Well that was fun! It was a great night for the Sounders as no one was seriously injured, goal-scorers scored goals, and young players got to match up against Premier League competition. Seattle will try to carry the momentum from this friendly into league play and US Open Cup matches as a busy July continues.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 3 - West Ham United 0
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Venue: Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field
Referee: Chipalo Street
Assistants: Jeff Hosking, Mike Rottersman
Fourth Official: Levi Rippy
Attendance: 38,585
Weather: Partly cloudy and 63 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA - Herculez Gomez (penalty) 42'
SEA - Jordan Morris 70'
SEA - Jordan Morris (Joevin Jones) 72'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA - Tony Alfaro (caution) 20'
WHU - Marcus Browne (caution) 38'
SEA - Aaron Kovar (caution) 43'
WHU - Doneil Henry (caution) 88'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei (Tyler Miller 46'); Oniel Fisher (Michael Nelson 77'), Zach Scott - captain (Jimmy Ockford 46'), Tony Alfaro, Dylan Remick (Joevin Jones 62'); Cristian Roldan (Michael Farfan 46'), Nathan Sturgis (Erik Friberg 72'), Andreas Ivanschitz (Zach Mathers 62'); Aaron Kovar (Victor Mansaray 62'), Herculez Gomez (Jordan Morris 62'), Oalex Anderson
Substitutes not used: None
Total shots: 17
Shots on goal: 10
Fouls: 11
Offside: 3
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 6
West Ham United - Adrián (Raphael Spiegel 46'); Lewis Page (Sofiane Feghouli 46'), Winston Reid (Pedro Obiang 46'), Declan Rice (Doneil Henry 46'), Sam Byram (Aaron Cresswell 46'); Diego Poyet (Antonio Martinez 46'), Mark Noble - captain (Havard Nordveit 46'), Marcus Browne (Quina Domingos 46'); Martin Samuelson (Manuel Lanzini 46'), Moses Makasi, Andy Carroll (Reece Burke 46')
Substitutes not used: None
Total shots: 18
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 12
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 7
POST-MATCH QUOTES
SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
On the match:
"Obviously we are pleased with the victory and pleased that we got goals because that is something that has been hard to come by for us this year. Anytime you get a goal-scorer scoring goals it helps their confidence. It was good for Jordan [Morris] and Herculez [Gomez] even though it was a PK. And we are realistic enough to understand that West Ham is at the beginning of their preseason and that obviously a lot of their players are missing because they are given time off from national teams and things like that, but on the same token we rested a lot of our guys and played a lot of our young guys and it was a good experience for them. And you know we scored good goals and I think you know with the exception of the first ten minutes of each half where they really possessed the ball from us I think we played equal."
On what he can take away from this game:
"I learned about individual players...and what we continue to have to do as a team to get better and our ability to score goals. There was good running, the timing of the running was good even in the first half we were getting people in behind by being patient and then springing people at the right times and that is something that we have to continue to do and carry into the Galaxy game."
On younger players getting experience against teams like West Ham:
"It is obviously great with their confidence. With young guys you take a few lumps sometimes and this year we have taken a few lumps. On the same token there is growth that is taking place. Morris is still a young player. Joevin Jones still comparatively young player. Oalex [Anderson] is a young player. [Tony] Alfaro is stepping in and doing very well and [Oniel] Fisher. Every opportunity they get they learn a little bit and play a little better. One of the interesting ones for me tonight was Zach Mathers, who against Salt Lake he really struggled, and tonight he listend and heard the things that we had talked about and implemented them and I thought it was very good tonight and deserverdly set up that second goal. So they will contintue to learn and grow and when you are young, as we all were at one time, some of us longer ago than others, we are impetuous and we make errors sometimes."
One what they can take away from this game:
"It's three games in a row now that we haven't lost and for the team and its confidence that is something that you want to continue to build upon. When you are in a rough patch, in a rough spell sometimes that is what the team needs and everyone feels a little better about themselves, everyone walks in with their head a little bit higher, their chest puffed out a little bit more. Again, getting goals was important and seeing individual performances and seeing how guys responded. It was a good test for Fisher with the number 20 he was very quick and fast. You know you can evaluate guys and see how they are doing."
On getting a first victory against a Primere League team:
"It's great because it's the first victory against at Primere League team. That's the main thing that it means. But again like I said I think we are realistic, we know what it is in terms of catching them early but we also are very proud of the fact that we won. You know, people can say, hey you know they played a lot of young kids and academy kids well then maybe we should beat them and we did so you know we fulfilled that. Again as a coach you are looking at individual performances and you are also looking at how we related to each other as a group."
On trying to balance having a game every four days:
"Obviously tonight was good because it shows that we have some depth and we have some players that we can put in there. We get the mix right and get the understanding right then we can be successful. You know we've got the Galaxy and we've got Dallas and we've got Portland and we got the Galaxy again in the Open Cup and then we got Kansas City. So those are big games for us but I also think there's guys who can play a lot of minutes in those games. Guys that will be rotated a little bit but I feel confident that we can put a team that capable of winning each and every game on the field."
On having friendlies in the middle of the season:
"When we looked at our July [schedule] we weren't thrilled that this game was in there but then we won the game and you say, ‘Oh that was a great idea, it was fantastic.' It helped our confidence. Like I said, there is sometimes there are moments that turn a season and it's tough to predict what those moments will be. Maybe the moment was the penalty-kick shootout in Salt Lake, maybe winning this game. You know, everybody's boosted a little bit and that can become a catalyst for what we are tyring to do in league."
SOUNDERS FC FORWARD JORDAN MORRIS
On what the team can take away from the match:
"I think every game you play you learn how to come together more as a group. Especially when you're struggling a little bit, to get a win in any context gives you more confidence. So going into the next game it will be beneficial."
On his personal growth halfway through the season:
"I feel like I've just gained more confidence. At the beginning of the season it was tough and had to come in and learn, it's a new environment and new level of play obviously. It took a little bit of adjusting but now I feel more confident. I feel more comfortable in the locker room and know the guys really well, so all of that kind of helps with play on the field as well."
On scoring two goals against an English Premier League team:
"Yeah of course [it was cool]. I grew up watching this league and obviously they just had a really good season last year, and of course they're just starting out their season. It would be tough to come off of vacation and play over here, but to play them was awesome."
On whether he feels like he is hitting another gear with scoring form:
"I think that my play may be similar, but I feel more confident in front of goal I guess. Whenever you score goals it gives you more confidence and next time you have a chance you feel like you're going to bury it. The goal gets a little bit bigger for you honestly, so I think it's been good."
SOUNDERS FC DEFENDER ZACH SCOTT
On whether the result is a turning point for Seattle:
"I don't know, I mean I don't buy too much into pulling out results in friendlies. I remember when 45 minutes was really hard to play during the preseason, so I can imagine those guys feel the same. But, a big part of that is just building momentum, building confidence, which I think is something we were starting to lack through kind of a low period. So, all in all that's a good thing. The biggest thing is that guys are just itching to play. There are guys that are working hard in practice, but aren't getting the game time, so it's good to get those guys on the field and actually play a game instead of just training today."
On a number of young players performing well and building confidence:
"It's good because then they can always look back on a day like today and say ‘Hey I played a role in beating West Ham 3-0. So that's good, because confidence is a huge part of being a young guy. A lot of the times when you're older you've seen it all and you've been through it all, so it's a little bit easier to bounce back when you're going through a rough patch. But as a young guy you kind of need guys around you, and opportunities, that do build up that confidence."
On whether he tells the young guys to enjoy these types of experience:
"Yeah a little bit. A little bit is just ‘Do your job, play your role and good things will happen'. I think everyone that stepped in did exactly that. Nobody tried to do too much or tried to make a mark and do something that wasn't in themselves. So credit to the young guys that came in and did really well."
SOUNDERS FC DEFENDER JIMMY OCKFORD
On returning to Seattle from loan:
"It feels great! Even though it's a quick trip, I enjoyed it and seeing the guys and all the staff members. So it was good."
On his experience on loan with New York Cosmos:
"It's been very good, I'm getting some great minutes in. I've gotten a few starts with a great group in a good league and it's very competitive, so it's all I can ask for right now."
On playing against a Premier League side for his first appearance with Seattle this year:
"Oh yeah it's awesome, a great experience for sure. It was a huge opportunity for me and it was definitely worth the flight over here."
On playing against the kind of players he grew up watching:
"I just like to look at it as another game in terms of my mindset. But it's great to be on the field with some of those guys."
On his individual performance:
"I thought I did pretty well. I got some action, I think I could've got some more action, but I think I did well."
SOUNDERS FC FORWARD OALEX ANDERSON
On playing against an EPL side:
"It's a big moment for me, it's a special moment, because growing up I used to watch these guys. I used to watch these guys all the time on my TV, so it's a big opportunity. I just put it in my mind that I'm not going to show any respect no matter who it is. Whoever it is, I'm just going to go out on the field and do my thing because at the end of the day everyone on the field is human. I'm just going to out on and do my thing and not show any respect to anybody."
On nearly scoring before Jordan put in the rebound:
"I'm really unlucky right now [laughs]. Very, very unlucky. But it will come. It will come."
On whether the recent form of the team helps his confidence:
"Yeah, like I said we're building the momentum and confidence. We lacked that during the season when things are going poorly. That was a great miss for me because it builds my confidence. Hopefully - surely -- that first goal is coming. When it comes it is going to give me confidence to score more goals."
WEST HAM HEAD UNITED HEAD COACH SLAVEN BILIC
On what he wanted to take away from tonight's match:
"It's the preseason so a game is a game. We just started a few days ago so we're in the process of training so it was good training. For me, maybe it was a bit too early to run on a big pitch for full distance, long distance. We tried to avoid that long distance by keeping good shape, by keeping the ball. In the second half, I think the game split because it was a friendly so the ball was all over the pitch. At the end, it's excellent if nobody got injured so I'm quite pleased except with the result. But a good day for us - good training and we'll gain good fitness from this game."
On if he was impressed by any Sounders players in particular:
"They're a good team and are in better form and better shape. I know some of their players from Europe...and I know [Clint] Dempsey also, but he didn't play. The striker [Jordan Morris] who came on, we know he's a leading goal scorer for Seattle. They're a very solid team, a very confident team."
On wheter the artificial surface was a big adjustment for his team:
"Well, it's not ideal because we don't train in England on this kind of surface. But for this stage of the preseason, we were okay with this surface. Maybe the guys will report something tomorrow - after they cool down - whether they have stiffness in their calves or achilles or knees. But that was my first question after the game - are we all okay - and we are so that's good."
WEST HAM UNITED MIDFIELDER MARK NOBLE
On your thoughts on playing in Seattle:
"It is lovely here. We are being looked after well and they have great training facilities. Obviously a good workout for us you know and good to get some minutes under our belt. Obviously it is really early for us. We have only been training two days. It is a little bit of a shock for our system but it is preseason and that is what it is all about."
"It is great here, that is what I am saying. For a lot of the young boys especially who have not experienced this before it is really exciting for us to see and listen to the national anthem. To be fair as we said we knew it was going to be tough because we have only had two days of training but it was a great workout for us and we can't thank you enough for putting on a game for us."
On your thoughts on Seattle and Century Link Field:
"It is an amazing place. I have always wanted to come on a sort of preseason somewhere like this. To train at the Seahawks place and come and play here is fantastic for us. It is an experience you don't get a lot so we are lucky for that."
On playing versus the MLS as opposed to the EPL:
"Yeah I mean at the end of the day it is good for us to come here at this time of the year. Your boys are already in midseason so you are really fit and game ready where as I said we have only had two days of training and are coming off six weeks of holidays. For us to come here and see new things and see new stadiums and have new experiences is great for us."