Seattle Sounders Once Again Show Mental Fortitude in Stunning Comeback

Seattle Sounders snatch a point from the jaws of defeat, with three goals in the final 15 minutes to stun the New England Revolution.

Everywhere you looked on the stat sheet Saturday night, the Seattle Sounders were dominating the New England Revolution. Possession, shots at goal, crosses and so on.

And yet, with just over 15 minutes remaining, the Sounders were staring at a demoralizing defeat. Down 3-0, the Revolution seemed out of sight.

However, if there’s one thing we learned from last season’s unlikely MLS Cup championship, it was the Sounders’ unsurpassed mental fortitude. Regardless of the circumstances, no matter how dire things looked, they always found a way to come back when it was needed most.

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As such, the Rave Green recovered in stunning fashion, to score three goals in the final 15 minutes and salvage an unlikely point. The comeback was completed in the 88th minute, courtesy of a diving header from Osvaldo Alonso.

This marked the first time since joining MLS, that the Sounders earned any points after trailing by three goals. In the process, they remained unbeaten at CenturyLink Field this season.

Despite the amazing recovery, the Sounders only had themselves to blame for being in a losing position in the first place. All three Revolution goals came as a result of defensive errors by the home side.

Sounders’ head coach Brian Schmetzer discussed his frustration after the game. Speaking to Andrew Harvey of Sportspress NW and other members of the media, he said:

"“I’m certainly disappointed that we took three at home. The effort they put into the game, they deserved to get three points, you would look at (the stats) and say, ‘Yes, that team deserved three points.’ We know that life isn’t always fair. That’s part of what makes our sport so great.”"

Schmetzer’s disappointment is entirely understandable. Regardless, there is something to be said for his team’s dramatic recovery, which came against all odds.

Of course, it’s now up to the Sounders to use this game as motivation moving forward. With the right approach, it could serve as the catalyst to galvanize their quest to repeat as MLS Cup champions.

As a further positive note, consider that the Sounders’ indifferent start to the campaign isn’t much different to the 2016 season. In fact, they are on the same number of points after eight games, as they were last year.

Of course, this doesn’t change the fact the Sounders need to start being more clinical in front of goal, with all the chances they are creating. This could prove crucial next weekend, when they welcome Toronto FC for a rematch of last season’s MLS Cup final.

Next: Sounders Stun LA Galaxy with 3 First-Half Goals

Now it’s your turn – what did you take away from Saturday night’s game? Are you looking at the positives, including the amount of possession and the comeback? Or are you focused on the negatives, such as the defensive blunders and failure of the Sounders to convert more of their chances? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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