The MLS Player of the Week, Raul Ruidiaz earned his award in style last night, leading his Sounders past the Timbers with a brace and an assist, a foot in each goal. Both goals have already been posted to Soccer Seattle Magazine. The forward takes the 6th such title on the season in the top tier of USA Soccer. The nationally televised game that kept me up well past my bedtime, much beyond midnight was a 3-0 Cascadia Cup win by the MLS champs over the MIB title holder Timbers. I had Portland and Bayern so I went 1-1 on the day.
Ruidiaz now has a quartet of goals, tied at 4th for the Golden Boot. HIs team is now 2nd in their conference with 11 points. The Peruvian international had his first assist on the last goal of the game by Leerdam at 85'. Raul now has 4 braces over his short MLS career.
These games, the last few years have not ended in a scoreless draw, but with and 18 minutes left, the dam broke and his 2 highlight reel goals were the difference. One hit the cross bar then the GK, the other a floater that former NYRB Duvall jumped for, landing in the far back of the net. You would have thought his 83' shot would have closed out the scoring, buy no he had one point left in his game.