Bruin’s two goals keep Sounders unbeaten. Here’s 3 things we learned about the win over Toronto FC

This is how a team remains unbeaten in the MLS.

They shrug off an early goal and 1-0 deficit. They get contributions from key bench players. And they hold on against the top team in the Eastern Conference in an entertaining, back-and-forth match that felt more like a playoff game than an early April contest.

This is what the Seattle Sounders, now 5-0-1 on the season, did on Saturday at CenturyLink Field in defeating Toronto FC, 3-2.

After a week that featured a game cancellation and frustrating travel arrangements, the Seattle Sounders victory can be summed in one word by Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer.

“Exciting,” Schmetzer said. “The fans got their money’s worth today.”

The highlight for the Sounders was the two goals by backup forward Will Bruin, his first since October of last season, that erased a Toronto lead.

Bruin, starting his second-straight game made the most of his opportunity as he filled in for Raul Ruidiaz who is still out with a heel contusion. Even if coming off the bench isn’t what Bruin wants, he’s willing to do whatever is needed when called upon by Schmetzer.

“Those conversations are tough,” Bruin said. But we handle it like men. I always want to play whenever I can and he wants to put out the squad that he thinks will give us three points. I understand that. It’s a business, my job is to get opportunities to score and I’m glad to do that.

Jozy Altidore scored for Toronto (3-1-1) just 11 minutes in with a header that set the stage for Bruin. In the 24th minute, Bruin tied the game with his header after a nice pass from Brad Smith.

Midway through the second half, Bruin scored again off, this time set up by Gustav Svensson. Less than two minutes later, Seattle went ahead 3-1 on a goal by Cristian Roldan as it appeared Seattle would blow the game open.

Instead, that insurance goal was needed. And it would be anything but easy for Seattle.

In the 70th minute, Altidore scored again — his fifth goal in four games — to cut the deficit to one and set up a tense finish that also produced some concern after Bruin had to leave the game with a leg injury in the 79th minute.

Here’s three things we learned:

Seattle shines through adversity

Wednesday, the Sounders game at the Colorado Rapids was postponed due to inclement weather and because of flight cancellations, the full squad didn’t get back into town until Thursday. With just one day to prepare for a tough Toronto team, Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer had a message for his team while they were stuck in Denver.

“Adversity in many ways is what makes you better,” Schmetzer said. “So when we won (MLS Cup) in 2016 and then in ‘17 and ‘18 with the slow starts and at the end of the year we learned from moments of adversity that helped get us through it. So I reminded them that our start had been a good start had been maybe too easy. Maybe we needed a little adversity to prepare us for this match.”

Sounders on the mend

After Ruidiaz’s heel bruise kept him out of last week’s contest vs. Real Salt Lake, Brian Schmetzer said that Ruidiaz was very close to making the start vs. Toronto on Saturday.

“That was a game day decision when he walked in the locker room,” Schmetzer said. “We had been treating him for bruise on the bottom of his foot and he is very, very close. We had to make a tough decision today, we decided against it but he should be ready by the weekend.”

His replacement, Bruin, exited the game with an injury but Schmetzer said he will have a better indication of Bruin’s status on Tuesday. Bruin said he was feeling a bit better after the game.

“”It’s a little sore and I’ll know for sure on Tuesday once we get an MRI,” Bruin said. “Right now, I’m pleasantly happy compared to how I felt on the field, but we’ll see later in the week.”

Big game, big time

With the intensity and solid play from both sides, Saturday’s game had a playoff-like feel. Seattle, even with the tough week and one-goal early deficit, thrived in the atmosphere.

“I know it wasn’t going to be a playoff but I knew it was going to be a hard game,” Kim Kee-Hee said after the game. They’re a good team and I knew it was going to be a tough game and it wasn’t going to be an easy game.”

This story was originally published April 13, 2019 at 3:45 PM.