Match Data
SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Minnesota United FC 1
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Venue: Allianz Field
Referee: Timothy Ford
Assistants: Brian Dunn, Cory Richardson
Fourth Official: Guido Gonzales Jr.
VAR: Ricardo Salazar
Attendance: 19,832
Weather: 67 degrees and partly sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
MIN - Ike Opara (Jan Gregus) 26’
SEA - Cristian Roldan 42’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
MIN - Jan Gregus (caution) 45’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Saad Abdul-Salaam, Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Brad Smith; Jordy Delem, Cristian Roldan, Handwalla Bwana (Will Bruin 60’), Nicolás Lodeiro - captain, Víctor Rodríguez (Raúl Ruidíaz 85’); Jordan Morris (Román Torres 79’)
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Nouhou, Harry Shipp, Alex Roldan
Total shots: 7 (C. Roldan, 2)
Shots on goal: 1 (C. Roldan, 1)
Fouls: 8 (Three players, 2)
Offside: 6 (Morris, 5)
Corner-kicks: 5 (Lodeiro, 5)
Saves: 2 (Frei, 2)
Minnesota United FC - Vito Mannone; Romain Metanire, Ike Opara, Brent Kallman, Eric Miller; Jan Gregus, Osvaldo Alonso, Rasmus Schuller (Darwin Quintero 76’); Ethan Finlay (Romario Ibarra 68’), Angelo Rodriguez, Miguel Ibarra
Substitutes not used: Bobby Shuttleworth, Michael Boxall, Kevin Molino, Hassani Dotson, Lawrence Olum
Total shots: 12 (Three players, 2)
Shots on goal: 3 (Three players, 1)
Fouls: 16 (Rodriguez, 5)
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 9 (Gregus, 9)
Saves: 0
Post-Match Quotes
SEATTLE SOUNDERS HEAD COACH BRIAN SCHMETZER
On his thoughts following the match…
“Beautiful stadium, nice to see an exciting game.”
On if the chances were there for three points tonight…
“Three points were there for either team. I think both teams, credit to Adrian and his guys, and obviously my guys did everything they could to get a winner, so that’s what I enjoyed out of the match. Certainly I would’ve wished one of those would have gone in. I was just watching the highlights of Cristian’s goal, Nico’s diving header would’ve been just as nice. Will’s kind of came off a set piece, so Will does pretty well. We had some other half chances in there, and then like I said credit to them because they had some chances at our end as well.”
On Abdul-Salaam’s first start since March 18th and how he felt he played…
“Good, very good, did exactly what we always say, next guy step up. I was pleasantly surprised with his outing.”
On his thoughts on Roman Torres’ play tonight and what he told him when he subbed him on…
“Well again, for the soccer tacticians out there, when you bring three center backs on some people say it’s a defensive move and you’re playing five in the back. The instructions were to bring three and put two forwards up there, and to try to win the game, because Brad and Saad were having good moments out in wing channels. You know, they brought Quintero on with Angelo, so three center backs for two forwards, and we were pushing to try to make the game and get another goal.”
On how all three of the subs made an impact tonight…
“Great, Roman’s played well, obviously. The home game against LAFC, he did exactly what I asked him to do and then some, he was very dangerous on our set pieces. Will came on and gave us 30 solid minutes. Raul only trained once, so for him just to get out on the field was a positive for me.”
On what influence Cristian had on Ozzie’s performance tonight…
“I’m trying to stem that narrative, but I mean look, they’re different players. If I look at Ozzie’s performance tonight, he was good, he does exactly what he did well, he breaks up plays, connects passes, does what we always know he can do. Cristian did exactly what he does, which was get up and down the field, he’s more of an eight, he is goal dangerous. Cristian has scored some big goals for us in our time, and he does some of the defending work, Delem and him did a good job of taking care of a tricky midfield three.”
On why Cristian played above his standards tonight…
“Because it was a game he wanted to win. His desire to win, I’ll give you guys this, his desire to win matches Ozzie’s.”
SEATTLE SOUNDERS DEFENDER SAAD ABDUL-SALAAM
On his performance during the match…
“Yeah, it’s good to get my first full 90 minutes with a new team. Everyone on the team has made me feel comfortable from the start and I’m just happy to be here.”
On [Eric] Miller in the first half…
“Yeah, just because it was my first full 90 minutes playing with Handwalla [Bwanna], we just had to communicate a little bit and I’ve also played against Miller a little bit as well so I just had to make a few little adjustments and I think we did pretty well going forward.”
On communication with Kim [Kee-Hee]…
“It’s good actually, you’d be surprised. Kim communicates a lot better than most people think.”
On instructions from Coach heading into the game…
”Just do what I do best, don’t try to play outside myself and play within the group.”
On Minnesota as a team…
“I think Minnesota is a really good team actually. From the first time they entered the league to now is a huge change. It’s always fun playing against old teammates. Ike Opara, that’s kind of like a mentor for me from Kansas City, I was his roommate so it’s really cool playing against him and marking him on set pieces.”
On if Opara had any messages for him after his goal…
“No, not really. We talked a little bit before the game. Congrats to him on scoring a goal but we still came out with a point.”
On Allianz Field…
“It’s a really nice stadium, good fanbase. To fill any stadium is always good. The field’s a little soft but that’s probably the only complaint. The atmosphere, everything was great.”
On takeaways from the match…
“It’s definitely something to build on. Any loss, any win, any draw is something we can go by and look at and come back and play them again better.”
SEATTLE SOUNDERS MIDFIELDER JORDY DELEM
On back to back starts and the result tonight…
“Yes. Back to back starts as you said. We have had some injuries, but you have stay ready and do your job. The team is most important, we got one point, we are a little bit disappointed, but we will take the point today.”
On the MNUFC attack…
“Angelo [Rodriguez] is a big guy, we know he can catch the ball. Our defense did a pretty good job besides the goal. That happened and now we have to move on. We have to score more and look forward to the next game. “
On pushing forward late in the match…
“We felt good, we tried [for the winner], but we were unlucky today, but it is a good point. Now we have to step forward and keep working hard to score more goals.”
On seeing Ozzie Alonso on the other side tonight…
“It was weird, he’s a good guy. He did a good job for his team. It is always a pleasure to see him. I wish him good luck.”
On how influential Ozzie Alonso was in your career…
“Yes, because we played the same position. We know he is a great man, he has given me some good advice. He has had a great career and I try to listen to him to get better.”
On if Cristian Roldan reminds you of Ozzie Alonso…
“Two different type of players. Ozzie has helped him too. He has given him good advice.”
SEATTLE SOUNDER’S CRISTIAN ROLDAN
On tonight’s result…
“Well interesting game., we had our chances and in the end it’s a one point against a quality side and in an unbelievable stadium, great atmosphere but we felt that we could’ve taken away two more points but on another day you score those two headers off the post and you’re celebrating in the locker room. “
On playing against Ozzie…
“I thought Ozzie played well, he looked good you know. He does his same old moves and it’s hard to stop the way he dribbles out of the back out of pressure, the way he manages the game and passes, his passing ability has gotten better so really interesting to see Ozzie on the other side but in the end happy for him and happy has found a place he’s shown well for.”
On goal scored…
“I saw it bouncing my way. I don’t really shoot those, usually I take a touch and end up passing it but today I was feeling lucky and you know it bounced right my way, I closed my eyes and shot as hard as I could.”
On coming away from with one point tonight…
“I think its mixed feelings in the locker room, obviously we feel that we could’ve gained a few more points with the chances that we had but in the end you’re not losing points to western conference sides and that says a lot. One way to stay on top is to play against these western conference sides extremely well and maintain good results to keep you running for supporter shields and first place in the western conference. In the end, happy that we came away with the tie but obviously on another day we win this game.”
On Saad Abdul- Salaam playing right back
“I think they performed extremely well, both came out to play. They were eager to come out in tough environment and show what they got this season, this league is funny… one week you’ll have all eleven starters and the next you’ll have five of them, so you need everybody that you can have and any given day to be ready, those guys came out to play and happy for them because we’ll be using them more so in the future.”
On shot going in...
“It felt good right as I kicked it, didn’t know it was going in, the keeper had a good step to it. I was debating whether to take a touch or shoot it or take it first time because my ankle was bugging me but in the end I just said I’m going for it, I’m glad I was decisive in that moment. Happy for it but a tie is more important for sure.”
On interactions with Ozzie…
“In the end I gave him a hug, at the beginning of the game I gave him a hug. At the end I wished him well, said I’ll be watching him. Just excited to see him play another season, I’m glad he’s playing well. Just wished him well and told him I’m watching him play.”
On having an extra push to show Ozzie…
“I don’t think it’s a story between two players in this game specifically, I think it was two teams higher up in the western conference side competing out there but anytime you play against Ozzie you need a little bit of grit because you know he’s going to bring it. I didn’t receive any motivation from Ozzie but knowing I was going to play against him, I had to step it up a little bit.”
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[MNUFC did not provide post-match quote transcriptions]