New stars step up as Seattle Sounders continue resurgence | OneFootball

By Ben Wright

"That was a pretty entertaining match... I actually really enjoyed watching that game!"

Brian Schmetzer was jovial after his Seattle Sounders cruised past St. Louis CITY SC, 4-1, at Lumen Field.

The win, Schmetzer's 130th regular-season victory, ties him with Frank Yallop for 10th all-time among MLS head coaches. Unsurprisingly, though, he was quick to credit the collective for tonight's triumph and the Sounders' success this season.

"In the locker room I credited the entire Sounders organization," he said. "It's not just the players that started, the players that came on. It's the support staff. It's the injured guys that were there supporting their teammates. It's everyone involved. This was a good night to be a Seattle Sounder."

Key performances across the pitch

After a slow start to the year, the Sounders have found a rich vein of form. In their last four matches, they've won three and drawn one.

Scoring four goals at home was arguably their most complete performance of the year, moving them above the playoff line in the Western Conference. With Jordan Morris out for up to six weeks, Danny Musovski continued his scoring streak, a run that has him in exceptional company from Seattle's past.

"Musovski just played himself into pretty refined air," smiled Schmetzer. "The only guys that have scored four goals in four consecutive games were Jordan Morris, Obafemi Martins, and Fredy Montero. Lo siento, Fredy, if you're watching.

"He's played himself into some pretty rarefied air, because those are three really darn good forwards."

A more surprising contributor? Nouhou. The cult-hero defender scored just his second-ever MLS goal, bringing a huge smile to Schmetzer's face.

"Oh, Nouhou. The guy that broke the Internet," he grinned. "Nouhou, you know, has had a really good career for the Seattle Sounders. He's a Cameroonian national team player. I get all of that. He entertains the fans. I get all of that. But as he progresses into the prime of his career, these are the kind of performances that he needs to have every week...

"I was very proud of him to understand that tactical nuance that we were good here and he could provide a little bit more juice up here in this part of the field."

Ryan Kent has arrived

New signing Ryan Kent also announced himself to the Rave Green faithful with a pair of assists in his third appearance. The former Liverpool and Rangers winger was a late addition to the roster, but showed how important he'll be to their success this season, setting up Obed Vargas for the match winner and capping the night off with the assist for the fourth.

"The two assists certainly are the statistics," said Schmetzer. "... He understands the rhythm of the game. You've got a guy that's played at a high level and he's got quality.

"Credit to him for being patient. He showed us what he can do and that is going to make my job intensely challenging, because he's deserved more minutes. So that'll be the trick."

WATCH: Shorthanded? Sounders climb up table after emphatic win over St. Louis