SEATTLE — Midfielder Lamar Neagle tallied a goal in each half to lead the Sounders to a 3-0 CONCACAF Champions League victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in front of 37,624 fans at CenturyLink Field.
Forward Nelson Valdez scored the Sounders’ second goal and received credit for assists on Neagle’s two strikes. Chad Barrett, making his first appearance since Aug. 9, also notched two assists on the night.
The win guaranteed Seattle a spot in the knockout stage, while Vancouver’s loss eliminated them from the regional competition.
With both sides playing for the second time in five days and missing key starters due to injuries and a packed playing schedule, the Sounders’ lineup came out more energetic and determined compared to their rivals from Canada.
Seattle took the lead in the 32nd minute on a sequence involving the Valdez, Barrett and Neagle. Valdez made a pass deep to Barrett outside the box. The California native sent a ball across the six-yard box to Neagle streaking towards the right post. The attacking midfielder made a simple touch to send the ball into the back of the net and give Seattle a 1-0 advantage.
The Sounders doubled their lead seven minutes later. Midfielder Marco Pappa’s free kick from 40 yards out found Valdez in the middle of a pack inside the 18-yard box. Valdez redirected Pappa’s ball into the left corner of the goal for his second goal as a Sounder.
The Valdez, Barrett and Neagle connection struck again two minutes into the second half to extend Seattle’s advantage to 3-0. A poor Vancouver defensive clearance allowed Barrett and Valdez to partner on a give-and-go passing combination. On the return, Barrett’s sent his through pass to Neagle on his left. Neagle outran two Whitecap defenders and struck a shot high into the right corner of the net for his sixth tally of the year.
Both sides return to Major League Soccer action on Saturday. Seattle heads to Kansas City for a Western Conference clash against Sporting KC, while Vancouver hosts New York City FC.
