Seattle Sounders 2-FC Dallas 1
The Sounders and FC Dallas engaged in a wild one on Sunday night. The Sounders topped FC Dallas 2-1 in a nationally televised game at Centurylink Field.
The game had all of the intensity of a playoff match. The Sounders started on the front foot right away earning the first of 11 corners in the first half in the first minute. The Sounders were all over FC Dallas early. Playing the first 20 minutes almost entirely in the Dallas half. The Sounders finally broke thru on a corner in the 42 minute as Chad Marshall scores with a grazing header off a Loderio corner. The Sounders go into half up 1-0.
The second half began with the Western Conference leaders showing some fight. Dallas tied it up in the 52nd minute with new forward Dom Badji chesting in a Maxi Urruti cross for the goal. After that goal though Seattle took over despite Dallas trying for its first win in Seattle since 2011. Cristian Roldan earned a foul in a dangerous area in the 61 minute. Loderio scored the go ahead goal on the ensuing free kick, making it 2-1 to the Sounders.
The last quarter of the match had FC Dallas really putting the Sounders under pressure but they just couldn’t get the equalizer. Tempers were very short as the game got very chippy with Reto Ziegler being sent off for violent conduct in the 90th minute. The Sounders manged to hold the ball in the corner of the Dallas end for almost the entire 4 minutes of added time. With a frustrated Dallas team repeatedly fouling Roldan in the corner Referee Ted Unkel had seen enough called the game.
The Sounders are unbeaten in eight match and now just three points out of the last playoff position. The game also marked a very lively debut for new left back Brad Smith. The what has become the annual Sounders mad playoff push is fully underway.
Seattle Sounders FC
