Colorado Rapids 2 : 2 Sounders FC (Match Report)

Keller’s Heroics Rescue Point for Injury Hit Sounders

May 23

Vote for your Sounders Man of the Match

Goals from Fredy Montero and Nate Jaqua secured an unlikely point for the Sounders, but it was Kasey Keller’s acrobatics that will rightly draw the headlines. Two of his five saves were well beyond the category of regulation saves and could safely be described as world class. They came at points in the game where Seattle were clearly struggling and had he not pulled them off, the outcome might have been very different than Seattle’s fourth consecutive draw.

A sparsely filled Dicks Sporting Goods Stadium welcomed the Sounders for their first visit there. Sounders were already injury hit and the evening couldn’t have started off more disastrously, as Player of the Season, Osvaldo Alonso, went down after just 40 seconds with a right quadriceps strain. Alonso had felt the quadriceps tightening in pre-game warm-ups but it was too late for him not to start the game. He had to be replaced, with Stephen King providing relief. Sounders were in temporary disarray but held firm in adversity through a turbulent next ten minutes. Indeed, the first real event of note came at the other end of the pitch when Freddie Montero threw himself to the ground in an exaggerated fashion and compounded his felony by rolling over theatrically five times. This is bound to attract the attention of his coach who openly criticised the practice of embellishment three weeks ago. He didn’t even come close to convincing the referee to award a free kick.

However, events began to look brighter for the beleaguered Sounders just four minutes later. James Riley made excellent progress up the right wing. His cross was met by Fredy Montero, whose right foot effort rebounded off the post. Montero, however, was the first to react and his header flew over the prostrate Matt Pickens and into the net. The goal was somewhat against the run of play, but Sounders were grateful beyond relief to find themselves in the lead.

Six minutes later, fortune also favoured them as a free kick from the Colorado left was met firmly by the head of Omar Cummings. His header cannoned off the cross bar with Keller beaten.

Two minutes later it was Conor Casey who came close but slid his effort beyond the right post as Keller closed him down. It was no more than temporary relief for Sounders as a minute later Pablo Mastroeni fed the ball out to Cummings on the right in acres of space. He had time to find Colin Clark who equalised for the Rapids with Keller beaten. Nate Jaqua picked up a yellow card in the 28th minute for a foul on Clark as his frustration took over and the momentum began to swing.

In the 34th minute, it was Cummings again who proved the Sounders tormentor. Once more Pabo Mastroeni found him in too much space down Colorado’s right for Sounders comfort. His cross found Connor Casey whose header was superbly saved when Keller dived to his left. From the resulting corner Stephen King cleared the ball from under the Sounders’ cross bar after Cory Gibbs had stabbed the loose ball goal wards. Two minutes later, Seattle came under pressure again when Zakuani was not awarded a free kick, and from the subsequent break Colin Clark found Cummings again on the right. Fortunately for Seattle his cross came to nothing, as Keller went down low to poach it.

It was Sounders again who came closest to taking the lead against the run of play. A Seb Le Toux corner found Tyrone Marshall’s header,which had beaten Colin Clark’s jump to the ball. With Pickens beaten, the Jamaican’s firm header hit the cross bar. Then the pendulum swung again. Just before the half time whistle, Keller provided another miracle. Nick LaBrocca found himself clean through with only Keller to beat. Keller’s outstretched right hand saved Seattle’s parity, and allowed them to go to the locker room undeservedly on level terms with Keller to thank. It was a phenomenal save and prevented the Sounders losing a goal just before half time for the second week running.

The second half began as disastrously as the first for the Sounders. Conor Casey was clear through on goal and although he hesitated, a cruel deflection off Peter Vagenas took the ball goalward where Nathan Sturgis’ desperate clearance came too late to prevent the ball crossing the line.

Seven minutes into the half, Sturgis was the hero as he got to a Colin Clark cross and redirected it over. Hurtado was the next booked but Sounders were hanging in there despite continuous Colorado pressure. It was a tough stretch for the Sounders and they weathered it well. Zakuani had been ineffective on the left wing and swapped sides with Le Toux who went left and soon found himself flattened. In the 70th minute, Keller was again the hero as Pablo Mastroeni burst through only to be foiled by the on form keeper. Schmid then pulled off the tiring debutant Vagenas for Patrick Ianni. It was tough going for Seattle and Casey fortunately hesitated with a clear opportunity and this momentary pause gave Jhon Hurtado time to intervene and deflect the ball away. Two minutes later, the superb Omar Cummings drove over the bar. Seattle looked to be heading for defeat but this fascinating encounter was to swing yet again.

James Riley pinged a long looping cross in from the right. It arrived on the head of Fredy Montero who nodded down into the path of Jaqua. The Oregon native found the perfect time to break his lean spell, and the equaliser was just rewards if not for the Sounders, definitely for captain Keller. Colorado acted immediately and Ty Harden came on for Scott Palguta, quickly followed by the removal of the superb Omar Cummings for Jacob Peterson.

At the same time, an exhausted Sturgis, who had been given a torrid time by Cummings, was replaced by a fresh Tyson Wahl. Surprisingly it was Seattle who had the best of the remaining chances. Six minutes from time, Steve Zakuani drove straight at Matt Pickens, the ball rebounded to Montero who this time probably was brought down, but his subsequent theatrics may have done his case for a free kick more harm than good. Quickly after Montero found himself clean through on the same keeper, who saved Colorado for a second time in two minutes. Montero had the last chance in injury time but drove wide.

Both teams face off again Tuesday night in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in game at Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila.

Seattle lie in second place in the MLS Western Conference with 16 points. Their next league game is Saturday, May 30 against the Columbus Crew on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.

Sounders FC: Kasey Keller; James Riley, Jhon Hurtado, Tyrone Marshall, Nathan Sturgis (Tyson Wahl 79′); Osvaldo Alonso (Stephen King 2′), Peter Vagenas (Patrick Ianni 71′), Steve Zakuani, Seb Le Toux; Nate Jaqua, Fredy Montero

Substitutes Not Used: Ben Dragavon, Sanna Nyassi, Roger Levesque, Taylor Graham

Colorado Rapids: Matt Pickens, Jordan Harvey, Ugo Ihemelu (Kosuke Kimura 71′), Cory Gibbs, Mehdi Ballouchy, Conor Casey, Omar Cummings (Jacob Peterson 79′), Nick LaBrocca, Colin Clark, Pablo Mastroeni, Scott Palguta (Ty Harden 77′)

Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, Greg Dalby, Terry Cooke, Gregory Richardson

Colorado v Sounders Player Ratings by Dave Clark

Who was Sounders Man of the Match?

---

NEW Commission an Award-Winning Prost Amerika Match Report for your child, school or team. Send us an email for further details.*

Stay Informed When We Post a New Story

Facebook User? Become a Facebook Fan

Click For All Stories in the Match Reports, Sounders FC Category

Back to Soccer Homepage

*Discount for Washington Youth Soccer Members. Perfect for a birthday present too.