TUCSON, Ariz. — The Seattle Sounders fell 2-1 to Columbus Crew SC on Sunday in the second of their MLS preseason friendlies. Academy player Colin Biros gave Columbus the lead on five minutes when he one-timed a shot from 12 yards out that beat goalkeeper Bryan Meredith. Víctor Rodríguez would level the match in the 28th minute when he took a through ball from Alex Roldan 50 yards down the left side, cut through two defenders in the box before slotting home at the far post. Crew SC found the game-winner in the 78th minute when Pedro Santos found Adam Jahn, who finished past goalkeeper Calle Brown.
Key Takeaways
Rodríguez shines in return
Rodríguez was active for the 45 minutes he played, creating chances aplenty and keeping the Crew defense on its toes. He wasn’t feeling well last week, and is still recovering, which makes his first-half performance all the more impressive, especially his half-field run for his equalizer.
Wolff Eikrem fits right in
In Magnus Wolff Eikrem’s first appearance with the Sounders, he fared exceptionally well as the attacking mid in a 4-2-3-1 formation. His touch and vision were superb, and he was threatening every time he received the ball. Expect big things from him this season.
Draftees hold their own
Alex Roldan and Markus Fjørtoft, the Sounders’ first two 2018 MLS SuperDraft selections, each made their MLS friendly debuts and impressed in their 63 minutes before a wholesale line change. They both fared favorably, which should bode well moving forward.