Sounders FC concluded its preseason camp in Southern California on Saturday with a closed-door friendly against defending MLS Cup Champion Atlanta United at Titan Stadium on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. Following today's friendly, the club returns home to Seattle for three days before departing for camp in Tucson, Arizona, where the club is set to play preseason friendlies against the Houston Dynamo, Portland Timbers and FC Dallas.
Saturday’s 90-minute friendly consisted of three 30-minute periods, with Sounders FC deploying three separate groups, the first two for 45 minutes and the third for 30 minutes. Brian Schmetzer’s side featured a mixture of players from the First Team, Tacoma Defiance, Sounders FC Academy and unsigned SuperDraft Picks.
Sounders FC Academy product and Tacoma Defiance midfielder Ray Serrano scored the lone goal for the Rave Green in the 88th minute. After some initial Seattle pressure in the final third, Serrano pounced on a loose ball in the area after a deflection and put his shot into the back of the net.
2018 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Josef Martinez recorded a brace for Atlanta, scoring on a cross from Julian Gressel in the 13th minute and converting a long-range shot from outside the area in the 45th minute. Offseason acquisition Gonzalo Martinez scored Atlanta’s second goal via penalty kick after drawing a foul inside the area after a long run up the left flank, while Dion Pereira made it 4-0 in the 72nd minute with a flick-in following a Seattle misclearance on a corner kick. Jamaican international Romario Williams then scored twice in the final period and Pereira added another to give Atlanta the 7-1 result.
Sounders FC now returns home for a brief stint in Seattle before traveling to Tucson on Wednesday, February 6 for 11 days in Arizona. While in Tucson, the Rave Green are scheduled to play three preseason fixtures, facing the Houston Dynamo (February 9), Portland Timbers (February 13) and FC Dallas (February 16), all at Kino Sports Complex. Prior to departing for Arizona, Sounders FC is set to train in Seattle on Tuesday, February 5 at Starfire Sports.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 – Atlanta United FC 7
Preseason Friendly
Titan Stadium – Cal State Fullerton
Saturday, February 2, 2019
SCORING SUMMARY
ATL – Josef Martinez (Julian Gressel) 13’
ATL – Gonzalo Martinez (penalty) 30+1’
ATL – Josef Martinez (Tito Villalba) 46’
ATL – Dion Pereira 72’
SEA – Ray Serrano 88’
ATL – Romario Williams (Amir Bashti) 95’
ATL – Romario Williams 101’
ATL – Dion Pereira 109’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
ATL – Leandro González Perez (caution) 5’
SEA – Danny Leyva (caution)
ATL – Brek Shea
ATL – Kendall Edwards
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC LINEUP
First Group – Stefan Frei – captain; Kelvin Leerdam, Chad Marshall (Román Torres 30’), Jonathan Campbell, Nick Hinds+; Gustav Svensson, Danny Leyva+; Handwalla Bwana, Víctor Rodríguez, Azriel Gonzalez+; Raúl Ruidíaz
Second Group (beginning at 46’) – Bryan Meredith – captain (Trey Muse 80’); Henry Wingo, Román Torres (Aleks Berkolds 72’), Kim Kee-hee, Brad Smith (Jordan McCrary 72’); Joel Rydstrand, Alex Roldan; Jordan Morris (Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez 72’), Danny Leyva+ (Danny Robles+ 60’), Ray Serrano+; Will Bruin
Third Group (beginning at start of last period) – Trey Muse; Jordan McCrary, Blake Malone^, Aleks Berkholds, Connor Draught^; Josh Atencio+, Danny Robles+; Shandon Hopeau+, Marlon Vargas+, Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez+; Alec Diaz+
+ Player currently signed to Tacoma Defiance roster
* Unsigned SuperDraft selection or preseason guest player
^ Sounders FC Academy Player
ATLANTA UNITED FC LINEUP
Brad Guzan (Alec Kann, Brendan Moore); Anderson Asiedu (Amir Bashti), Ezequiel Barco (Dion Pereira), George Bello (Brek Shea), Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (Mikey Ambrose), Julian Gressel (Gordon Wild), Gonzalo Martínez (Tito Villalba, Romario Williams), Josef Martinez (Brandon Vazquez), Michael Parkhurst (Jeff Larentowicz), Eric Remedi (Andrew Carleton), Miles Robinson (Kendall Edwards)
