Seattle, WA – On a sun-drenched Sunday afternoon in Seattle, the Sounders turned in another solid performance that closed out the month of June without conceding a loss. The Blue and Green managed to grab points in each of the past six matches. The New England Revolution tested the Sounders with their aggressive nature and persistence. After conceding early, the home team was able to come from behind for the first time this season and notch their third consecutive victory.
36,212 wonderful fans were in good voice for this matchup. I remember leaning over to my fiancé and saying how good the stadium sounded and how lucky we were to have beautiful weather on this game day. I quickly got a reality check that there was still a game to play. There’s no such thing as a gimme in this league. No matter whom your opponents are.
With a six game unbeaten streak, and earning nine points in just over a week, it’s easy to get comfortable and think all is good in the world. Perhaps the home team began the match with such thoughts running through their head. In the 3rd minute of the game the Sounders seemed to have a bit of a mental breakdown allowing Benny Feilhaber to play a simple ball to Sainey Nyassi from the corner and score the game’s first goal. Nyassi gathered the pass at the top of the box and put in a strong shot that found its way through traffic, off Keller’s glove, and into the back of the net. Soon after, Nyassi would test Keller again on a counter attack with a shot from distance. The Revs seemed confident and ready for the task at hand.
To add injury to insult, Sounders center back Jeff Parke had to leave the game in the 17th minute after going to ground and calling for the training staff. Turns out Parke was suffering from migraine symptoms that wouldn’t allow him to continue. He was replaced by capable backup Patrick Ianni.
With a patchwork lineup already in place due to injury and suspension, the Sounders’ backs were against the wall early. The boys kept their heads and played on. At times their play on the field exuded a sense of confidence and cool headedness that proved we were never out of the game and scoring was inevitable. Head coach Sigi Schmid had this to say about his club’s confidence of late: “The understanding with each other is starting to get better. More so than anything, their belief and confidence in that we’re going to find a way to win. We’re down 1-0 and we’re two or three minutes into the game, but we’re going to figure it out. We’re going to figure it out and get it done. It’s a belief that’s starting to come through. That’s important. Different guys stepped up and did what they needed to do.”
Two guys that have stepped up a lot lately are Mauro Rosales and Tyson Wahl. In the 34th minute Rosales received a through ball from Mr. Levesque and was brought down hard just outside the box. Erik Friberg grabbed the rock and prepared the incumbent set piece. Moments later Wahl would come into frame to give the perception of a left footed chance. It was Tyson who would crack the shot, and what a shot it was! Play by play announcer Arlo White called it “…inch perfect” and the impeccable bender was just that. Matt Reis, the New England keeper, was stuck in cement and couldn’t even touch it. Wahl is the 13th different goal scorer for the Sounders in 2011, and opened up his Sounders account with that mark. In fact, that strike was Wahl’s first ever MLS goal. That goal gave the Sounders eight set piece goals in the past eight games.
Alvaro Fernandez scored the go ahead goal in the 40th minute. The assist was a superb combination from Rosales and Roger Levesque. El Flaco’s strike was his fourth of the season, and it sent the Brougham Faithful into a ribbing of “Reese’s Pieces” on repeat. The Uruguayan DP is now tied for the team’s lead for goals with Brad Evans.
The Revolution wasn’t about to give up and kept pressing for the equalizer. In the 50th minute Feilhaber pestered the home side from the corner connecting with Shalrie Joseph’s head and forcing Keller to make a good save. In minute 61, Nyassi again created a chance for the away team by sending in a cross from the right side that ended up on Rajko Lekic’s left foot for a volley that skipped just wide of the post. Twenty five minutes later Zach Schilawski rattled the cross bar with a strong left footed shot from about 27 yards out. When I looked around our section, everyone seemed to be on the edge of their seat as nerves were running high.
The Sounders would control possession from there on out, and after four minutes of stoppage time we heard the best chant of the day. Three blows of the whistle from the center referee and the game was over. We took all of the points!
I really love the fight that this team has in them. They portray a hard working, never say die attitude, and have an overall philosophy that everyone seems to buy into. Mauro Rosales had this to say about the team after the game: “We are doing amazing work. We are working for that. All week we work very hard to have this kind of performance. The team knows that we have to win and get the three points.” This quote sounds a lot like what Sigi said too. The Sounders have clicked as a team and are on a good run.
The Sounders are currently sitting in second place of the Western Conference standings. They are just four points behind the Los Angeles Galaxy and ahead of FC Dallas on goal differential. With thirty one points overall and nineteen games played, Seattle is averaging 1.63 points per match. That number is very close to where Sigi says good teams need to be. These Sounders are a very good team.
On Tuesday July 28th the US Open Cup (third round) will come to town. The Kitsap Pumas will travel across the Puget Sound and meet the Sounders at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, WA. The Sounders are a little beat up right now and will only have one day rest. Expect a lively match with another patchwork lineup. This game will be a tough test for the two-time defending Cup Champions and it’s a game that shouldn’t be missed.
Image courtesy of Seattle Sounders
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