Mark Malijan/NSS
After a pair of goals highlighted the first half, both offenses stagnated down the stretch amid a flurry of cards handed out by the referee, most notably a red card to Sounders defender James Riley in the 57th minute. The game ended in a 1-1 tie Sunday at Qwest Field.
“I’m very proud of our team from the standpoint of playing a man down and still trying to go for the win whereas the opponent was playing a man up, and they were very content to tie the game,” Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said.
The tie brings the Sounders FC record to 4-2-2 for 14 points. The Galaxy are now 1-1-6 for nine points.
To continue...
Sounders FC started off the scoring in the 22nd minute after forward Sebastien Le Toux, starting at forward in place of Fredy Montero, scored his first goal of the season off an assist from midfielder Steve Zakuani and forward Nate Jaqua.
Jaqua received a pass down the right side of the goal, blowing past the defenders before narrowly squeezing the ball past charging Galaxy goalkkeeper Donovan Rickets.
Zakuani and Le Toux were all alone and after the Jaqua pass, Le Toux tapped the ball into the wide open goal.
“[Le Toux] gave us what I expected; with his work rate and energy, it puts pressure on the defense,” Schmid said. “We really had [Le Toux] flow between the wing and inside, so we could bring [Brad] Evans inside a little more."
Ten minutes later, the Galaxy tied the game back up after Galaxy forward Alan Gordan scored off a header in the right corner just past a diving Kasey Keller. It came off a cross from the left side by Magee.
Le Toux pleads to the ref after Jaqua is tackled from behind
in the first half.Mark Malijan/NSS
But the real shift in the game came when Riley was issued a red card for unsporting conduct for fighting with Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter. The altercation came after a Galaxy foul, and Berhalter held onto the ball and turned his back to Riley.
“I guess he thought it was his free kick,” Schmid said. “So maybe he was momentarily confused and dazed and the referee was confused and dazed.”
Riley said he wasn’t expecting the red card, which was initially a yellow but elevated to a red after input from an assistant referee.
“It really did happen so fast,” he said. “I have no intent to ever hit a player with my hand.”
“It’s really a gutting feeling to have that happen at home.”
Riley confronts Berhalter during a free kick break in the
second half. Riley was issued a red card for hitting him.
Mark Malijan/NSS
Riley said his strike was definitely not a punch and that he was only attempting to grab a hold of Berhalter.
Neither team threatened the others team's goal much in the second half with only four shots on goal total for the game and only one in the second half.
Seattle's best chance to take the lead a second time came in the 45th minute when Jaqua scrapped his way past the defenders and into the box. With only the goalie in front of him, he was taken down from behind by a defender. No foul was called and L.A. cleared the ball.
“It’s really hard to say what upsets you the most," Ljungberg said. "I think it’s the whole thing. Everybody knows how important the goals are. One goal would’ve changed the game."
Seattle's next game is May 16 against FC Dallas (1-6-1) at 5:30 p.m. in Dallas.
Game Stats:
Total Shots: Seattle 7, L.A. 6
Shots on Goal: Seattle 2, L.A. 2
Saves: Seattle 1, L.A. 1
Fouls: Seattle 11, L.A. 16
Offsides: Seattle 4, L.A. 0
Corner Kicks: Seattle 5, L.A. 8
Here was the starting lineup for today's game. Fredy Montero was out due to his red card in the last game.
Seattle Sounders FC
GK 18 Kasey Keller
DEF 7 James Riley
DEF 34 Jhon Kennedy Hurtado
DEF 14 Tyrone Marshall
DEF 12 Nathan Sturgis
MID 3 Brad Evans
MID 6 Osvaldo Alonso
MID 10 Freddie Ljungberg
MID 11 Steve Zakuani
FWD 21 Nate Jaqua
FWD 9 Sebastien Le Toux
Los Angeles Galaxy
GK 1 Donvan Ricketts
DEF 22 Tony Sanneh
DEF 16 Gregg Berhalter
DEF 4 Omar Gonzalez
DEF 2 Todd Dunivant
MID 15 Stefani Miglioranzi
MID 9 Jovan Kirovski
MID 8 Dema Kovalenko
MID 18 Mike Magee
FWD 21 Alan Gordon
FWD 10 Landon Donovan
Reach Jeff Richards at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
