Clint Dempsey's offensive onslaught slowed down, sort of, as the Seattle Sounders came from behind and defeated Chivas USA on a late goal from Obafemi Martins, 2-1, on Saturday night. Chivas became the first team in three games to stop Dempsey from scoring, but couldn't keep him from moving the offense forwarded as Dempsey notched an assist on both goals in the win.
The Sounders have had Chivas number for the past few years now. Seattle has won seven straight games over Chivas and is unbeaten over its past 12 games against (8-0-4). For a brief minute, however, it looked like that Chivas finally would be able to end the dubious streak.
A foul by Osvaldo Alonso in the box netted Chivas a quick goal just five minutes into the game. Lamar Neagle responded with his own goal in the 24th minute, served up courtesy of Dempsey. A chippy Chivas squad eventually got the referee's attention after repeatedly fouling the Sounders (to the tune of a now club-record 26 times) and Marco Delgado was sent off in the 73rd minute for a late challenge on Gonzalo Pineda.
The Sounders return home for their first time in nearly a month to take on the Colorado Rapids next Saturday.
Scoring Summary:
CHV - Erick Torres (penalty) 5'
SEA - Lamar Neagle (Clint Dempsey, Chad Marshall) 24'
SEA - Obafemi Martins (Clint Dempsey) 81'
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei, DeAndre Yedlin, Chad Marshall, Djimi Traore, Leo Gonzalez (Dylan Remick 90+2'), Lamar Neagle, Osvaldo Alonso, Gonzalo Pineda, Marco Pappa (Brad Evans 67'), Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins (Chad Barrett 90+1')
Substitutes Not Used: Marcus Hahnemann, Zach Scott, Micheal Azira, Kenny Cooper
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (3 players, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Neagle, 2); FOULS: 7 (2 players, 2); OFFSIDE: 5 (Dempsey, 3); CORNER KICKS: 3 (Pineda, 3); SAVES: 3 (Frei, 3).
Chivas USA - Dan Kennedy, Eric Avila, Carlos Bocanegra, Bobby Burling, Andrew Jean-Baptise (Donald Toia 45'), Mauro Rosales (Luke Moore 86'), Marky Delgado, Carlos Alvarez, Agustin Pelletieri, Leandro Barrera, Erick Torres (Adolfo Bautista 79')
Substitutes Not Used: Tim Melia, Oswaldo Minda, Kristopher Tyrpack, Michael Nwiloh
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Torres, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (2 players, 2); FOULS: 26 (Pelletieri, 5); OFFSIDE: 2 (Torres, 2); CORNER KICKS: 5 (2 players, 2); SAVES: 1 (Kennedy, 1).
Misconduct Summary:
CHV - Leandro Barrera (caution) 28'
SEA - Leo Gonzalez (caution) 31'
CHV - Carlos Alvarez (caution) 71'
CHV - Marco Delgado (ejection) 73'
CHV - Donny Toia (caution) 90+3'
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Referee's Assistants: James Conlee, Brian Poeschel
4th Official: Kevin Stott
Attendance: 7,499
Weather: Clear, 63-degrees
Sounders quotes
Sigi Schmid
On the team's performance:
"I thought again we showed good character, going down one nothing on a penalty kick that I still haven't seen the replay of so I don't know if it was a penalty or not. It seemed a little bit soft but it is what it is. We showed the character, we came back. I thought we were close to getting a few more goals in the first half. So I thought overall we played alright in the first half. Our final passes were off a little bit but I think we were good. Second half, there was a period of time there where they got a hold of the game a little bit, obviously their enthusiasm of being at home and even after they got their red card, it seemed like everybody stepped it up for them a little bit. But then I thought we scored a great goal. I thought [Obafemi Martins] deserved the goal based on the hard work he did. Clint [Dempsey] had two assists tonight. So as long as he is involved in goals that's what's important for us."
On the comeback win:
I think it speaks to the character of our team and our ability to be able to stick that away. One nothing is nothing and you just have to overcome it and you gotta play again. I think that's what we've shown and we've been able to do that. Obviously, ideally we'd like to get in front at the beginning and win the game that way. But right now we'll take what we get.
Chivas quotes
Head coach Wilmer Cabrera
Thoughts on the team's results:
"I think on the field we're showing that we have possibilities to play with any team. It's not like we're defending or waiting to see when they're going to score on us. We play even with any team here and away and we're going to continue doing that. We have to recognize that we cannot make those mistakes with the first goal, that's a mistake that we cannot make because they're going to punish us and they did."
On the penalty kick awarded to Chivas USA:
"It's clear. When there's a foul inside the box, it's a penalty kick. As I said in the beginning, Seattle Sounders won because they scored two goals and we didn't score even though we had the opportunities. We created at the end with chances, but we should've scored. We have to be better in our finishing, we have to be more clinical and we can't make mistakes to give the ball away easily."
On Chivas USA's attitude:
"The attitude from the players is very good. They're working hard, they believe in what we've been doing. I don't have any doubts. We played against Seattle and we played even. It's not like we were waiting for them, we had possession and we had movement of the ball, we had options, attack, and even with 10 men, we tried to attack and create options and play. That's important, that shows that we believe in what we do. We have to improve in those little details, mistakes because we get punished and especially against good teams, like Seattle, with the players that they have."
On team's quality and assertiveness:
"We are building this team and there are lots of new players, but I see improvement on this team. When we go on the field, and I'm on the side, I see we're playing even. We're moving the ball, we create options, we attack, we win the ball and it's not like we're waiting on the other team to score on us or they're just shooting at us. No, we play even, have possession, good mobility and create options. But now we have to bring a little bit more of that quality and talent to finish the game and punish the opponent when we create those options. It is positive and I see an improvement every time and obviously, we have to reflect that with the results."
Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy
On the team's performance:
"I thought we played well tonight. You lose a man and it makes you adjust, and it makes them feel that they have a little momentum, I guess, and they were fortunate to get a goal. I'm really happy with where we are going. I felt like we played the gameplan the way we wanted to play. We executed the game pretty well, and we had our moments on the goal, of course we turned it over a few times, and the first goal is definitely a mistake. We should leave tonight feeling that we deserved more of the game, and it's important that we put an end to the mistakes and if we can put an end to them and if we can perform how we did tonight, we will be just fine."
On Seattle's first goal:
"It's one of those things that you are maybe a little over eager to get it. I think I had just punched the ball out, it came back to us in a crowd, and Carlos [Bocanegra] and I had a communication where I called for it and I mistimed it, and as a goalie you get one thing wrong and you get punished. Those balls are very tricky plays and I just got it wrong."
On Marco Delgado's red card:
"The play happened far away from me, so I don't know if the play was a red card. I thought the team actually played well tonight and that we deserved more. Maybe when I watch and look back and see the game I'll feel differently, but when you are on the field, you get so caught up in the game that you try to not let that be a distraction. We got enough going on out there."
On Chivas' back line:
"I think we were very good in the back. We didn't give them a lot. They were trying to slip the through-balls all day and they made one great chance of it and that was the goal that Martins got in the second half. As a team we are growing and you can see it."
Defender Carlos Bocengra
On Seattle's winning goal:
"It's always tough with 10 men and we are home. We are pushing for the win and Clint [Dempsey] picked up an early ball and they broke on us, and you know, those two are good up top, they are a good combination and they punished us at the end. It's unfortunate, but I still think that even with 10 men and before that, we hurt ourselves a little bit more, gave them the ball in some decent situations, and when you are tired, you get punished at the end of the game. They have good players and they took advantage of it."
On the team's performance:
"I think we have been playing a little bit better. We took a bad loss to the Galaxy and then against Portland and Seattle, we've come out and played a little bit better. We were very sharp against Portland, we were good tonight but we still had a few errors that hurt us. We let them counter-attack us and things like that. We have a lot of new guys in this team, but that's not an excuse anymore, we need to gel together and play more consistent and consistently better. I think we need to just play a little bit better to get results. I think we just need to focus on our team and get a little better."