The Seattle Sounders are heading back to the Western Conference finals for the fourth time in five years and the fifth time in seven years after beating FC Dallas 1-0 on Tuesday. They’ll next face the winner of Sporting KC-Minnesota United with a chance to go back to MLS Cup.
Seattle Sounders FC 1 – FC Dallas 0
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Venue: Lumen Field
Referee: Robert Sibiga
Assistants: Frank Anderson, Jeremy Kieso
Fourth Official: Fotis Bazakos
VAR: David Gantar
Attendance: Closed Door
Weather: 43 degrees and clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Shane O’Neill (Nicolás Lodeiro) 49’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
DAL – Bressan (caution) 58’
SEA – João Paulo (caution) 69’
DAL – Thiago Santos (caution) 74’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Alex Roldan, Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Shane O’Neill, Nouhou; Cristian Roldan, João Paulo (Román Torres 87’), Joevin Jones (Kelvin Leerdam 68’), Nicolás Lodeiro, Jordan Morris (Brad Smith 90’+1’); Raúl Ruidíaz
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Xavier Arreaga, Miguel Ibarra, Jordy Delem, Will Bruin, Jimmy Medranda
Total shots: 14 (Jones, 4)
Shots on goal: 2 (O’Neill/Jones, 1)
Fouls: 11 (João Paulo, 4)
Offside: 1 (Lodeiro, 1)
Corner-kicks: 8 (Lodeiro, 8)
Saves: 0
FC Dallas – Jimmy Mauer; Bryan Reynolds, Matt Hedges, Bressan, John Nelson (Michael Barrios 58’); Andres Ricaurte, Thiago Santos (Jesus Ferreira 87’), Fabrice-Jean Picault (Ricardo Pepi 80’), Tanner Tessmann (Santiago Mosquera 81’), Ryan Hollingshead; Franco Jara
Substitutes not used: Phelipe, Reto Ziegler, Callum Montgomery, Brandon Servania, Ema Twumasi
Total shots: 10 (Picault/Tessmann, 2)
Shots on goal: 0
Fouls: 14 (Ricaurte/Santos, 3)
Offside: 2 (Jara/Barrios, 1)
Corner-kicks: 4 (Ricaurte, 3)
Saves: 1 (Maurer, 1)
POST-MATCH QUOTES & SOUNDBYTES: SOUNDERS FC 1 – FC DALLAS 0
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020
LUMEN FIELD – SEATTLE, WA
SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH BRIAN SCHMETZER – LINK TO SOUNDBYTES
On the consistency of this organization:
“Well what I would say is that the consistency of the organization really, there’s a lot of pieces to it. So number one you have to have good players, and I think, you know, since I’ve taken over we’ve had a really tremendous group of players each year. I would say that the organization as a whole, you know I talk a lot of times about my experiences back in the late 70s, 80s, when I was actually playing. I mean the team was a successful team back then. Alan Hinton, Jimmy Gabriel before him, John Best, I mean they started us off as kind of a winning franchise. Throughout the 90s and the 2000s, with the USL teams we’ve always had success. And I think that organizationally you know, kind of fed through that first year in ’09 when Sigi [Schmid] was here and Adrian [Hanauer] brought us into MLS. You know we had Zach Scott and Roger Levesque and some of those guys from the USL days kind of push into that. You brought back Kasey Keller, you know, Freddie Ljungberg, we plucked Osvaldo [Alonso] from Charlston, who is a winner. We’ve always had good players. And then organizationally, top to bottom, I think we’ve done a really good job. Chris Henderson has done a really good job scouting players. I tip my cap to him. I mean João Paulo was very, very good again today. Other parts of our organization, Adrian, the General Manager Garth [Lagerwey], we’ve got strong leadership there. And then you go to the fans. I mean there [are] a lot of people who are really excited about our team, you know. We miss them obviously, but we feel their presence. You need a combination of players, organization and fans and that helps drive success. I mean Seattle is a winning sports town. You win, you have good fan support. The Seahawks you know do a good job. Sonics, when they were here, I mean it’s always the same. And so I’m just pleased as punch to be part of the process and you know, it’s been a very impressive, you know, way to keep the train moving.”
SOUNDERS FC DEFENDER SHANE O’NEILL – LINK TO SOUNDBYTES
On what it feels like to score when you don’t score often as a defender:
“I mean, I have very few goals, so I definitely remember [my last goal]. Obviously it feels good, it feels really good to be able to help a team and you know, finally kind of get that break. And it feels good, I feel like again, that’s something that I’ve been kind of working on. That’s something that with Djimi [Troaore] the coach we’ve been working on a decent amount. Obviously I’ve had some opportunites, like I said. Didn’t take them. I think to finally put in that work intentionally and see some results, that feels good.”
SOUNDERS FC DEFENDER ALEX ROLDAN – LINK TO SOUNDBYTES
On how big the moment felt after having to work hard to play consistently:
“Yeah, I mean both Shane [O’Neill] and I sometimes have had to put in the effort when we get an opportunity and make it count. I think in an unpredictable season it becomes so important that players like us are ready for our opportunities. Throughout this season you see both of us showcase that in the times that we have come to play and you know obviously playoffs are a huge time… and I think we’ve put in a good shift these last fews game to push us forward into the Western Conference Finals.”