Sounders Rumble Past St. Louis Behind Cristian Roldan’s Brace
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - Coming off their win on Wednesday over Tigres but elimination from this year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup due to an away goal, the Seattle Sounders FC carried their offensive momentum from the competition into their return to MLS play. The Rave Green scored four goals en route to their fifth league win of the season, collecting their second victory of the year over St. Louis City SC. Despite a solid first half from the away side, Cristian Roldan’s first-half brace put the Sounders into the driver’s seat before second-half scores from Albert Rusnák and Osaze De Rosario locked the victory up.
Pre-match scenes from Lumen Field as the Seattle Sounders FC defeated St. Louis City SC by a final score of 4-1 on April 18th, 2026. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
The Cristian Roldan half
St. Louis started the match on the front foot as they searched for revenge over Seattle from the Sounders’ victory over them earlier this season, as a second-minute chance showed that they weren’t going to roll over. Some quick passing from the away side saw Conrad Wallem find Marcel Hartel as the two ended the 18-yard box, but Andrew Thomas corralled his right-footed attempt.
Despite the early attempt from St. Louis, Seattle weathered the attack and built momentum of its own around the 20th minute. Shortly after a short corner, a Snyder Brunell shot from well outside the box forced an awkward save from Roman Bürki, giving the Sounders a corner. Albert Rusnák’s right-footed corner soared over everyone who had packed into the center of the 18-yard box and found Cristian Roldan, who had been left all alone back post for the header goal to get Seattle on the board in the 22nd minute.
Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Cristian Roldan scored a brace during the first half of the club’s 4-1 victory over St. Louis City SC at Lumen Field on April 18th, 2026. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
The set-piece success would continue for the Sounders, as another corner just 15 minutes after the first goal of the match was created off an attempted left-footed cross by Nouhou. Rusnák’s right-footed cross into the box once again found Cristian Roldan as if it were a replay of the first, but the Seattle captain opted to tap the ball in with the inside of his right foot for his second goal of the night.
“The last two games, you guys can talk about it statistically, you guys can talk about it stylistically, you can talk about the work that he put in. You can talk about it in any way, shape, or form, but he’s playing right now at a very high level.”
The Sounders had put themselves ahead by two goals from their captain despite an otherwise solid road first half by St. Louis City, and Seattle would only further push themselves ahead of their fellow Western Conference side in the second half.
Sounders put the match to bed with solid second half
With a two-goal lead in hand, the Sounders kept their foot on the gas by bringing in Paul Rothrock for Paul Arriola, which paid immediate dividends for Seattle. As the Rave Green brought the ball up from midfield, Cristian Roldan found Rothrock as he was entering the 18-yard box. St Louis midfielder Conrad Wallem fouled Rothrock, as the Sounders winger was looking for a pass near the center of the box.
Albert Rusnák stepped up to the spot to take the penalty, slotting into the corner to his left and beating Roman Bürki for the third Seattle goal of the night, continuing his strong form this week after his brace against Tigres on Wednesday.
Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Albert Rusnák converted a penalty in the second half, giving the Rave Green their third goal of the match in the 4-1 victory over St. Louis City SC at Lumen Field on April 18th, 2026. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
With a three-goal cushion, the Sounders made a few substitutions that signaled their intent to continue attacking, as Jesús Ferreira came on for Albert Rusnák and Jordan Morris for Hassani Dotson, both in the 53rd minute. Just four minutes later, Ferreira nearly made an immediate impact as Danny Musovski dropped off a cross into the box from Morris to him, but Bürki stopped Jesús’ left-footed attempt.
Ferreira’s impact on the Seattle attack remained evident throughout the second half, as his through ball to Musovski created a near breakaway, but the attempt didn’t have enough power behind it.
The Sounders truly put the game to bed in the 86th minute, as their comfortable possession in the St. Louis half paid off in their fourth goal of the match. Ferreira fed a through ball into Osaze De Rosario, who had come on for Musovski in the 80th minute, who had enough time and space in the St. Louis box to find a lane. De Rosario actually maneuvered himself back towards the top of the box before sending a right-footed shot on goal through some traffic to beat Bürki.
St. Louis denied Seattle a clean sheet with a goal in the 92nd minute, as Sergio Córdova’s right-footed attempt was blocked by Sounders defender Antino Lopez before Eduard Löwen’s volleyed attempt soared over a leaping Andrew Thomas. The goal got the away side on the board but didn’t inspire a miraculous rally, and the final whistle signified the fifth Sounders victory of the MLS season.
Quick notes from Sounders PR
30,596 was the announced attendance at Lumen Field for tonight’s MLS regular season match between St. Louis City SC and Seattle Sounders FC.
Seattle sits in fourth place in the Western Conference following the result with 16 points (5-1-1).
Seattle holds a 7-1-0 record against St. Louis dating back to 2023 when the Midwestern side joined MLS, including a 4-0-0 mark at Lumen Field.
The Rave Green defeated St. Louis earlier this year, a 1-0 victory at Energizer Park on March 7. Kalani Kossa-Rienzi scored the match's lone goal.
Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan’s goals in the 22nd and 37th minutes were his second and third of the season, all coming in league play. It is Roldan’s fifth career multi-goal game, and first since September 27th, 2020.
Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák assisted both of Roldan’s goals, his second and third of the season, all in league play.
Rusnák also scored his fourth goal of the season in the 49th minute via a penalty after Paul Rothrock drew a foul in the area.
Rusnák left the match in the 53rd minute, but it was only because he was “tired,” not due to an actual injury. Rusnák, per Schmetzer, didn’t actually hurt anything.
Sounders forward Osaze De Rosario scored his fourth goal of the season in the 86th minute. De Rosario scored five all-competition goals last season after signing with the club in May.
Sounders forward Jesús Ferreira and midfielder Peter Kingston were credited with assists on De Rosario’s goal, their sixth and third in all competitions this season, respectively. Ferreira’s five assists in league play are tied for third in MLS this season.
Tonight marked Seattle’s first MLS home match since its season opener on February 22 against Colorado. Due to ongoing renovations at Lumen Field for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Rave Green have played their last five matches on the road (3-1-1).
Brian Schmetzer rotated the lineup from Wednesday’s 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup match against Tigres UANL, with Andrew Thomas, Antino Lopez, Hassani Dotson, Paul Arriola and Danny Musovski replacing Stefan Frei, Jackson Ragen, Jesús Ferreira, Paul Arriola and Jordan Morris.
Post-match scenes from Lumen Field as the Seattle Sounders FC defeated St. Louis City SC by a final score of 4-1 on April 18th, 2026, as Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris both had their kids on the field. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
What’s next?
Following tonight’s comfortable win over St. Louis City SC, the Seattle Sounders remain at home for their next matchup in MLS regular-season play. That next contest comes a week from today, on Saturday, April 25th, against FC Dallas at 7:30 PM PDT at Lumen Field, and will be broadcast live on Apple TV in another early-season Western Conference matchup for the Sounders.
Looking over at the form FC Dallas has shown here in the 2026 season, they’ve lost just one match so far this year, back on March 7th in a 1-0 result to LAFC, earning plenty of points to start the campaign. Dallas has played some good matches so far this year against strong competition, so this will be an interesting match for Seattle at home. Before playing the Sounders on Saturday, FC Dallas will face Minnesota United on Wednesday, April 22nd, so the Texas-based club may make some lineup rotation when they play at Lumen Field.
Through seven matches this season, the Sounders have a 5-1-1 record in MLS play, landing them fourth in a tough Western Conference and five points behind the Vancouver Whitecaps, who sit in the top spot for the Shield. The Sounders have conceded just three goals so far this season and are in strong form, scoring seven goals across their two matches this past week.
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