Aaron Weinberg/NSS
Seattle Sounders FC needed a Fredy Montero goal just before the halftime whistle to earn a 1-1 draw on the road against the New York Red Bulls, after Juan Pablo Angel took advantage of a miscleared ball to score in the 40th minute for New York.
The Sounders finished a run of three matches in seven days without conceding a defeat and have taken five points from the last three matches. Montero has recently come into a run of form, scoring goals in two out of three of those matches.
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A rainy affair at Giants Stadium proved to be difficult for both teams early in the match. Although the Red Bulls had lost the last six matches, they were fortunate to draw after the Sounders dictated possession and created better chances to score in the match on Saturday June 20.
Angel was on hand for the first chance of the game after Jorge Rojas headed a ball towards him in the six-yard box. Angel was able to get his head on the ball, but pushed it wide after being pressured by Seattle defender Tyrone Marshall.
Montero was involved in the Sounders' best chance of the half in the 33rd minute, ghosting into the near post and heading the ball from a Sebastian Le Toux corner. The header was palmed by New York 'keeper Danny Cepero onto his crossbar and out for another Seattle corner.
Although Seattle dominated the first half, Angel was on hand in the 40th minute to take advantage of a mistake on the Sounders' back line. Marshall miscleared a ball played into the Seattle half right into the path of Angel. The New York striker took one touch past the onrushing Kasey Keller in goal, before tapping the ball into an empty net.
New York's lead lasted approximately five minutes, as Montero pressured the Red Bulls' backline just before halftime. A slide tackle on Jeremy Hall on the right side of New York's half gave Montero possession and he dribbled into the box and blasted a ball past Cepero from a tight angle to level the game at 1-1. After scoring in Wednesday's 3-3 thriller with D.C. United, Montero has found his scoring touch again and has now scored seven goals this season to lead the Sounders.
Montero almost gave Seattle the lead just after half time when he was played behind the New York defense by Marshall in the 47th minute. The striker took a near-post shot, which Cepero was able to dive to his right and push the ball out for a corner.
Steve Zakuani was quiet for most of the match, but came to life in the 77th minute with a mazy run through the New York defense. Zakuani scissor-stepped Jeremy Hall before ripping a left-footed shot which was saved by Cepero.
Montero was again involved in a Sounders' chance in the 85th minute, taking a throw-in from substitute Sanna Nyassi. Montero juggled the ball over a New York defender, made a move past another and pushed the ball around an onrushing Cepero but was denied his second goal by the right-hand post.
The Sounders return to Seattle for a three-match home stand and will have an eight-day rest before facing the Colorado Rapids at 1 p.m. next Sunday June 28th at the XBox Pitch.
Reach Jesse Amorratanasuchad at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
