Raul Ruidiaz scores twice against Colorado to keep Seattle in playoff mix

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:28 am

Raul Ruidiaz scored twice and Nicolas Lodeiro had a goal and two assists as the Seattle Sounders defeated the visiting Colorado Rapids 4-0 Saturday afternoon.

Victor Rodriguez also scored and goalkeeper Stefan Frei was forced to make just one save for his seventh shutout of the season.

The Sounders (14-11-5, 47 points) snapped a two-game MLS losing streak as they attempt to hold on to one of the Western Conference's final playoff berths. The Rapids (6-18-6, 24 points) suffered their sixth consecutive defeat.

Ruidiaz opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, with Lodeiro and Cristian Roldan getting assists.

Lodeiro started the play about 30 yards from the goal, sending a pass to Rodriguez, who drove down the left side of the 18-yard box before sending a cross back to Lodeiro, whose 15-yard shot was deflected away by Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Roldan got to the ball before a Colorado defender and deflected it to Lodeiro, who had circled behind Roldan near the right touchline. Lodeiro's cross found Ruidiaz about 10 yards out, and he blasted a shot into the right side of the net, with Howard only able to get his fingertips on the ball.

Lodeiro scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season on a penalty kick in the 52nd minute. Howard was able to get a hand on Lodeiro's shot to the lower right corner but wasn't able to keep it out of the net. Colorado midfielder Kellyn Acosta committed the foul on Lodeiro that led to the kick.

Ruidiaz made it 3-0 in the 73rd minute off a Colorado turnover, with assists from Lodeiro and Rodriguez. Lodeiro took a pass from Rodriguez in the 18-yard box, spun past a defender and, while falling, tapped a pass to Ruidiaz at the top of the 6-yard box where the Peru international put his right-footed shot into an open net.

The goal was Ruidiaz's seventh in 12 games since signing with the Sounders during the international transfer window this summer.

Rodriguez put a right-footed shot into the upper left corner of the net from 15 yards in the 80th minute, from a pass from Kelvin Leerdam, to complete the rout.