Afrigather The Seattle Sounders defeated Austin FC 1-0 on Saturday evening within the capital of Texas. Off the again of Tuesday’s match in Sacramento, tonight’s match towards Austin had the potential of being difficult. However the Sounders have been in a position to put collectively a no-nonsense efficiency and so they get to fly again residence to Seattle with all three factors.
The primary half performed out nearly precisely how the Sounders wished. No clear alternatives for Austin and the sport was performed at Seattle’s tempo. Certain, there have been a couple of moments the place you’d have appreciated to see the Sounders have extra composure in assault, however they have been answerable for the primary half, on brief relaxation, away from residence. Probably the most notable second needed to be when Danny Musovski was main a counterattack within the thirty third minute however simply kind of loses the ball underneath his toes and may’t discover a large open Pedro de la Vega, who was clear by on objective.
The Sounders have been in a position to execute the self alley-oop with their second half efficiency. Constructing on the muse they constructed within the first half, Seattle got here out within the second half and took care of enterprise. Subbing in Albert Rusnák and Jordan Morris, the veterans have been in a position to immediately get into the tempo and take management. Morris’ affect particularly was properly felt as his instincts to get in behind prompted all types of issues for Austin FC broadly and Brendan Hines-Ike particularly. Inside half an hour, Morris had a objective and acquired Hines-Ike despatched off.
Key moments
5 – Austin will get their first nook kick of the match however weren’t in a position to do something with it. Resulted in them fouling Leo Chu to stop the counter.
7 – Gyasi Zardes was performed in behind however fires his shot properly over the bar.
12 – de la Vega has a 30-yard free kick tipped over the bar by Brad Stuver. Shut!
16 – de la Vega was introduced down within the field searching for a foul however the referee waved it away. Julio Cascante left his toes to carry down de la Vega, however no name.
24 – Danny Musovski is down for the second time with an obvious head damage. He was introduced off the sector for a test and due to MLS guidelines, he needed to keep off the sector for two minutes.
33 – Sounders have been on a harmful counter-attack however Musovski is unable to seek out any of his streaking teammates, de la Vega probably the most notably open one.
35 – Yeimar Gomez Andrade acquired a yellow card for fingers to the face. Harmful free kick for Austin on the sting of the field.
40 – Harmful moments for Austin the place they have been in a position to get in a few harmful crosses however nobody was in a position to end.
45+2 – Austin ends the half with a few probabilities however nothing got here of it.
HT – Rusnak and Morris enter the match for de la Vega and Musovski.
49 – Frei needed to make an excellent save at his close to publish on a Sebastian Drussi header.
52 – A really formidable volley from Alex Roldan flew into the stands. Objective of the yr candidate if he had linked on that. 45 seconds later, Paul Rothrock follows this up with a in the reduction of shot.
58 – Brendan Hines-Ike acquired a yellow card for bringing down Morris on the break.
61 – Chu with an enormous miss. The Sounders had a transparent break on objective, Rusnak performs Chu in completely, and Chu simply shot it proper at Stuver.
63 – MORRIS GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! Vargas with the gorgeous dribble, Rothrock with the gentle layoff, and Morris with the good end. Left-footed as properly.
JMO IS ON FIRE 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/EvCaXiOiR7
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) July 14, 2024
66 – Reed Baker-Whiting on for Chu.
77 – Hines-Ike is shipped off for his second yellow.
79 – the following free kick from the earlier foul was NAILED off the crossbar by Rusnak. Almost a wonderful second for the new participant.
90 – Diego Rubio is introduced down within the field by Ragen and the referee waved it off. Not a penalty! The following nook is almost scored by Austin, but it surely goes simply large.
Fast ideas
Jordan Morris this, Jordan Morris that: One of many hottest gamers in MLS proper now didn’t even want to start out the sport to make his affect. Morris was a menace after approaching at halftime. Inside 32 minutes of gameplay, he drew two yellow playing cards on Hines-Ike and scored a objective. Past that, he was only a fixed risk.
Schmetzer masterclass in administration: The Sounders head coach determined to go to the properly once more along with his beginning lineup as a substitute of creating wholesale modifications, even with a jampacked schedule. Seattle solely made three modifications from their final MLS recreation, and the lineup that began the second half would most likely be thought of their first-choice XI of everybody who’s match. Past simply the picks, it’s a must to assume Brian Schmetzer is the happiest particular person on the planet with the efficiency his staff put in tonight.
Vargas’ victory: The unsung hero of the match tonight was Obed Vargas. He’ll present up on the stat sheet with a secondary-assist on the objective, however his presence was felt rather more all through the match. He was crisp and decisive on the ball, received his duels, and largely managed the sport from midfield towards Austin. An actual man of the match efficiency from the younger child.
Notable quote
Schmetzer on staff’s kind: “the ball simply appears to be bouncing our approach. Perhaps earlier within the yr, they name a penalty. Perhaps that nook sneaks in. Jimmy Gabriel used to say ‘your luck tends to even out’ and at first of yr we had a ton of unhealthy luck. It’s night out.”
— Jeremiah Oshan (@JeremiahOshan) July 14, 2024
Participant highlight
Stefan Frei – This match doesn’t finish this manner with out Frei’s 111th profession shutout, only one behind Kevin Hartman for second all-time. He made essential saves all through the sport to maintain it even, and extra importantly stored it 1-0 when Austin threw the kitchen sick on the objective in stoppage time.
