It went from bad to worse for the Sounders in Austin, Texas

The Sounders give up a goal in extra time and drop all three points to a lackluster team amid a rough patch in the season following the Leagues Cup title. They need to figure things out quickly, as there are only a handful of games left, and they will be losing several players as they get called up to play for their national teams.

Georgi Minoungou made an instant impact on the game. Subbing in at the half, it took him 37 seconds to get his first touch. That touch was the only touch by a Sounder to beat the Austin keeper, Brad Stuver, and find its way to the back of the net. Minoungou and other Sounders had quality chances, but Stuver was equal to the challenge each time, saving the opportunity for his teammates to score in extra time and earn 3 points.

It went from bad to worse for the Sounders in Austin, Texas

Andrew Thomas was in the net as Frie stayed in Seattle with an illness that Schmetzer didn't want spread around the team. Thomas had little to do for much of the match but did make a high-quality save, preserving a tie game at the time. Miscues on defense gave him the impossible task of saving a breakaway and a volley over the keeper to an Austin player, Myrto Uzuni, who tapped in the game-winner.

The Sounders have only been able to secure 1 point in the games following the Leagues Cup, but it is more complicated than the inevitable exhale after big games. The Sounders have two of their stars, Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnak, returning from injuries.

They are not fully back, as their touches aren't as clean and precise as they are usually and their chemistry with the team that has been playing well together has been strained as they all try and get on the same page.

As Paul Rothrock pointed out, their performance against Austin was more promising than the previous 2 games. The defense has made several miscues during this stretch that have led to what Brian Schmetzer referred to as "soft goals."

Defense has been the bedrock of the Sounders' success. This season, more than the previous seasons, they have covered up these cracks with a potent offense. Unfortunately, their offense has let them down in this stretch as well as they have failed to be clinical in finishing their chances. To be fair, they ran into some goalkeepers who have played exceptionally well against them. The result has been the same: not enough goals and too many key giveaways on defense.

The Sounders have several players, such as Obed Vargas and Reed Baker-Whiting have been called up to their national teams are are expected to miss most of the remainder of the season. For a team trying to get on the same page, the mix of returning players (Joao Paulo was available on the bench against Austin) and players leaving for international duty makes things more complicated.

The Sounders have 4 games left in the MLS season, and they need points to get back into a position where they will have a home game in the first round of the playoffs. Vancouver, the next game up, is ahead of the Sounders in the standings as well as the following game against Portland, which is nipping at their heels.

Austin is just one point behind Seattle. Their 3rd home game is against Salt Lake, who needs to basically win out in order to make the playoffs. The Sounders' final away game, and final game of the MLS regular season, is against NYC, which currently has the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference that would give them a home game in the playoffs.

There are some lingering questions that the Sounders will need to answer as we approach the end of the Season. Will the Sounders be able to return to the form they found themselves in during and between the Club World Cup and the Leagues Cup? Will the return of stars be able to integrate themselves back into the team? Can their defense return to dominance? Is there enough time for them to gel? Time will tell.

What they have answered is that they have the potential to win any game, regardless of which players are on the pitch. As one of the deepest teams in the league, and what Schmetzer refers to the deepest Sounders team ever, they have the potential to bring home one more trophy this season. They will need to sure up the defense, and score goals, including putting teams away.