Seattle Sounders built a 3-0 home advantage and in some manner managed to allow all of it to slip away. Colorado Rapids came back with a stunning second half and left Lumen Field with a 3-3 draw in one of the biggest upsets of the year.
With the loss, Seattle remains fifth in the Western Conference with 34 points. Colorado is seventh at 30. It was the first time in MLS history that the Sounders had a three-goal lead at home and lost.
Seattle was in control but could not maintain it
The Sounders came out strong, set the tone early, and pushed the Rapids back. It did not take long to pay off. Obed Vargas put the visitors ahead in the 16th minute with a shot that was deflected by Maxsø before finding its way into the net. The pressure just kept mounting. Ferreira and Musovski had decent chances, but Rusnák was the one to take advantage of it. After an out-of-position error by Steffen, Rusnák completed with a shot from distance that doubled the lead.
Seattle carried that pace into the halftime break and didn't waste any time picking up where it left off. Just a few minutes into the second half, Musovski found Rusnák alone at the corner of the box, and he curled low to the corner. Up 3–0, at home, with the wind at their backs, it appeared as though the game was done. It wasn't.
Colorado takes the opportunity and brings the game alive
The Rapids didn't waste any time. When Seattle's third, Navarro was brought down in the box and Mihailovic buried the penalty with simplicity. The next minute, Thomas clipped Navarro again. Bassett responded this time and kicked the second penalty into the top of the net. What had seemed like a blowout turned quickly into a one-goal game.
Seattle ran out of steam. Colorado caught wind of this and went at the equalizer. In the 75th, Yapi received a ball from Mihailovic, took a quick touch on himself, and slid it to the far post. 3–3. That was it.
They didn’t complete the full turnaround on the scoreboard, but they didn’t need to. The game had flipped. Yapi’s presence changed the pace. Mihailovic, Navarro, and Bassett had a hand in every goal and kept the Rapids in it when most teams would’ve folded. Head coach Chris Armas made the right subs and kept his players calm even as the game got away from Seattle.