The Seattle Sounders are off to the best start to an MLS season in club history, taking 17 points from their opening seven matches and leading the Supportersâ Shield standings.
Seattle will feel hard done after its 1-1 home draw with Atlanta United on Sunday, in which it conceded an 86
th-minute penalty for the equalizer, but how itâs had its early success has been nothing short of incredible.
The Sounders have gotten just 24 minutes of game time from 2020 MLS Best XI selection Nicolás Lodeiro, who missed the early part of the season with a quad strain and has been recently shut down until mid-June while he recovers from knee inflammation. Theyâve also been without fellow 2020 MLS Best XI selection Jordan Morris, who was scheduled to still be on loan at Swansea City, but returned to Seattle with an ACL injury several months ago. Throw in the fact that starting goalkeeper Stefan Frei is out 4-6 weeks with a sprained knee, and this unbeaten start to 2021 becomes a