Photos by Max Aquino & Matt Warso Captions by Toby Dunkelberg
With absences on both sides, there was a heavy dosage of submitters in the starting elevens. DC was without Bill Hamid, while Sounders were still without Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey. The bright spot for Seattle was the return of dogged center mid Osvaldo Alonso. But with only one DP on each side it was clear this was going to be a scrappy game.
The match start off bad for DC as Luis Silva is replaced by Conor Doyle in the 5th minute due to a “tight groin.” With Osvaldo Alonso back in the lineup, Tyrone Mears and Dylan Remick are free to bomb forward and give Andrew Dykstra a hard time.
Things get physical between Zach Scott and Fabian Espindola, eventually a yellow card is given to Scott. In an act of frustration Espindola retaliates with a elbow to Scott’s face. Referee Silviu Petrescu’s 27th minute red card changes the dynamic of the game entirely.
Only three minutes later Frei goes down hard on his left shoulder after a harsh challenge by Birnbaum. He shrugs it off for a bit but he eventually goes off in 45’+1’ holding his shoulder tightly.
Despite being down to ten men DC shows that they are content to sit and defend in the face of a hamstrung Seattle attack. Chances are made for Seattle but, with Roldan as their offensive catalyst, no truly dangerous chances are created before the half closes out.
Sounders pick it up to start the first half led by numerous takeovers from Alonso who hadn’t lost a step despite this being his first game back from injury. With DC firmly on the defensive it takes some harsh challenges and a Conor Doyle yellow card foul on Neagle to keep it scoreless. Hs repeated fouling red card shouts from the stands.
DC United comes close a couple of times around the 60th minute, testing backup keeper Troy Perkins to the fullest with bounces off the bar an keeper challenges from Corb and Rolfe.
Jairo Arrieta comes on for Rolfe and immediately gets to work requiring three Sounders defenders to steal the ball away. After that promising touch Sounders really start to press forward, Scott and Marshall camp out at the midfield line, and Mears lobs in crosses like a midfielder.
A little shoving match in the 77th minute ends with yellows for Osvaldo Alonso and Perry Kitchen.
The substitutes flood the field, defensive ones for DC United and young attackers for Seattle.
In the 88th minute, a Seattle cross flies through the area and falls to a wide open Mears who traps in and fires off a shot past Dykstra to get the Sounders the full three points. DeLeon, who had a great night, very nearly equalized a minute later with after he eludes a defender and beats Perkins but not the crossbar.
In the 88th minute, a Seattle cross flies through the area and falls to a wide open Mears who traps in and fires off a shot past Dykstra to get the Sounders the full three points. DeLeon, who had a great night, very nearly equalized a minute later with after he eludes a defender and beats Perkins but not the crossbar.
