SEATTLE, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC competed in the second leg of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League’s Knockout Round on Wednesday evening, falling 3-1 to defending champion Club America at Estadio Azteca. An America own goal briefly put Seattle in position to secure advancement, but the host side responded with two quick strikes on the brink of halftime. After being eliminated from the tournament, Seattle now prepares to open its 2016 MLS campaign against Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, March 6 on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field (4:00 p.m. PT / FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
Featuring the same starting lineup as the first leg at CenturyLink Field, Sounders FC kept Club America at bay for the vast majority of the first half. Fortune fell in the Rave Green’s favor in the 41st minute, when Osvaldo Alonso’s cross deflected off America’s Pablo Aguilar and rolled into the net for a 1-0 Seattle lead. Alonso brought the ball to the right side of America’s area before sending in a cross that was intended for Seattle Designated Player Nelson Valdez. Aguilar lost his balance while challenging Valdez, as the ball drifted off his back and skirted past goalkeeper Hugo Gonzalez.
In similar fashion to last Tuesday’s contest, America responded quickly to Seattle’s goal on a brisk counterattack to equalize at 1-1 in the 42nd minute. Midfielder Rubens Sambueza connected with forward Darwin Quintero, who sent the game-tying header into the net from close range. Just minutes later, America took the lead on a header by Oribe Peralta on another cross by Sambueza.
The host side extended the lead to 3-1 in the 50th minute, when Andres Andrade received a pass from Paul Aguilar and finished a wide-open shot from just inside Seattle’s area.
After tonight’s match, Sounders FC is now 14-13-5 in SCCL play. The Rave Green return to Seattle tomorrow before two days of training ahead of Sunday’s MLS-opener against Sporting KC.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 – Club America 3
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Venue: Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, Mexico)
Referee: Valdin Legister
Assistants: Kedlee Powell, Garnet Page
Fourth Official: Kevin Morrison
Weather: Cloudy and 57 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Pablo Aguilar (own goal) 41’
CA – Carlos Quintero (Rubens Sambueza) 42’
CA – Oribe Peralta (Rubens Sambueza) 45’ +1’
CA – Andres Andrade (Paul Aguilar) 50’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CA – Pablo Aguilar (caution) 66’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones; Erik Friberg (Darwin Jones 75’), Osvaldo Alonso, Andreas Ivanschitz (Cristian Roldan 70’); Jordan Morris (Aaron Kovar 70’), Nelson Valdez, Clint Dempsey
Substitutes not used: Tyler Miller, Zach Scott, Oniel Fisher, Nathan Sturgis
Total shots: 3 (3 players tied at 1)
Shots on goal: 1 (J. Jones, 1)
Fouls: 7 (J. Jones/Valdez, 2)
Offside: 1 (Dempsey, 1)
Corner-kicks: 3 (Ivanschitz, 3)
Saves: 4 (Frei, 4)
Club America – Hugo Gonzalez, Paul Aguilar, Paolo Goltz, Pablo Aguilar, Miguel Samudio; Rubens Sambueza (Dario Benedetto 83’), Osvaldo Martinez, Daniel Guerrero, Andres Andrade (Brian Lozano 64’); Oribe Peralta (Jesus Moreno 73’), Carlos Quintero
Substitutes not used: Moises Munoz, Osmar Mares, Erik Pimentel, Ventura Alvarado
Total shots: 18 (Sambueza/Quintero, 3)
Shots on goal: 8 (Quintero, 3)
Fouls: 12 (Andrade, 4)
Offside: 2 (Quintero, 2)
Corner-kicks: 5 (Martinez/Sambueza, 2)
Saves: 1 (Gonzalez, 1)
