SEATTLE – The Seattle Sounders performed host to the Colorado Rapids needing to get their season rolling and set an improved tone at dwelling. That, sadly, shouldn’t be what occurred because the Sounders scored their second purpose of the season – one other penalty – however drew 1-1 as they proceed to search for their first win of the season.
Seattle opened the scoring due to a penalty that was each received and scored by Raúl Ruidíaz. Ruidíaz and Léo Chú performed a nifty one-two across the high of the field earlier than the striker chipped the ball up just for Keegan Rosenberry to swat at it for somebody, giving the Sounders an opportunity from the spot. Ruidíaz was the participant to take the penalty and as Zack Steffen dove to his left, Raúl casually lifted the ball over him for a panenka. The purpose was Ruidíaz’s 79th in all-competitions for the Sounders, transferring him right into a tie for many all-time with Fredy Montero.
Either side had probabilities so as to add to Ruidíaz’s tally throughout the first half, however neither aspect might get the final touch fairly proper. Ruidíaz and Xavier Arreaga each had seems go simply over the bar, whereas Colorado pressured a save from Andrew Thomas off of a Jackson Ragen giveaway, a Nouhou block on the doorstep, and had been inches away from an Omir Fernandez purpose following what appeared like a defensive breakdown on a throw-in close to midfield.
The second half began fairly slowly, however a forty eighth minute yellow to Josh Atencio for a foul to gradual a Colorado assault was a harbinger for what was to come back. 9 minutes later Atencio picked up his second yellow and Seattle went all the way down to 10 gamers. About 10 minutes after that, Jackson Ragen tripped Colorado striker Rafael Navarro within the space to present the Rapids a penalty. Djordje Mihailovic stepped as much as the spot and hit his penalty to Andrew Thomas’s proper, however Thomas dove and caught the ball to make the save. Regardless of that second, which might have served as a rallying second for the Sounders, Colorado continued to push and finally discovered their breakthrough simply earlier than the tip of regulation time. Within the 88th minute Danny Leyva dedicated a foul on the high of the field and gave the Rapids a harmful free kick. The shot from the set piece was headed for the higher nook on the close to submit, however Thomas got here flying in to deflect the shot off of the bar, solely to have Kévin Cabral beat any Sounders gamers to the rebound to place the ball away and tie issues up.
After the tying purpose probably the most pleasure the Sounders generated was Ruidíaz being proven a yellow on the bench, adopted by a mistaken crimson card which was then rescinded because the referee realized the yellow was his first slightly than his second. Seattle now put together for a street matchup in opposition to the San Jose Earthquakes subsequent Saturday, nonetheless searching for their first win of the season.
Key moments
10 – GOAL! Ruidíaz attracts a penalty, steps as much as the spot and opens his account for the season with a panenka over Zack Steffen. 1-0 Sounders
24 – Léo Chú has a harmful second on the high of the field, however he takes a bit too lengthy to decide and the menace fizzles out.
28 – Ruidíaz doesn’t miss out on his second purpose of the day by a lot, ripping a shot from about 20 yards out that zips simply over the crossbar.
31 – Colorado’s first probability of the sport comes off of a poor giveaway from Jackson Ragen. The intercepted go results in Rafael Navarro shot that’s saved by Thomas.
32 – Xavier Arreaga almost will get a purpose himself, rising up on a nook and successful the header however his shot is inches excessive.
57 – Josh Atencio is proven a second yellow card for what was a fairly innocuous foul a while earlier in play, and the Sounders are diminished to 10 gamers.
67 – Jackson Ragen journeys up Rafael Navarro within the field, and Colorado has a penalty. Andrew Thomas stonewalls the take, although, and Seattle keep on high.
88 – Objective. Danny Leyva provides up a free kick, and Thomas makes a save on the preliminary effort, however the rebound falls to Kévin Cabral who places it away. 1-1
Fast ideas
A scarcity of composure: Josh Atencio’s two yellow playing cards for arguably pointless fouls are the clearest instance, however hardly the one proof of struggles with composure and resolution making for the Sounders as we speak and to date this season. Josh’s selections will go away an already shorthanded Seattle workforce with one fewer vital participant after they take the sector subsequent week, but it surely took greater than that to take the Sounders’ factors haul from this sport from three to at least one. Sloppy passes from normally regular gamers like Atencio, Jackson Ragen and Alex Roldan, to call a number of, all put the protection underneath pointless strain. Equally useless additional touches and passes within the ultimate third from the entire workforce’s attackers turned what had been, or at the very least might have been, harmful assaults into turnovers. It’s hardly the one drawback going through the Sounders at this level, however the lack of composure isn’t serving to.
Subsequent, subsequent man up: The Sounders have spent the opening three video games (and 5 minutes of a fourth) of the season lacking a number of key gamers. Albert Rusnàk and Yeimar each made their first appearances of the season as substitutes tonight, however Stefan Frei and João Paulo each have but to play. Pedro de la Vega remains to be a month-plus out from enjoying after selecting up an harm within the second sport of the season, and the injured and unavailable checklist continues from there. Given these absences, some gamers have had an uncommon alternative to step up – Andrew Thomas in purpose is a first-rate instance – and now with Atencio suspended for subsequent week’s match in opposition to San Jose it could be one other participant’s flip. Rusnák’s return would possibly imply a shift in formation or strategy, however we don’t but know if he’ll be prepared to start out. As an alternative, it is perhaps time for the subsequent, subsequent man to step up.
Working with what you’re given: Cristian Roldan mentioned the truth that to date this season opposing gamers are enjoying significantly narrowly in opposition to the Sounders. This strategy crowds the center of the sector, and forces the Sounders to function primarily in broad areas. At instances in opposition to the Rapids the Roldan mixture created some promising moments for the Sounders, as Cristian and Alex labored collectively to maneuver the ball down the appropriate wing and finally both hit a cross or, ideally, minimize the ball to the highest of the field or play a teammate into the penalty space to create probabilities. Too usually, as Roldan famous, when Seattle have gotten into these types of areas they’ve hit crosses into the realm with solely Morris and/or Ruidíaz for targets. The Sounders have the expertise to create actual probabilities from these conditions, however we haven’t seen them do it with any sort of regularity to date. I don’t know what the answer is, however when that’s what your opponent is supplying you with the reply can’t be to easily play it broad and hit a cross, advert infinitum.
Notable quote
Man of the match
Andrew Thomas – The goalkeeper saved a penalty to maintain the rating 1-0 in favor of the Sounders, then had what he known as in all probability his “greatest save ever” just for Colorado to attain on the rebound. His purpose kicks might use work, however the man enjoying instead of Stefan Frei has executed about as a lot as anybody might have requested.