SEATTLE – Jordan Morris was always pegged for greatness.
The Mercer Island High soccer hall of famer also starred on the youth club level and showed well for the U.S. men’s national team. He cut his teeth in MLS with his hometown Sounders and entering his 10th season, the forward has worked his way to the top the team’s all-time scorer’s list.
Morris tied Raúl Ruidíaz for the lead in the league season-opener Saturday. The genteel striker netted a brace that only a self-inflicted error could dampen.
Sounders defender Yeimar had an own-goal in the 92nd minute to allow visiting Charlotte escape with 2-2 draw at Lumen Field.
Morris’ scores were his 85th and 86th in his decadelong career, through all competitions. Ruidíaz, a Peruvian international, was initially signed in June 2018 and didn’t have his contract renewed in December.
Morris’ first goal gave the Sounders a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute. He redirected a cross from Georgi Minoungou past Crown keeper Kristijan Kahlina.
Charlotte equalized off a corner kick in the 35th minute. Adilson Malanda rose in the box to head service from Pep Biel past Sounders keeper Stefan Frei.
The set play was one of the few in Seattle’s half of the field. The Sounders controlled possession (56%) and created four scoring chances before conceding the goal.
Seattle’s go-ahead goal was a Morris classic. Albert Rusnák threaded a pass for Morris to get behind Charlotte’s defenders. He then stared down Kahlina at the top of the box and benefited from a deflection to watch the ball bounce into the net for a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.
Morris stood over Kahlina and raised his arms in celebration as everyone checked to be sure he was onside for the score. An announced crowd of 30,055 jumped around in their seats to party in the rainy night with Morris.
The performance is a continuation from the forward’s career-best marks last season to help the Sounders reach the Western Conference finals, losing to the LA Galaxy.
Morris tied Ruidíaz with nine all-time goals in MLS playoff competitions and had a career-high 18 across all competitions. The metrics were among those that bumped him up to designated player status this season.
Minoungou’s insertion in the starting lineup was one of three changes Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer made from the CONCACAF Champions Cup win Wednesday. Rusnák returned to his spot in the midfield while Paul Rothrock was on the other wing. The choices put attackers Jesús Ferreira, Paul Arriola and Pedro de la Vega on the bench.
Arriola subbed on for Rothrock in the 61st minute, Ferreira replaced Minoungou in the 80th minute and de la Vega spelled Rusnák in the 87th. It was Arriola and Ferreira’s first MLS match as Sounders’ players since being traded from FC Dallas in separate deals in January.
Charlotte debuted their fourth season without heralded signing, Wilfried Zaha. The forward returned to the United Kingdom for the birth of his third child.
Seattle will return to Lumen for the second leg of the CCC series against Guatemala’s Antigua GFC on Wednesday. The winner will play Mexico’s Cruz Azul next month in the Round of 16.