Seattle's eight-game losing run 'super frustrating' for Schmetzer

Brian Schmetzer conceded he could not care less about the underlying statistics behind the Seattle Sounders' "super frustrating" losing stretch in the MLS. 

The Sounders have lost their last eight league games in a row, a run that began before the World Cup break, with their latest defeat coming at home in midweek. 

Seattle were beaten 2-1 by Austin FC, with Facundo Torres and Guilherme Biro's goals rendering Stuart Hawkins' 90th-minute strike a consolation at Lumen Field. 

But the Sounders had their chances. They finished with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.27 from their 19 shots to Austin's 1.18 from their 12 attempts. 

It's a stretch of results that have seen Seattle drop to 12th in the Western Conference, and Schmetzer expressed his concern about the downward spiral his team were in. 

"Nothing," Schmetzer said when asked what he could take away from Seattle's last match. "I mean, you're searching for a lot of positives, but the reality is that it's another loss.

"The reality is that it's eight losses in a row. Four at home. There are no positives here. You can say we had a higher expected goals than our opponent, more shots, possession.

"But right now, I could not care less. It's super, super frustrating that we couldn't score the first goal, because I think if we do the outcome of the game is completely different."

And things do not get any easier for Seattle, with FC Cincinnati, fresh from stealing a late victory against New York City FC in midweek, their next opponents at TQL Stadium. 

Luighi had cancelled out Kenji Mboma Dem's opener, but Cincinnati talisman Evander popped up with a 91st-minute winner to snatch a victory for Pat Noonan's side. 

It was a result that kept Cincinnati in touch with the top four in the Eastern Conference, with the Orange and Blue just three points behind the New England Revolution. 

"This is the first time before a game we've talked about where we were at," Noonan said. "There's still so much to play for, but they were a point behind us going into the game.

"I want to recognise the importance of getting three points at home. This was an important three points in this particular game, so that part, I think, was a huge win for us.

"Certainly, the result was good, especially at the end there. The difference between how you feel is a couple saves on one end and Evander being Evander on the other."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cincinnati – Evander

Evander scored a stoppage-time winner against NYCFC, his 14th match-winning goal in regular-season MLS play since his debut in 2023. 

That is tied with Inter Miami's Lionel Messi for second, behind only Denis Bouanga (23) of Los Angeles FC in that time.

Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak

Rusnak recorded his 150th career regular-season goal contribution (73 goals, 77 assists) on Wednesday, the 19th player to hit the milestone.

With 80 goal contributions for Real Salt Lake and 70 for Seattle, Rusnak is the second player in MLS history with 70 goal contributions for two clubs. 

MATCH PREDICTION: CINCINNATI WIN

This will be the fourth all-time meeting between Cincinnati and the Sounders and the first since March 2023. Each team has a home win over the other, including Cincinnati winning 1-0 at home in March 2023, while the sides also played a draw in Seattle.

And Cincinnati are certainly the team in form. They have won four straight regular-season home matches, which is their second-longest such winning streak after winning 10 in a row at home from February to June 2023.

Seattle, meanwhile, will want to put an end to their recent misery. The only team in the post-shootout era (since 2000) to reach the postseason despite losing eight or more games in a row that year was the New England Revolution in 2014, who reached the MLS Cup Final.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Cincinnati – 51.4%

Draw – 22.3%

Seattle Sounders – 26.3%