SEATTLE, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC (11-7-5, 38 points) dropped a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Sporting Kansas City (7-9-7, 28 points) at CenturyLink Field on Sunday night. Despite two second-half strikes from forward Jordan Morris, the Rave Green could not overcome Sporting’s attack that featured a brace from Felipe Gutierrez and an insurance goal from Erik Hurtado. After tonight’s result, Sounders FC finds itself in a three-way tie for second place in the Western Conference, level on 38 points with Minnesota United and the San Jose Earthquakes.
MEDIA RESOURCES
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:https://sndrs.com/d5h7t
PHOTOS - IMAGES FOR MEDIA USE:https://sndrs.com/rr4cw
VIDEO - BRIAN SCHMETZER POST-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE: https://sndrs.com/tyjrh
VIDEO - JORDAN MORRIS POST-MATCH MEDIA SCRUM:https://sndrs.com/9dgwr
VIDEO - DANNY LEYVA POST-MATCH MEDIA SCRUM:https://sndrs.com/qrqdk
VIDEO - HANDWALLA BWANA POST-MATCH MEDIA SCRUM:https://sndrs.com/xd346
AUDIO - DOWNLOADABLE POST-MATCH SOUNDBYTES: http://sndrs.com/audio
Sporting secured a first-half brace through Gutierrez, with the Chilean scoring from the run of play in the 12th minute and from the spot in the 33rd minute. Seth Sinovic assisted on the first goal, with the second goal coming via penalty kick after Nouhou was deemed by the video review process to have fouled Gerso Fernandes on the preceding play.
Morris pulled Seattle back into the match just moments into the opening of second-half play, making a signature dash through the left channel, finishing at Tim Melia’s near post for his sixth strike of the season. Nico Lodeiro earned his 10th assist of 2019 on the goal, marking the third consecutive campaign that the Uruguayan has posted at least 10 assists in a season.
Sporting reestablished its two-goal lead in the 58th minute, this time through a charging Hurtado, who bested Seattle’s backline to record his first goal of 2019. Morris pulled one back in the 82nd minute, receiving a through ball from Handwalla Bwana, smoothly converting his seventh strike of the season. Unable to convert any subsequent chances, Seattle dropped its second straight home game for the first time in over three years (March of 2016).
Brian Schmetzer’s side returns home to host Eastern Conference club New England Revolution on Saturday, August 10 (1:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Univision-Seattle, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH NOTES
- With tonight’s result, Sounders FC sits in a three-way tie with Minnesota United FC and the San Jose Earthquakes for second place in the Western Conference with 38 points (11-7-5). Seattle is now 14 points behind Supporters’ Shield-leading LAFC and one point ahead of fifth-place LA Galaxy.
- Morris has now scored in consecutive matches for the first time since September of 2016. He tallied the lone marker in a 1-0 win vs. Vancouver on September 17, 2016 and he recorded a brace in a 4-2 win at LA Galaxy on September 25. The forward scored the game-winner at Houston last Saturday, July 27, in a 1-0 victory.
- Tonight’s multi-goal game was the third of Morris’ career and his second of the season, as he recorded a brace in the season opener on March 2, a 4-1 Sounders FC home victory over FC Cincinnati. Morris now ranks second on the club in goals this season with seven tallies, one behind Raúl Ruidíaz.
- Lodeiro recorded his 10th assist of the season, which ranks fourth in MLS. This marks the third consecutive campaign that he has posted at least 10 assists in a season. Eight of his 10 assists in 2019 have come in front of the home crowd at CenturyLink Field. Lodeiro has two assists in two games against Sporting Kansas City this season, as he recorded one at Children’s Mercy Park on May 26.
- Bwana recorded the second assist of his career and his first of the season. He earned his first assist on October 8, 2018 in a 4-1 home win against the Houston Dynamo.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Sporting Kansas City 3
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Venue: CenturyLink Field
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistants: Frank Anderson, Mike Rottersman
Fourth Official: Baldomero Toledo
VAR: Kevin Stott
Attendance: 37,722
Weather: 81 degrees and sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Felipe Gutierrez (Seth Sinovic) 12’
SKC – Felipe Gutierrez (penalty) 33’
SEA – Jordan Morris (Nicolás Lodeiro) 46’
SKC – Erik Hurtado (Gerso Fernandes) 58’
SEA – Jordan Morris (Handwalla Bwana) 82’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA– Nouhou (caution) 35’
SEA – Seth Sinovic (caution) 40’
SKC – Gerso Fernandes (caution) 53’
SEA – Saad Abdul-Salaam (caution) 55’
SKC – Benny Feilhaber (caution) 62’
SEA – Nicolás Lodeiro (caution) 71’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Saad Abdul-Salaam, Kim Kee-hee, Xavier Arreaga, Nouhou (Jordy Delem 86’); Danny Leyva, Cristian Roldan, Harry Shipp (Justin Dhillon 59’), Nicolás Lodeiro – captain, Joevin Jones (Handwalla Bwana 69’); Jordan Morris
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Jonathan Campbell, Alex Roldan, Kelvin Leerdam
Total shots: 14 (Morris, 5)
Shots on goal: 5 (Morris, 4)
Fouls: 11 (Three players, 3)
Offside: 1 (Dhillon, 1)
Corner-kicks: 10 (Lodeiro, 10)
Saves: 4 (Frei, 4)
Sporting Kansas City – Tim Melia; Graham Zusi, Andreu Fontas, Matt Besler – captain, Seth Sinovic; Ilie Sanchez, Felipe Gutierrez, Benny Feilhaber (Gianluca Busio 64’), Gerso Fernandes, Daniel Salloi; Erik Hurtado (Johnny Russell 80’)
Substitutes not used: Eric Dick, Kelyn Rowe, Nicolas Hasler, Graham Smith, Jimmy Medranda
Total shots: 10 (Gutierrez, 4)
Shots on goal: 7 (Gutierrez, 4)
Fouls: 23 (Hurtado, 7)
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 7 (Gutierrez, 4)
Saves: 3 (Melia, 3)
POST-MATCH AUDIO
Post-match soundbytes from Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer, midfielders Danny Levya and Handwalla Bwana, in addition to forward Jordan Morris are available for download via the following link: http://sndrs.com/audio
