Sounders 2 close season with first road win

Seattle Sounders 2 ended their 2018 campaign the best way the could (well, short of making the playoffs) with a dominant performance against the Tulsa Roughnecks that saw them escape the season without going winless on the road. Tulsa fought well in the first half, equalizing in its closing minutes after a goal from Alec Diaz, but had no answer for S2 in the second. David Estrada gave S2 back the lead in the opening minute of the second half and Tulsa never threatened again, and S2 didn’t look back. They added two more goals, one from Antonee Burke-Gilroy and one from David Olsen (his first of the season). With the 4-1 win S2 showed that when they put it all together they are a much better team than their position in the table suggests, and, most of all, that the future is bright.

Perhaps surprisingly S2 sat back a bit in the games opening moments, letting Tulsa the majority of possession, but around the 5’ minute they upped the pressure and started to turn Tulsa over in their own half. This got S2 a good early chance with a shot from distance but Fabián Cerda was equal to it.

Tulsa soon got control of the game again though, with S2 making it easy for them due to a lack of defensive work from S2’s midfielders. In the 9’ Tulsa almost scored when Michael Gamble was allowed to dribble deep into the box. He beat Calle Brown with his shot from close range but Jalen Markey was able to clear it off the line with a spectacular sliding clearance to keep the score at 0-0.

Things quieted down for a bit until S2 scored out of nowhere in the 21’. David Estrada received a ball in the box and played an excellent little dink pass off a half volley to put Alec Diaz in behind Tulsa’s backline. Diaz was able to volley the ball past Cerda from six yards to make it 1-0 S2.

After going up a goal, with their defense struggling, S2 wisely controlled the game through possession. They were successful doing so until around the 36’, but than Tulsa started to turn S2 over and attack the wide spaces. They quickly had a couple of chances to score but the AR — perhaps questionably — called Tulsa offside on both chances.

In the 42’ the AR kept his flag down though and Tulsa took advantage. Eti Tavares was able to hold his run onside and Joshua Morton played a nice through ball to put him in on Brown. Tavares had a simple finish and beat Brown to make it 1-1 going into half.

S2 got the lead back in the very first minute of the second half. After a tangle at the top of the box the ball popped free right in the path of Estrada who immediately sent in a curling shot. Cerda was able to get the tips of his fingers on it but it wasn’t enough as the ball nestled into the top corner to make it 2-1.

Just like after their first, S2 then settled into a nice long spell of dominating possession. This time they added a little more bite to it though and looked more likely to get a third than give up a second.

In the 60’ Estrada should have scored his second after Shandon Hopeau played a lovely through ball into him. He seemed to panic a bit though and sent his low shot well wide.

S2’s third goal wouldn’t have to wait long though. In the 63’ Khai Brisco got down the line well and sent a low ball into the box. It took a bit of a deflection and found its way to Antonee Burke-Gilroy who calmly swept it into the net from 13 yards out.

The third S2 goal really sucked the life out of the game. S2 seemed happy to keep possession and play solid defense while Tulsa struggled to find a way to mount an attack. After about 30 minutes of nothing, S2 added their fourth with what is likely a farewell goal from Olsen. Diaz found him in the box and Olsen took the chance well lifting it cleverly over Cerda.

Olsen’s goal made it 4-1 and that is how the game would end. A completely dominant performance from S2 and a great way to end the season.