Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer believes competition for places within his side will be crucial for their chances of success this season.

The Sounders started their 2026 MLS campaign with a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids after goals from Albert Rusnak and Paul Rothrock.

Despite ending the 2025 regular season with three consecutive wins, Seattle were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by Minnesota United.

Ahead of their trip to Real Salt Lake on Saturday, Schmetzer has highlighted the importance of squad depth and competition for places in their search for MLS glory.

"[It is] the thing that’s going to help [the team] throughout the course of the year," said Schmetzer.

"I’ve talked about competition at different spots, and I'm going to drive that home and just make sure that everybody knows there's competition, because it raises the level of training.

"When you watch the young guys train, they're hungry. [And] when we put them on the field, that's what you see.

"You're watching a kid in Snyder Brunell and a younger kid in Osaze [De Rosario]. Those kids played well, and it bodes well for what I want is competition throughout the squad.

"Then when guys step on the field, guess what? They're prepared, and they're going to contribute."

RSL, meanwhile, started the new season with a 1-0 defeat on the road to 2025 MLS Cup finalists Vancouver Whitecaps.

RSL were one of seven teams that failed to score across the opening weekend of the 2026 MLS campaign.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Real Salt Lake – Luca Moisa

RSL started 17-year-old Moisa, as well as 18-year-olds Aiden Hezarkhani and Zavier Gozo, on Saturday in the club's season opener.

It marked the first time in RSL's history that three teenagers started a single regular-season match.

Seattle Sounders – Jesus Ferreira

Ferreira has scored eight goals in 13 career matches against RSL, all with FC Dallas, his most against any opponent.

Ferreira has scored five times at RSL since the Sounders were last able to score a goal in an away match against them (September 2020).

MATCH PREDICTION – SEATTLE SOUNDERS WIN

RSL's loss to Vancouver marked the third straight year the club has opened their campaign with a defeat.

RSL have lost their first two matches of a season only once in club history, doing so to begin their second-ever MLS campaign in 2006.

However, they are unbeaten in 16 straight home matches against Seattle in all competitions (W13 D3), with the Sounders' last win against RSL in Utah coming in November 2012.

The Sounders have also lost their first away match of the season in each of the last four years, including a 1-0 loss at Real Salt Lake in 2022.

The last time Seattle won their first away match of a season was in 2020, an August win at Portland following the MLS is Back tournament.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Real Salt Lake – 26%

Draw – 23.4%

Seattle Sounders – 50.6%