SEATTLE - Robbie Keane scored a goal in the 15th minute, sending the Seattle Sounders to a 1-0 home defeat to the LA Galaxy on Saturday afternoon at CenturyLink Field.
Clint Dempsey made his return to the starting lineup for Seattle on Saturday after missing last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Toronto FC last weekend while recovering from US national team duty at this summer’s Copa America Centenario, but even Dempsey couldn’t solve the Sounders’ ongoing scoring woes.
The Sounders have now been held scoreless in each of their last three home games, all losses. With the defeat, the Sounders fell to 5-10-2 and remained on 17 points for the MLS season.
Keane staked the Galaxy to the early lead off an assist from Gyasi Zardes, slotting a nifty left-footed finish past Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei and into the Seattle net to stake the visitors to the first-half advantage.
The Sounders nearly equalized shortly after second-half kickoff, after Tyrone Mears sent a long pass into the Galaxy penalty box that Jordan Morris managed to win off of LA ‘keeper Brian Rowe. But LA defender AJ DeLaGarza made a diving deflection to knock Morris’s shot away, allowing the Galaxy to maintain the 1-0 lead.
Seattle continued to push for a second-half equalizer, getting perhaps its best look in the 75th minute off a Joevin Jones cross that found the head of Dempsey. But Dempsey’s shot was deflected away by a brilliant diving save from Rowe.
Dempsey had another close chance in the 82nd after receiving a headed pass from Morris in front of the LA goal. But he was narrowly thwarted again, this time seeing the shot deflect off the post.
Seattle have a short turn-around before the club’s next match, a Wednesday fixture against Supporters’ Shield-leading FC Dallas also at CenturyLink Field before hitting the road next weekend for a Cascadia Cup clash with the Portland Timbers.
