2015-2016 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League
Score: Sounders FC 3 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0
Goal-scorers: Lamar Neagle (32’, 47’), Nelson Valdez (39’)
Site: CenturyLink Field
Man of the Match: Lamar Neagle. The Federal Way native didn’t travel with the team to Vancouver for their MLS match last weekend, marking the first match he’s missed across all competitions in 2015. The rest paid off for Neagle, who turned in one of his best performances of the season with a brace on Wednesday. Neagle now has four career Champions League goals, tied for third in club history.
Telling Stat: The Sounders outscored the Whitecaps 6-0 in the two meetings between the teams over a five-day span. Seattle is now 3-1-1 against its Cascadia rival this year.
After picking up his first MLS assist last weekend, Designated Player Nelson Valdez had a hand in all three Sounders goals on Wednesday. He helped set up each of Neagle’s goals and was credited with one of his own in the 39th minute, when he and Chad Barrett both jumped to direct Marco Pappa’s free kick into the net. Barrett also recorded a pair of assists on Wednesday.
What You Missed: The Sounders fielded a much more experienced lineup than the previous CCL matches, as only one player in the starting XI was under 27 (Cristian Roldan). Seattle captain Brad Evans, who had played in the midfield for six consecutive games since the arrival of Román Torres, moved back to centerback alongside Chad Marshall on Wednesday.
So What: With the victory, the Sounders win Group F and advance to next year’s Champions League Knockout Round. This is the third time the club has reached the Knockout Round in its four CCL appearances, and they’ll find out their next foe when the Champions League draw goes down early next year. The tournament resumes in February. The Sounders return to MLS action with a crucial match on Sunday at Sporting Kansas City, a team that trails Seattle by just one point in the Western Conference.
