 season, Albert Rusnák has operated in his more natural attacking midfield position lately. The Sounders and Rusnák reaped the benefit on Saturday night as the Slovakian international’s second goal of the campaign sealed a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo at Lumen Field.
With captain Nicolás Lodeiro typically deployed as the No. 10, Head Coach Brian Schmetzer started Rusnák there against the Dynamo and utilized Lodeiro as a wide playmaker on the right. Both veterans are savvy enough to play multiple positions across lines, and a tactical switch by Schmetzer in the second half led to the match-winner.
With about 30 minutes left and the Sounders having just gone up a man after Micael was sent off, Schmetzer switched Rusnák and Lodeiro, with the Uruguayan patrolling the center and Rusnák roaming as an inverted winger. The result was a trailing run in the box by Rusnák in the 67th to one-time home a pass from Léo Chú from six yards out.
“It was a really good goal, a well-taken goal,” said Schmetzer. “Well done by Chú and good timing and good movement in the box by Albert.”
Seattle’s relief was palpable when the ball finally hit the back of the net. The Sounders had been shut out at home in their last three matches and hadn’t won since a 1-0 result against the New York Red Bulls on May 27.
“It was weighing on the whole team,” said Rusnák. “You could see it by the celebration of the goal. Big relief for the whole team to score, and to score so close to the end with a man up. We felt like this could be the three points that were much needed because we’re aware of the results that are happening around us and teams are catching up. It was important to win.”
The Sounders will look to make it two wins on the trot when they head to BC Place to take on Cascadia rival the Vancouver Whitecaps next Saturday (7:30 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). With Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris away with the United States national team for the Concacaf Gold Cup, there’s room in the attacking band of three behind Raúl Ruidíaz for both Rusnák and Lodeiro in the short term. Schmetzer noted that tinkering with how he lines up the latter duo is something he hopes to finetune moving forward.
For now, the Sounders will be happy to take the victory any way they can get it. They end the weekend in third in the Western Conference with 32 points from 21 matches, just three points behind St. Louis CITY SC in first.
“It was all about three points today,” said Rusnák. “How it went in or who scored, I don’t think that really matters.”
