The Sounders finished their tour of Argentina yesterday with a disappointing 1-0 loss to River Plate. Despite the loss, the Sounders have an impressive 7-2-1 record so far in the preseason.
It’s hard to put too much weight on any preseason game, but it would have been a nice way to end their Argentina experience had the Sounders defeated River Plate, one of the most famous clubs in South America.
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A win would have provided a nice boost for the Sounders, who returned home today to prepare for an exhibition match against the Colorado Rapids on March 12.
However, the loss should not dampen the high morale within the Sounders locker room, even though the Seattle starters failed to score against River Plate’s reserves in the first half. Coach Sigi Schmid inserted more ofa reserve unit for the second half of the game.
The game was played on artificial turf at River Plate’s complex, a venue very familiar to the Argentinians, which may have played a role in the outcome.
While the loss dampens the enthusiasm created by the Sounders stellar preseason, it should not be too detrimental due to good defensive marking and solid goal-scoring chances on corner kicks. The Sounders provided a fairly positive defensive display for the majority of the match, as River Plate didn’t score the game-winner until the 84th minute.
Seattle’s best scoring chances came from unexpected sources as Tyrone Marshall and Patrick Ianni, both defenders, came closest with set piece headers in the 5th and 87th minutes.
With the team returning home to Seattle, Schmid now has to begin to finalize his starting lineup. Argentina provided a nice platform for players to try to prove themselves for the regular season. Now, as they return, it will be interesting to see what Schmid decides to do when the season begins.
Note: In a blow to Seattle’s attacking depth, forward Jarrod Smith has been placed on injured reserve. Smith suffered a hip flexor injury while in Argentina and will be sidelined for the first 6 games of the regular season. He is eligible to return May 2nd.
Reach Alden Walcon at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
