SEATTLE \u2013 A resurgent second half wasn\u2019t quite enough for Seattle Sounders FC<\/a>, who opened Group B play in the 2025 FIFA Club World Club<\/a> with a narrow 2-1 defeat<\/a> against Botafogo at Lumen Field on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n After conceding twice in the first half against the storied Brazilian outfit, the match seemed in danger of slipping away from the Rave Green. Instead, they nearly gave a lively home crowd a result to remember.<\/p>\n Midfielder Cristian Roldan<\/a> halved the deficit with a 75th-minute header, setting the stage for a frantic final 15 minutes that saw Seattle come tantalizingly close to a leveling goal.<\/p>\n \u201cAt 2-0 you have nothing to lose, right?\u201d Roldan told reporters in the post-match mixed zone. \u201cWe talked about keeping that scoreline at [2-0] and giving ourselves a chance to get back in the game.<\/p>\n \u201cWe felt that if we got one goal, we could ride that momentum and potentially make a game out of it.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The result leaves Seattle with an uphill climb to emerge from a stacked Group B, which also includes Spanish powerhouse Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.<\/p>\n Although their comeback bid fell just short on Sunday, winger Paul Rothrock<\/a> said his side can take some “good lessons” from their second-half response as they prepare to face two European juggernauts.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyone who’s watched our team before, and watched [us] this season, we turned up the dial a little bit on our intensity today, and hopefully we can continue to do that throughout the tournament and carry that on to the rest of the season,\u201d Rothrock said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s a really exciting opportunity to get to play Atl\u00e9tico and we’re going to focus on that first, and then the best team in the world, PSG,\u201d he continued. \u201cSo I think we’re going to approach the games the same way, I still believe we have a chance to make it out of the group depending on how these next two games go. I think we learned some good lessons today.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 19-5 – After being down 2-0 at halftime of their @FIFACWC<\/a> opener, @SoundersFC<\/a> held 64% possession and outshot Botafogo, 19-5, in the second half. Valiant. pic.twitter.com\/c5tUp28jJX<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 OptaJack\u26bd\ufe0f (@OptaJack) June 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n PSG flexed their tournament favorite credentials in their Group B opener, routing Atl\u00e9tico 4-0<\/a> at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n That leaves Atl\u00e9tico seeking a get-right result in Thursday’s trip to Lumen FIeld, providing perhaps an even loftier test for the Sounders, who qualified for the tournament via their historic 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a> title.<\/p>\n \u201cI would love to see a performance where we bring intensity, we show that can compete at that level,\u201d Roldan said after battling the reigning Brasileiro S\u00e9rie A and Copa Libertadores champions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe show that not only can we compete not only from an intensity and an athletic standpoint, but from a tactical standpoint, playing out of the back, show that this league is good enough at the world stage. I think that’s what this tournament is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) June 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n While Seattle will be underdogs in each of the next two matchups, homegrown midfielder Obed Vargas<\/a> said they’re relishing the opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cI can tell you one thing: I won’t be a fan whenever we play them,” Vargas said of Atl\u00e9tico. “I’m going to be motivated to beat them and do as much as I can to beat them.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then playing the Champions League winners, you saw the game today \u2013 4-nil. They are a powerhouse. We just have to go out there and try and compete as best as we can.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \n Turning up the dial<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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World-class opposition<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Our best shot<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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