In his second year as a professional, Seattle Sounders FC attacking midfielder Zach Mathers has been making plenty of waves this season for Sounders FC 2.
After starting out the campaign as a box-to-box midfielder in S2’s double-pivot, the Duke alum has been deployed further forward of late, typically as a pure No. 10 or a goalscoring second forward. This tactical adjustment has freed up Mathers to focus more on the attacking side of his game, and it’s paid dividends. His 10 goals (10th-highest in the league), four assists, 53 chances created (sixth-highest in the league) and his dynamism and creativity in the final third have been a bright spot for a young squad loaded with promising prospects.