Marching on: Sounders make it 3 in a row

The Seattle Sounders closed out Phase One of Leagues Cup play with a 2-1 win over Tijuana. Needing a result to advance, the Sounders came back after a late goal in first half stoppage time scored by Tijuana’s Kevin Castaneda, getting second half goals from Osaze De Rosario and Danny Musovski to finish top of the table for MLS teams and “ as the only team to win all three games.

Seattle ran the show throughout the first half, taking 68% of possession and out-shooting Tijuana 11-6 while taking four corners to zero for the Xolos before halftime. Andrew Thomas had to make a few plays, including a pair of saves in the 21st minute after a turnover in midfield put the Sounders defense under pressure, but throughout the first half Seattle’s attack was the busier of the two.

A few chances were created for the Sounders through good one- or two-touch holdup play from both Osaze De Rosario and Jesús Ferreira, one of which resulted in a dangerous chance for Reed Baker-Whiting that earned Seattle a corner in the final moments of the first half. On that corner kick defender Aarón Mejía raised his arm while jumping with De Rosario, striking the ball and giving the Sounders a penalty. Albert Rusnák stepped up to the spot and despite being particularly reliable from 12 yards out, he put his shot off the post and Obed Vargas put the follow-up out for a goal kick.

Just minutes later the Sounders lost the ball in their end as it looked like Ferreira may have been fouled, but no whistle came, Tijuana jumped on their chance and No. 10 Castaneda hammered a shot in from just outside the box to give Tijuana a 1-0 lead in the 4th minute of stoppage time.

It wouldn’t take long for the Sounders to find their answer once the second half started. They nearly had it in the 47th minute when Baker-Whiting played an excellent through ball for De Rosario to put him in on goal, but goalkeeper Jorge Hernández saved the shot. De Rosario wasn’t to be deterred, though, and in the 56th minute he got the equalizer. Cristian Roldan swung the ball out from about the edge of the midfield circle to Ryan Kent on the left wing, and Kent dribbled at his defender before accelerating towards the end line and hitting an out-swinging cross to the back post where DeRo headed it into the near post side netting.

Seattle kept pushing, but nearly gave up an opportunistic goal on a quick counter in the 72nd minute. Fortunately Thomas was once again there to deny Shamar Nicholson after Castaneda found him wide open on the right. Seattle came close to getting their second in the 77th minute when Cristian Roldan hit a rocket of a shot after some slick passing to keep possession in a dangerous area, but the Sounders would have to wait a little longer still as the GK saved the shot well.

It wasn’t too long that the Sounders had to wait, fortunately. In the 88th minute Ferreira sent in an out-swinging corner from the right side that Cristian Roldan redirected from the near post, and Danny Musovski was in the perfect spot to head in what proved to be the winning goal.

Nicholson nearly scored again when a throw-in deep in Seattle’s half turned into a clear 1-v-1 with Thomas, but Nicholson skied his shot in the first minute of stoppage time. The last bit of excitement came in the 5th minute of second half stoppage time when Vargas was through the defense and in on goal until centerback Ramiro Franco brought him down from behind, earning him a straight red card and leaving Tijuana to see the game out with 10 men.

The goals and the win were great, but the second half was somewhat marred by Rusnák and Kent both having to leave the game with hamstring injuries. It’s unclear how long they’ll be out, but Seattle’s schedule doesn’t slow down from here, as they hit the road to play the LA Galaxy on Sunday.

Lineups

Lots of rotation for the Sounders from Sunday’s match, as Ryan Kent and Jesús Ferreira return to their starting spots on the wings from the Cruz Azul game. Osaze De Rosario gets the nod up top allowing Danny Musovski to get some rest. Cristian Roldan is back in midfield replacing Danny Leyva, Yeimar return to the XI with Kim Kee-hee on the bench, and Reed Baker-Whiting and Kalani Kossa-Rienzi start at left and right fullback in place of Nouhou and Alex Roldan.

Key moments

16 - SHOT! A nice pass from Kent, some slick touches to control and a back heel into space by De Rosario set up a good look for Rusnák that’s just palmed away from goal and out for a corner.

17 - WOODWORK! On the ensuing corner Yeimar and Ferreira both put headers off the frame of goal, but Tijuana are able to clear the ball before the Sounders can turn the chaos in the box into an actual goal.

21 - DOUBLE SAVE! A turnover in midfield turns into a Tijuana counter that Seattle can’t deal with. Thomas makes a save on one shot but gives up a rebound and makes sure to catch the following shot.

26 - SHOT! Rusnák and Vargas work the ball around in the box before Vargas drops it back to Roldan for a first-time effort from the top of the box that goes just over the bar.

28 - CHANCE! A great little layoff from Ferreira puts Rusnák in space through the middle with runners on either side. He finds Kossa-Rienzi who has a cross blocked followed by a good shot that’s saved, but he’s able to win a corner.

38 - SHOT! Kent receives a pass from Roldan and hits a good shot that’s blocked. The deflection falls to Ferreira with space to shoot, but his shot goes high.

45 - SHOT! Excellent holdup play to receive a pass and let RBW pick it up as he ran into the box where a dangerous shot is blocked out for a corner by the GK.

45+1 - PENALTY! On the following corner De Rosario jumps with his man and the defender swings his arm up and strikes the ball.

45+2 - MISS! Rusnák takes it from the spot and goes for the bottom far corner, but hits his shot off of the post. Vargas has a follow-up shot on the rebound but puts it wide.

45+4 - Goal, Tijuana. After it appeared that Ferreira had been fouled, Tijuana keep the ball in Seattle’s end and Castaneda beats Thomas from outside the box. 1-0, Tijuana

47 - CHANCE! RBW plays a fantastic through ball for DeRo who is in on goal, but has his shot saved. The rebound goes off the face of a defender and out for a corner.

56 - GOAL! Roldan finds Kent wide left, Kent backs his defender down then drives at the and line before cutting a cross to the back post where De Rosario rises up to head it back where it came from and into the side netting to equalize! 1-1

60 - CHANCE! Roldan slips a ball through for Vargas, but the angle closes and the ‘keeper makes a kick save to deny him.

63 - Subs. Tijuana bring on Jesus Gomez, Gilberto Mora and Shamar Nicholson, taking off Joe Corona, Adonis Preciado and Leonardo Vargas. The Sounders bring on Alex Roldan and Paul Rothrock to replace Kalani Kossa-Rienzi and Albert Rusnák.

72 - SAVE! Thomas comes up big once again! Castaneda finds Nicholson on the weak side on a breakaway, but Thomas is able to stuff the shot and the Sounders usher the ball out for a goal kick.

77 - CHANCE! De Rosario puts in some great work near the corner on a throw-in to keep possession in a dangerous area. The ball gets worked around and eventually Cristian Roldan smashes a shot that’s only just saved by the GK for a corner.

79 - Sub. Aaron Mejia comes off immediately after receiving a yellow card, replaced by Unai Bilbao for Tijuana.

82 - Sub. Ryan Kent comes off with an injury and is replaced by Pedro de la Vega, while Danny Musovski comes on in place of Osaze De Rosario for the Sounders.

88 - GOAL! DANNY MUSOVSKI! Cristian Roldan wins the initial header to redirect the ball across goal from a Ferreira corner, and Musovski is there to smash his own header home! 2-1, Sounders

90+1 - Sub. Seattle take off Jesús Ferreira and bring on Kim Kee-hee.

90+1 - Miss! Nicholson gets in 1-v-1 with Thomas, but absolutely skies his shot.

90+5 - RED CARD! Tijuana go down to 10 for the final minutes of stoppage time as Ramiro Franco fouls Vargas from behind at the top of the box as the midfielder goes in on goal with only the ‘keeper to beat.

Quick thoughts

Depth, Defined: The Sounders have tested and flexed their depth through their three games in Phase One of the Leagues Cup. Twenty players got minutes, eight players had goals and seven players had primary assists. Osaze De Rosario scored twice, both assisted by Ryan Kent — who may unfortunately be out for a while after picking up a hamstring injury in this game — Georgi Minoungou had a goal, and Snyder Brunell made his first appearance since signing a first team contract. Danny Leyva looked solid, nearly getting a goal of his own and being credited with an assist on Minoungou’s goal, and may be in line for a significant increase in minutes with Rusnák’s injury. The schedule is congested, and will continue to be for as long as this Leagues Cup run continues on top of an already busy final stretch in MLS play. They’ll need every bit of their depth.

Delightful De Rosario: Osaze De Rosario sits in an odd spot: he just turned 24 last month, which means he’s not exactly a ‘young’ player by most reckonings in the world of professional football, but he’s still pretty inexperienced when it comes to top level competition. He’s in or entering his physical and athletic peak, and as he gets more run with the Sounders first team he’s starting to show the tools he’s got in his belt. He scored his first MLS goal against Atlanta United before this tournament started, and in the four-game span including that game and Leagues Cup he’s got three goals in 137 minutes. It’s an absolute heater, and he obviously won’t keep scoring at that rate, but he offers a lot beyond a big frame that can put the ball in the back of the net. He was credited with 4 chances created, took 31 touches and had 10 of them inside the area, and put 2/3 shots on target. He makes smart runs, has an impressive burst of speed, a willingness to do the ugly and thankless work up front, and combines a good size frame with impressive technical ability that is perfectly utilized in his hold-up play. Seattle’s reputation for developing players brought DeRo to Tacoma Defiance in the first place, and that collaboration has resulted in a player with fantastic potential in the first team.

A get right tournament: Tijuana head coach Sebastian Abreu talked a bit during post-game about the imbalance in the travel demands and home field advantage between Liga MX and MLS sides in this tournament, which is obviously a factor here, but the Sounders are taking full advantage of the opportunity that Leagues Cup provides. While MLS teams, particularly those playing in their home stadiums, definitely have an edge, Liga MX teams are still taking the competition seriously and offer a great chance for MLS teams to test themselves against a different group of opponents. The Sounders, spurred on by the Club World Cup, have grabbed that opportunity with both hands. They’d been in good form in league play after CWC, going undefeated in 6 games but going W-D-W-D-W-D during that stretch and giving up 2 or more goals in each of the last 4 games before Leagues Cup action started. They’ve continued their attacking output, scoring 11 goals in 3 Leagues Cup games, but have also managed to tighten up at the back as they’ve only allowed 2 goals. It’s not just luck or bad shots from their opponents, they’re seriously limiting chances as they’ve allowed a total of 23 shots through those 3 games while taking 55 - they took more total shots against Tijuana, 26, than they’ve allowed so far this tournament. Guys are getting hot, the defense is locking things down, and Andrew Thomas is locked in. This has been exactly (minus injuries) what Seattle needed.

Notable quote

“The Moose-iah, Danny Musovski, saved us.” - Brian Schmetzer on the winning goal.

Player spotlight

Cristian Roldan is an easy pick just about any time the Sounders play. Roldan had an assist and was credited with a game-high 5 chances created, had 98 touches, 10 passes into the final third, went 7/11 on long balls, and won 12/18 duels including 4/5 aerial duels.