Score: Sounders FC 1 vs. New York Red Bulls 4
Site: Red Bull Arena
Records: Sounders FC (17-8-3, 54 points). New York Red Bulls (10-8-11, 41 points).
Man of the Match: Thierry Henry was kept largely out of the match and Osvaldo Alonso was the biggest factor in that, defending Henry with a bulldog’s tenacity every time the New York forward got the ball in his area. Henry rarely moved into the attacking third until Alonso was substituted out in the 80th minute, although he did record an assist in the match off a ball from the midfield up the left side.
Telling Stat: Seattle had not allowed a hat trick all season, but Bradley Wright-Phillips had recorded two entering Saturday. With a first-minute put-back, 54th-minute penalty and 56th-minute rocket, both of those numbers changed. Seattle actually took control of the game despite the early 1-0 deficit, but once Wright-Phillips caught fire, he put the game out of reach.
What You Missed: Attendance at Red Bull Arena was 25,000, marking the largest turnout of the season in Harrison, N.J. A large contingent of Sounders FC fans made the trip east and were a vocal mass in the upper level throughout the match.
So What: The defeat snaps a four-game winning streak for Seattle, but the road trip continues as Sounders FC heads to Toyota Stadium on Wednesday to face FC Dallas for the third time this season. Seattle won the previous two matches against Dallas and is looking to sweep the season series with its Western Conference foe. Sounders FC finished the regular season 6-4-0 against Eastern Conference teams.
