Scoring his first MLS goal was something Anchorage teenager Obed Vargas will never forget, but the real highlight was his mom and dad’s reaction.
Obed’s little brother Abad recorded their tears of joy after watching their 18-year-old son score his first professional goal Tuesday when the Seattle Sounders beat the Philadelphia Union 3-2 in Pennsylvania.
The family was in the car on the way to Abad’s soccer practice when they were at a stoplight. At that moment, as luck would have it, they were watching when Vargas curled a shot from the top of the 18-yard box in the 22nd minute.
Of all the congratulatory messages he received after the game, his favorite was the one his brother sent him of their parents going from cheers to tears.
“He just screamed and started crying and then she started to tear up,” Vargas said with a laugh as he met with reporters Thursday. “That almost brought tears to my eyes because that passion from my mom and dad … that’s, like, the best text after a game I could receive.”
First @MLS goal ✅
Obed Vargas extends our lead in Philly! pic.twitter.com/c8gNAQJsDK
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) May 1, 2024
At 18 years and 217 days, Vargas is the youngest Sounder to score in Seattle’s MLS era dating back to 2009.
In 2021, he became the third-youngest player to start an MLS match at 15 years and 351 days.
This was his second point in the last five games after notching an assist against Montreal on May 6. He has compiled 1-3-5 scoring totals in 45 career games.
Vargas became the first Alaskan to score in the MLS in nearly 16 years. Alaska’s only other goal came June 7, 2006, when Anchorage’s Ely Allen scored for the Los Angeles Galaxy.