Seattle

Watch Jordan Morris make MLS history, keep Seattle Sounders playoff hopes alive

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:39 p.m. ET

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Caitlin Murray

The Seattle Sounders haven’t had the best season. That’s the delicate way to put it, since this has been their worst-ever season in MLS thus far.

But they can thank rookie Jordan Morris for single-handedly lifting the Sounders on Saturday night over their Cascadia rivals, the Vancouver Whitecaps, which pushed the Sounders from ninth place in the Western Conference to seventh in one fell swoop. The Sounders hopped past the Whitecaps and the San Jose Earthquakes in the standings.

It wasn’t a bad goal at all:

The 21-year-old Morris is now only the fifth player in MLS history to score in the double digits in his rookie season. He also netted his fifth game-winner, which is a record for an MLS rookie.

Morris has been put in the tough situation of having to lead the way for the Sounders — despite being in his first year as a pro — because striker Clint Dempsey has been in and out and the Sounders made some pretty poor offseason moves. But he’s managed it pretty well, all things considered, and is now enjoying a team-high 10 goals on the season.

The Sounders' boost in the standings may not last for long. The Earthquakes also play on Saturday night and a win would see San Jose overtake the Sounders. Only the top six teams of each conference advance to the playoffs.

But three points was what the Sounders needed to keep their playoff hopes alive and well — and Morris got them that.

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