TUKWILA, WASH. – Second-half goals from Cristian Roldan and Joevin Jones gave Seattle Sounders FC a 2-0 win over the Kitsap Pumas on Wednesday evening in the Fourth Round of the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Starfire Stadium. Aaron Kovar and Erik Friberg recorded the assists and goalkeeper Tyler Miller kept a clean-sheet as the Rave Green advance to the Fifth Round of the tournament. Seattle’s Fifth Round opponent and matchup date are set to be determined via a draw held on Thursday, June 16, with updates being provided by @OpenCup on Twitter at 9:00 a.m. PT.
After 70 minutes of scoreless play, Roldan put Seattle on the board first when he found the end of a Kovar cross inside the 18-yard-box and put a deflected shot past Kitsap goalkeeper Matt Grosey for the 1-0 lead. The goal marks the second professional goal for Roldan, who previously scored in the 2014 Sounders FC 2 season-opener against Sacramento Republic FC, also held at Starfire Stadium.
Jones, who came on as a substitute in the 63rd minute, made it 2-0 in second-half stoppage time when he got behind the defense on a through-ball from Friberg. The winger from Trinidad & Tobago calmly put a well-placed shot into the back of the net for his second goal in as many games. Jones scored his first Sounders FC goal in the club’s last competitive match, a 2-0 win at D.C. United on June 1.
Sounders FC is now 22-2-3 all-time since joining MLS in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, including a 18-1-1 record at home. Winner of the U.S. Open Cup in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014, Sounders FC is tied with the Chicago Fire for the most titles in the tournament among MLS clubs. Maccabi Los Angeles and Bethlehem Steel FC hold the record with five wins apiece. In 2011, Sounders FC became the first team since 1968 to win three consecutive Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships.
Sounders FC returns to action on Sunday with its first MLS matchup since June 1 against the New York Red Bulls. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. PT at Red Bull Arena with a nationally televised broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Kitsap Pumas 0
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Venue: Starfire Stadium
Referee: Chipalo Street
Assistants: Jeff Hosking, Kelsey Harms
Fourth Official: Farhad Dadkho
Attendance: 3,515
Weather: Mostly cloudy and 60 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Cristian Roldan (Aaron Kovar) 71’
SEA – Joevin Jones (Erik Friberg) 90’+1’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
KIT – Jesus Sanchez (caution) 10’
KIT – Cory Keitz (caution) 60’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Tyler Miller; Oniel Fisher, Zach Scott – captain, Tony Alfaro, Dylan Remick; Cristian Roldan, Zach Mathers, Nathan Sturgis (Erik Friberg HT); Aaron Kovar, Herculez Gomez (Andy Craven 84’), Darwin Jones (Joevin Jones 63’)
Substitutes not used: Charlie Lyon, Chad Marshall, Tyrone Mears, Jordan Morris
Total shots: 15 (Gomez, 5)
Shots on goal: 6 (Gomez/ Kovar, 2)
Fouls: 12 (4 players with 2)
Offside: 1 (Craven, 1)
Corner-kicks: 5 (Kovar, 4)
Saves: 4 (Miller, 4)
Kitsap Pumas – Matt Grozey; Ian Lange, Rene Dezorzi, Cory Keitz, Matt Eronemo; Joel Waterman (Ibrahim Diaby 67’), Jesus Sanchez, Nick Hamer, Hamza Haddadi (Darius Madison 73’), Javier Castro (Enrique Cardenas 78’), Mike Ramos
Substitutes not used: Arturo Oberto, Trevor Jensen, Kalem Scott
Total shots: 5 (Hamer, 2)
Shots on goal: 4 (Hamer, 2)
Fouls: 13 (Castro, 3)
Offside: 2 (Madison/Haddadi, 1)
Corner-kicks: 3 (Sanchez, 3)
Saves: 5 (Grosey, 5)
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders FC improves to 22-2-3 all-time in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, including an 18-1-1 record at home.
- The Rave Green are now 2-0-0 all-time against the Kitsap Pumas. Sounders FC topped the Pumas 2-1 in the Third Round of the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
- Zach Mathers made his First Team debut with 90 minutes of action in the midfield. The Duke University product signed a short-term agreement – a four-day contract – prior to the match. He has recorded two assists in 11 matches with S2 this season.
- Joevin Jones made his first U.S. Open Cup appearance with Seattle as a second-half substitute and recorded a goal in second-half stoppage time. In addition, forward Herculez Gomez, defender Tony Alfaro, forward Darwin Jones and goalkeeper Tyler Miller made their first U.S. Open Cup appearances with Sounders FC.
- Midfielder Cristian Roldan scored his first professional goal with the First Team in the 71st minute. Midfielder Aaron Kovar was credited with the assist.
