Seattle Sounders FC suffered a heartbreaking draw in Salt Lake City tonight against defending MLS Champions Real Salt Lake. The match and eventual 3 points appeared to be locked up until a last minute header from RSL saw the net to even the match at 2-2 in stoppage time.
The result balances the Sounders overall record at 1-1-1, totaling four points after their first three matches.
To Continue...
Sounders FC struggled with controlling the ball in the first ten minutes, but took advantage of a clear opportunity in the 11th minute on a breakaway goal from Steve Zakuani. Freddy Montero controlled the loose ball and immediately sensed an open field for speedster Zakuani, providing an on-point lead pass toward the center pitch.
Zakuani capitalized on his one-on-one with RSL keeper Nick Rimando by sneaking a low strike that was tipped by Rimando, skipping into the back of the net.
After trailing 1-0 for the remainder of the first half, RSL had a handful of chances to score, primarily in the 20th minute in which they missed a header in the box, followed by a remarkable save by Sounders keeper Kasey Keller in the 21st.
A free kick was rewarded to RSL in the 31’ as a result of a Tyrone Marshall foul, occurring in a dangerous area about 6 yards outside the box. The kick was essentially knocked straight into the Sounders wall, and was the end of any serious threat from RSL in the first half.
Real Salt Lake found their equalizer in the second half, occurring in the 53rd minute off of a diving header in the box from midfield Johnson. Kasey Keller was caught off guard, essentially trying to cover the initial cross and dove to his right to try and stop the inevitable goal.
Momentum was swayed in the 60’ after Freddie Ljunberg earned a free kick (and a conjunctional yellow card from RSL defender Wingert), on the far left wing of the pitch. Ljunberg delivered a classic cross into the box, which was eventually taken by Tyrone Marshall for a slight header straight to the ground and bouncing into the back of the net, giving Sounders FC a 2-1 lead.
Two more significant opportunities arose later in the half, as an open field pass ended on the foot of Ljunberg in the far right wing. After minimal pressure further from Ljunberg, he discovered the support from midfield Osvaldo Alonso in the box and made a remarkable cross only to be just a few feet behind an otherwise ideal position.
The second was at the hands of the referees in the 89th minute, as a questionable offsides penalty was called on Ljunberg near midfield. Freddie stomped on the midline in exaggeration afterwards to prove to the refs that he was in legal position to earn the open field and potential goal to his name.
The greatest controversy occurred in the final minute in stoppage time, however, as Kasey Keller caught a high ball off the foot of a RSL striker from the right wing. Keller appeared to be outside the baseline when the ball met his hands, but the refs still awarded RSL with a corner kick, essentially agreeing that Keller caught the ball in play and led it out of bounds with him.
The resulting corner kick assured RSL a point, as the cross reached the head of substitute Saborio into the back of the net, in similar position to RSL’s first goal. Both goals from Real Salt Lake came at the expense of Sounders defender Brad Evans, who was responsible for each of the opposing scorers and failed to make a presence.
The match was called moments after, as the Sounders earned their first draw of the year. Given the proximity of earning a win on the road at the expense of the current MLS champions and a well-deserved 3 points in the standings, the 2-2 draw comes as a heartbreak to the squad and fans across the Northwest.
Reach Jacob Kehle at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
