By Steven Agen
When Nicolas Lodeiro took a deflection from a Clint Dempsey free kick first time, smashing the ball over the remnants of the wall, past David Bingham, off the post, and into the net, it looked as if the Seattle Sounders (1-3-1, 6pts.) had snatched their first road victory of the year. After a relatively quiet 83 minutes, it seemed the match would be decided by one moment of brilliance from Seattle’s main play-maker.
It wasn’t meant to be. Chris Wondolowski scored his eleventh all-time goal against Seattle just as the clock struck 90 minutes, allowing the San Jose Earthquakes (2-2-1, 7pts.) to steal a point following Lodeiro’s wonder-strike.
Few events of note took place in a docile first half. Most notably from the visitors’ perspective, Roman Torres subbed off before the twenty minute mark with a left hamstring strain. Gustav Svensson, praised for his role in Seattle’s clean sheet against Atlanta last Friday, subbed on to partner Chad Marshall in central defense.
Sounders started slow on the whole, perhaps with the exception of Osvaldo Alonso. While Clint Dempsey, Jordan Morris and Lodeiro sputtered in the attacking third, Alonso dominated the center of the park on both sides of the ball. His vintage performance, ending chances with sliding challenges and starting counters with sprayed long balls, was the most lasting memory the first half of play left on the proceedings.
The game became more stretched in the second half, but few clear-cut opportunities were created in what was truthfully a sloppy affair. A mere 6 of the match’s 32 shots were on target, and of those only several were threatening.
Lodeiro eventually opened the scoring after Dempsey won a free kick near the top of the box. Following his tremendous finish, Sounders hardly touched the ball until Wondolowski equalized on the stroke on 90 minutes.
Sounders next travel to Vancouver next Friday for their first Cascadia derby of the year, while San Jose host Dallas on the same day.
San Jose Earthquakes
Sounders FC
