Sounders: 4 takeaways from heartbreaking 3-3 tie with LA Galaxy

4) A bitter sweet point

They often say perception is reality. This is important in terms of how the Sounders react to the final result on Friday night and how it impacts them moving forward.

Will Seattle be able to see it as a point gained after coming from two goals down at half time? Or will they focus on the late controversial penalty decision and look at the game as two points lost?

There is the argument that Seattle only has themselves to blame for even being in such a tenuous league position in the first place. Regardless, if they ultimately miss the playoffs by just one or two points, the Galaxy game will loom large.

For Rowe specifically, he essentially saw both the positive and the negative from the final outcome. Speaking to the media, he said:

"We're very happy that we were able to, in one half, create so many chances, score the goals and be able to come back. It's good resiliency from this team. However, the last 10 minutes of the game we're fighting for balls, we're fighting everything and we're not getting what we need out of it. So we need to make sure (to focus on) that positive outlook that you'll find in a day or two when the frustration drops, but it's frustrating because we need to grind these games out. We've been in this lead before, if you win these games, late especially, the morale goes higher when you get those three points. So yes, we dropped two points, however you've got to remember that we did come back from a two zero deficit. "

Similarly, Schmetzer seemed to go back and forth, considering both the positive and negative outlook following the game. He said:

"You give them a ton of credit for the comeback. I mean that shows you our team still has fight left in them. Then you go to the end, where there's another gut punch and I can't say anything. I don't have any words that can match the emotion that those guys feel. They put everything into the game and deserved three points. "

Notes

• On the night, the Sounders had a 16-11 advantage in shots and 6-4 edge in attempts on target.

• Ruidiaz's goal was his ninth in nine career games versus the Galaxy.

• With Ruidiaz and Morris both scoring, it represented the first time since June 25 that Seattle had two forwards score in the same game.

• The Sounders are now unbeaten against Los Angeles in nine games, with a record of 5-0-4.

• Seattle's league away record is now 3-8-2, with their next two games also on the road, in Portland and Orlando.

• Of the Sounders remaining eight games, only two come against teams currently in a playoff position; additionally, four of their final six fixtures are in Seattle.

* Statistics courtesy of mlssoccer.com

What is your main takeaway from Friday night's game? Do you see the final result as a positive or a negative? Let us know in the comments section below.