Going up against an Atlanta United team that started preseason earlier and plays their first competitive match on February 21 in the CONCACAF Champions League, the Seattle Sounders were blown out. For Seattle it was a fitness exercise that rotated Academy and Tacoma Defiance players in with First Team quality. The Five Stripes played a near ideal XI and crushed the Sounders, 7-1.
The match was played in four 30-minute periods, with Brian Schmetzer rotating players throughout. Danny Levya and Danny Robles were the only two players to see the field for more than 45 minutes. Both of the young Tacoma Defiance pros played as defensive midfielders and as the #10.
Both Chad Marshall and Jordan Morris returned the field after their injuries. Marshall played 30 minutes while Morris played 27 at left wing in Seattle’s typical 4-2-3-1.
Tacoma Defiance player Ray Serrano was Seattle’s only scorer, though the next closest to scoring was Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez.
104' My goodness. Ocampo-Chavez rounds the keeper and shoots at an empty net and it just STOPS IN A PUDDLE.
— Sounders Matchday (@LIVESounders) February 2, 2019
SEA 1 | ATL 6
Toronto FC had their evening friendly against Vissel Kobe canceled due to the heavy rains in southern California, while the other half of their split squad lost in Vegas.
MATCH SUMMARY (provided by Sounders)
Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Atlanta United FC 7
Preseason Friendly
Titan Stadium - Cal State Fullerton
Saturday, February 2, 2019
SCORING SUMMARY
ATL - Josef Martinez (Julian Gressel) 13’
ATL - Gonzalo Martinez (penalty) 30+1’
ATL - Josef Martinez (Tito Villalba) 46’
ATL - Dion Pereira 72’
SEA - Ray Serrano 88’
ATL - Romario Williams (Amir Bashti) 95’
ATL - Romario Williams 101’
ATL - Dion Pereira 109’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
ATL - Leandro González Perez (caution) 5’
SEA - Danny Leyva (caution)
ATL - Brek Shea (caution)
ATL - Kendall Edward (caution)
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC LINEUP
First Group - Stefan Frei - captain; Kelvin Leerdam, Chad Marshall (Román Torres 30’), Jonathan Campbell, Nick Hinds+; Gustav Svensson, Danny Leyva+; Handwalla Bwana, Víctor Rodríguez, Azriel Gonzalez+; Raúl Ruidíaz
Second Group (beginning at 46’) - Bryan Meredith - captain (Trey Muse 80’); Henry Wingo, Román Torres (Aleks Berkolds 72’), Kim Kee-hee, Brad Smith (Jordan McCrary 72’); Joel Rydstrand*, Alex Roldan; Jordan Morris (Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez 72’), Danny Leyva+ (Danny Robles+ 60’), Ray Serrano+; Will Bruin
Third Group (beginning at start of last period) - Trey Muse; Jordan McCrary, Blake Malone^, Aleks Berkholds*, Connor Draught^; Josh Atencio+, Danny Robles+; Shandon Hopeau+, Marlon Vargas+, Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez+; Alec Diaz+
+ Player currently signed to Tacoma Defiance roster
* Unsigned SuperDraft selection or preseason guest player
^ Sounders FC Academy Player
ATLANTA UNITED FC LINEUP
Brad Guzan (Alec Kann, Brendan Moore); Anderson Asiedu (Amir Bashti), Ezequiel Barco (Dion Pereira), George Bello (Brek Shea), Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (Mikey Ambrose), Julian Gressel (Gordon Wild), Gonzalo Martínez (Tito Villalba, Romario Williams), Josef Martinez (Brandon Vazquez), Michael Parkhurst (Jeff Larentowicz), Eric Remedi (Andrew Carleton), Miles Robinson (Kendall Edwards)
Seattle’s next preseason match is Feb. 9 against Houston Dynamo at Kino North Stadium in Tucson. That match kicks off at 5 PM Pacific and will be streamed.