Ragen, Rothrock each score a goal as Seattle Sounders beat Sporting KC 2-0
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 15: Seattle Sounders midfielder Paul Rothrock (14) pushes the ball up field during an MLS matchup between the Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City on September 15, 2024 at Lumen Field in Seattle, WA. (Jeff Halstead / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
SEATTLE - Jackson Ragen and Paul Rothrock each scored a goal Sunday to help the Seattle Sounders beat Sporting Kansas City 2-0.
The Sounders have won back-to-back games and three of four since returning from the Leagues Cup break. Seattle, which is 9-1-2 in its last 12 games, moved past the Houston Dynamo and Vancouver into fifth in the Western Conference standings and is just two points behind second-place Los Angeles FC.
Ragen opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a rising one-touch shot from point-blank range. Jordan Morris, near the penalty spot, played a header off a corner kick by Albert Rusnák that was parried by goalkeeper Tim Melia but Ragen was there for the putback to give Seattle (13-9-7) a 1-0 lead.
Rothrock made it 2-0 when he capped a series of passes with a sliding first-touch goal from 6-yards out. Rusnák, at the edge of the area, tapped a pass backward to Cristian Roldan, who played an arcing ball back to Rusnák for a centering header to Jordan Morris for a one-touch pass to Rothrock for the finish.
Kansas City (7-15-7) had its three-game unbeaten streak snapped.