Three games. Zero points. Two goals for and five goals against. Last place in the LEAGUE. That’s what the Seattle Sounders were faced with when the Montreal Impact visited CenturyLink Field in the fourth week of this MLS season.
Seattle Sounders Get a Win… Finally
The Impact had started the season fast – scoring six and giving up four and leading the Eastern Conference leaving Sounders’ fans less-than-confident, at best, coming into the matchup. Sigi Schmid had some new ideas to get his club rolling as was witnessed by the drastic changes to the starting lineup he rolled out. Clint Dempsey was taken off the front line, playing as an attacking central midfielder tucked behind Nelson Valdez. Rookie Jordan Morris started the game on the bench as another youngster, Aaron Kovar started in his place. Also, Dylan Remick started in place of Joevin Jones, who picked up a knock during the international break playing for Trinidad & Tobago.
For the Impact, the glaring miss from not only the starting lineup but from the entire gameday roster was Didier Drogba. This may not be too surprising to those following the league closely as Drogba has decided to avoid playing on turf this season. CenturyLink Field’s new (and some would say improved) turf, was no exception.
Another issue that fans of both sides may have been concerned about going into the match was – who will be the referee? If you have watched an MLS match this season, there is a good chance you have seen a red card, penalty kick, or what should have been a penalty kick that went with no call from the referee. Sounders have not been immune as they received a red card in their first game of the season (Oniel Fisher) and a shaky penalty shout in their 2-1 loss to Vancouver back in March. The answer to this question was Baldomero Toledo. And anxiety ratcheted as his stats were listed just prior to kickoff. In 209 games, Toledo had handed out 73 reds and 74 PKs.
The lineup changes almost created a wonder start for the home side as in the first minute, Dempsey broke down the left and put in an enticing cross that Valdez latched onto and got a shot off, but it was deflected out of harms way. The Sounders seemed to hold pressure on the Impact backline for the opening 15 minutes as Kovar added a shot just over the bar in the 4th minute and Remick crossed in two dangerous balls back-to-back in the 13th minute. Still, the two teams hit the halfway mark with the same score as the match started, 0-0. The Sounders had the lead in the possession category (58.8%) and in total shots (7-5).
Both teams struggled for any sort of productivity as the second half got started. Morris replaced Kovar in the 57th minute and provided the work rate and speed that put pressure on the Impact defense, but still not at all what will be needed from him this season as the Sounders continue to find productivity replacements for Obafemi Martins. Just over 10 minutes later, Oalex Anderson replaced Nelson Valdez, who seemed to be feeling the effects of a muscle injury.
Dempsey was at it again in the 65th minute as a well placed free kick put Impact keeper, Evan Bush, who was up to the task pushing the ball safely over the bar for a Sounders’ corner. Any concerns over any long term injury concerns with Jones were removed in the 74th minute as he replaced Remick on the backline.
And then in the 79th minute, it was Dempsey (of course) with a header off a corner kick that would be the game-winning (and only) goal of the match. On replay, it seems like a pretty bad misplay by Bush who was unable to get anything on the cross leaving Dempsey to head it home. The Sounders, of course, don’t care how it happened, they needed a win in this match (badly) and like so many times before it was Dempsey who took it upon himself to assure the desired result was achieved.
Upon the final whistle blowing, it felt like the season was finally real. The Sounders were no longer the only team without a point and more importantly, Dempsey is in fine form. After 2 matches against Guatemala during the international break where he was incredibly dangerous (scoring one and assisting another), he was rejuvenated and a force to be reckoned with. Will he be enough for the season? No. Does it help? Absolutely!
One thing is clear, the Sounders needed a win, and that’s what they got…ugly game, improvements still to be made, but a win. See you next week, Houston!
Main Photo: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images
