As starting debuts go, Josh Atencio had his work cut out for him. Not only was he matched up against one of the top midfield units in the league — one that featured the dynamic Emanuel Reynoso — but he was also effectively filling in for Seattle Sounders captain Nicolas Lodeiro, who was missing the game with a quad strain.
Just to round out the pressure, the Sounders were also playing their first game in front of home fans for the first time in over a year.
The 19-year-old rarely looked bothered and never seemed overwhelmed by the moment.