SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC (2-6-2, 8 points) fell by a final score of 1-0 to Real Salt Lake (5-6-1, 16 points) in front of a crowd of 39,508 inside CenturyLink Field. RSL’s Sebastian Saucedo scored the match’s only goal, as Seattle moves to 9-10-4 against RSL in MLS regular-season play, including a 8-3-2 record at home.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 61st minute of play, as forward Sebastian Saucedo knifed through Seattle’s backline from the left flank before unleashing a pinpoint shot from the edge of Sounders FC’s 18-yard-box. Although goalkeeper Stefan Frei was able to get a brief touch of the ball with his left hand, Saucedo’s shot was too powerful, finding the back of the net and vaulting RSL into a 1-0 lead with a third of the match remaining.
Seattle found its best chance of the contest just three minutes later, as Lamar Neagle headed an attempt off Nick Rimando’s crossbar. Magnus Wolff Eikrem swerved a cross into play during a free kick from the right wing, with Neagle barely missing his moment to level the match.
Brian Schmetzer’s club plays the second of back-to-back matches against RSL, with the Rave Green traveling to Utah for the return leg of the season series on Saturday, June 2. Kickoff for that contest is slated for 6:30 p.m. PT, with JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM providing coverage of the match regionally.
MATCH NOTES
- Saturday’s result brings the team to 2-6-2 on the season, currently sitting tied for 11th place in the Western Conference with eight points.
- Seattle is now 9-10-4 against RSL in MLS regular-season play, including a 8-3-2 record at CenturyLink Field. Sunday's match marked the first of two meetings in eight days between the two sides, with a match set for next Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium (6:30 p.m. PT / JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
- Sounders FC deployed a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Jordy Delem slotting at defensive midfield in front of central defenders Chad Marshall and Kim Kee-hee.
- Sounders FC ranks third in MLS with just 12 goals allowed this season. Only Columbus Crew SC (10) and FC Dallas (11) have allowed fewer tallies in 2018.
- Midfielder Handwalla Bwana was forced to exit Saturday’s contest in the 33rd minute due to a right foot injury. He was replaced by Waylon Francis.
- With the start today, Chad Marshall recorded his 379th career MLS regular-season appearance, passing Steve Ralston for fifth in league history. His 374 starts currently rank fourth all-time, and his 34,014 minutes played passes Ralston for fourth all-time, with both also slotting in at second amongst outfield players.
- Stefan Frei made his 223rd career appearance and start in goal, tying him with Pat Onstad for ninth all-time among goalkeepers.
- Forward Felix Chenkam was included in the 18-man matchday roster on Saturday as a substitute. Sounders FC signed Chenkam to the First Team roster on Friday after over a year with S2, the club’s USL side.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 0 – Real Salt Lake 1
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Venue:
Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field
Referee:
Baldomero Toledo
Assistants:
Apolinar Mariscal, Jeff Hosking
Fourth Official:
Malik Badawi
VAR:
Silviu Petrescu
Attendance:
39,508
Weather:
64 degrees and partly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
RSL – Sebastian Saucedo (Danilo Acosta) 61’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA –
Magnus Wolff Eikrem (caution) 18’
RSL
– Sunday Stephen (caution) 24’
SEA
– Nouhou (caution) 37’
RSL
– Justen Glad (caution) 42’
RSL
– Marcelo Silva (caution) 45’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Nouhou (Jordan McCrary 67’); Jordy Delem (Lamar Neagle 58’), Alex Roldan, Cristian Roldan – captain, Magnus Wolff Eikrem, Handwalla Bwana (Waylon Francis 33’); Clint Dempsey
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Tony Alfaro, Harry Shipp, Felix Chenkam
Total shots:
10 (Neagle/Wolff Eikrem, 2)
Shots on goal:
3 (Three players, 1)
Fouls:
11 (A. Roldan, 3)
Offside:
1 (Neagle, 1)
Corner-kicks:
6 (Wolff Eikrem, 5)
Saves:
1 (Frei, 1)
Real Salt Lake – Nick Rimando; Danilo Acosta, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Brooks Lennon; Kyle Beckerman – captain, Sunday Stephen, Albert Rusnak (Aaron Herrera 90’+5’); Sebastian Saucedo (Damir Kreilach 68’), Jefferson Savarino (Nick Besler 86’), Corey Baird
Substitutes not used: Connor Sparrow, Luis Silva, Ricky Lopez-Espin, Pablo Ruiz
Total shots:
6 (Beckerman, 2)
Shots on goal:
2 (Baird/Saucedo, 1)
Fouls:
16 (Three players, 3)
Offside:
0
Corner-kicks:
2 (Baird/Rusnak, 1)
Saves:
3 (Rimando, 3)
POST-MATCH AUDIO
Post-match soundbytes from Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer, goalkeeper Stefan Frei, defender Jordan McCrary, and midfielder Cristian Roldan are available via the following link: http://sndrs.com/audio.
