MATCH RECAP: Morris Explodes for Four Goals in Seattle’s 4-1 Road Win at Sporting Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS — Jordan Morris set a franchise single-game record with four goals as Sounders FC (3-1-1, 10 points) defeated Sporting Kansas City (0-3-2, 2 points) Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park. Léo Chú also set a club record with four assists as the Rave Green claimed their first away win of 2023.
After Sporting Kansas City opened the scoring in the fifth minute courtesy of William Agada, Seattle equalized in the 23rd minuteapprox Minute with the first of Morris’ four goals. Chú sprinted the ball down the left flank and sent a low cross in for Morris, who converted a one-touch chance just in front of goal to level.
Morris scored his second in 54th Minute, thanks again to a Chú assist. After João Paulo found Chú with a pass into the box, the Brazilian threaded the ball past the defense to the feet of Morris, who landed between the goalkeeper’s legs and took the lead.
Morris found his hat trick in the 69th minuteth Minute after a template by Nico Lodeiro. After a pass from Chú that found Lodeiro in space on the left wing, Seattle’s captain played a loop that jabbed Morris home.
The Mercer Islander native scored his fourth club-record goal in the 77th gameth Minute on Chú’s club-record fourth assist of the game. Chú’s cross from the left caught Morris at the far post, who smashed his header past SKC goalkeeper John Pulskamp.
After today’s game, Sounders FC travels against the LA Galaxy on Saturday, April 1 at Dignity Health Sports Park (4:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FOX, iHeart Media, El Rey 1360 AM).
- Sounders FC is now second in the Western Conference with 10 points (3-1-1). St. Louis CITY SC leads the conference with 15 points (5-0-0).
- Seattle now sits 12-10-4 all-time against Sporting Kansas City in the regular season, including a 6-5-2 road record.
- Jordan Morris, back at the top for the first time since October 2, 2022 (also against Sporting Kansas City), set a club record with four goals and now leads the MLS with seven goals in 2023. It marks the 16thth mark in league history for a player to score four goals, with Clint Mathis holding the league record of five set in 2000.
- Morris’ seven career goals against Sporting Kansas City are the most of any Seattle player in club history.
- This was Morris’ seventh multiple-goal game of the MLS regular season. The homegrown player also scored a hat trick against FC Dallas in the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.
- In his first start in 2023, Léo Chú set a club record with four assists, his first of 2023, and finished first in MLS. Chú breaks previous franchise records of three and five times (Rosales, Evans, Lodeiro, Rowe, Morris).
- This was Seattle’s first away win since July 2, 2022 at Toronto FC.
- Sporting Kansas City played most of the last half hour of the game with 10 men after Ben Sweat received his second yellow card in the 63approx Minute.
- Today was the 100th Career appearance for Yeimar Gómez Andrade in all competitions for Sounders FC.
- With tonight’s start, Josh Atencio made his 50thth Career MLS regular-season appearance.
- Cristian Roldan made his fourth career start at right-back and his first since June 23, 2018 against Chicago.
- Albert Rusnák started on the right wing for the first time since 24 February 2022 against Motagua in the Concacaf Champions League (he also started on the left wing in four games in September and October last season).
- Kelyn Rowe started the season at left-back for the first time tonight.
- Homegrown player Sota Kitahara made his MLS debut when he came on as a late substitute for Rave Green.
Seattle Sounders FC 4 – Sporting Kansas City 1
Venue: Children’s Mercy Park
Assistants: Chris Wattam, Meghan Mullen
Fourth Official: Jon Freemon
Weather: 55 degrees and clear
SKC – William Agada 5′
SEA – Jordan Morris (Leo Chu) 23′
SEA – Jordan Morris (Leo Chu, Joao Paulo) 54′
SEA – Jordan Morris (Nico Lodeiro, Leo Chu) 69′
SEA – Jordan Morris (Leo Chu, Albert Rusnak) 77′
SKC – Ben Sweat (caution) 53′
SKC – Ben Sweat (Ejection) 63′
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Cristian Roldan (Stoa Kitahara 87′), Yeimar, Jackson Ragen, Kelyn Rowe (Ethan Dobbelaere 84′); João Paulo (Danny Leyva 84′), Josh Atencio, Albert Rusnák, Nico Lodeiro, Léo Chú (Fredy Montero 78′); Jordan Morris (Dylan Teves 84′)
Unused substitutes: Stefan Cleveland, Jacob Castro, Abdoulaye Cissoko
Sporting Kansas City-John Pulskamp; Ben Sweat, Andreu Fontas, Robert Voloder, Graham Zusi (Jake Davis 84′); Roger Espinoza (Felipe Hernández 46′), Erik Thommy (Cam Duke 70′), Remi Walter; Khiry Shelton (Johnny Russell 61′), Daniel Salloi, Willy Agada (Danny Flores 84′)
Unused substitutes: Tim Melia, Alan Pulido, Robert Castellanos, Chris Rindov