Sounders FC secures late 2-2 draw on the road with Montreal Impact at Olympic Stadium

MONTREAL, QUÉBEC – Seattle Sounders FC (0-1-1, 1 point) earned a 2-2 draw on the road to the Montreal Impact (0-1-1, 1 point) Saturday evening in front of 34,373 fans at the Olympic Stadium. Matteo Mancuso and Ignacio Piatti each scored for the Impact, but Nicolás Lodeiro’s 83^rd minute penalty-kick and Will Bruin’s equalizer in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time gave Seattle its first point of the 2017 campaign. Brian Schmetzer’s club returns home next weekend for its home-opener in a nationally-televised matchup with the New York Red Bulls on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field (4:00 p.m. PT / FS1, KIRO Radip 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).

Montreal struck first in the 17^th minute, with Mancuso getting behind the Seattle defense on a through ball from Piatti. In a one-on-one with Stefan Frei, the Montreal newcomer rounded Seattle’s goalkeeper and slotted a shot into the back of the net for his first MLS goal.

Piatti made it 2-0 in the 51^st minute, taking advantage of a Seattle giveaway for his first strike of the season and his 31^st since joining the Impact in 2014. The Argentine international capped a long run that spanned half the field with a low shot past two defenders and inside Frei’s near post. 

Defender Oniel Fisher subbed on for Gustav Svensson the 59^th minute, immediately bursting along the right flank and creating dangerous opportunities for the away side. After surging into the area, a subsequent foul led to referee Jair Marrufo pointing to the penalty spot. In the 83^rd minute, Lodeiro coolly slotted his attempt into the bottom left corner of the net.

Moments before the final whistle, rookie midfielder Henry Wingo found Cristian Roldan in open space along the right sideline. The third-year pro took a heavy dribble before sending a curling cross in front of Montreal’s goal. Jordan Morris received the service and knocked the ball down inside Montreal’s six-yard-box, where Bruin scored the equalizer from close range off the bounce. The goal marked Bruin’s first goal for Seattle and the eighth goal in club history to occur at least four minutes into second-half stoppage time during league play.

Harry Shipp made his Sounders FC debut against his former team, replacing Alvaro Fernandez in the starting XI as Brian Schmetzer’s lone change from last Saturday’s lineup against Houston. The midfielder slotted in on the left opposite of Lodeiro for his first appearance in Rave Green after being acquired via trade from Montreal in the offseason.

After beginning the 2017 campaign with a pair of road fixtures, Sounders FC returns to Seattle next Sunday for the club’s first match of the season at CenturyLink Field, taking on the New York Red Bulls in a nationally-televised bout on FS1 (4:00 p.m. PT / FS1, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM). Capacity has already been expanded for Seattle’s home-opener due to demand. 2017 Season Ticket Memberships are still available by calling 877-MLS-GOAL or emailing Sales@SoundersFC.com. Complete information on all Sounders FC ticket packages can be found at SoundersFC.com/Tickets.

MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Montreal Impact 2
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Venue: 
Olympic Stadium
Referee: 
Jair Marrufo
Assistants: 
Corey Rockwell, Brian Poeschel
Fourth Official: 
Geoff Gamble
Attendance:
34,373
Weather: 
Mostly cloudy and 4 degrees (indoors)
SCORING SUMMARY
MTL –
Matteo Mancosu (Ignacio Piatti) 17’
MTL –
Ignacio Piatti (Patrice Bernier) 51’
SEA –
Nico Lodeiro (penalty) 83’
SEA –
Will Bruin (Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan) 90’+4’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
MTL –
Laurent Ciman (caution) 11’
MTL –
Matteo Mancosu (caution) 65’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC
–
 Stefan Frei; Gustav Svensson (Oniel Fisher 59’), Román Torres (Will Bruin 85’), Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones; Osvaldo Alonso – captain, Cristian Roldan, Nico Lodeiro, Clint Dempsey, Harry Shipp (Henry Wingo 72’); Jordan Morris
Substitutes not used:
 Tyler Miller, Tony Alfaro, Jordy Delem, Alvaro Fernandez
Total shots:
 15 (Dempsey/Morris, 3)
Shots on goal:
4 (4 players, 1)
Fouls:
 5 (5 players, 1)
Offside:
 2 (Shipp/Lodeiro, 1)
Corner-kicks:
 6 (Lodiero/Shipp, 3)
Saves:
 3 (Frei, 3)
Montreal Impact – 
Evan Bush; Chris Duvall, Victor Cabrera (Wandrille Lefevre 90’+2’), Laurent Ciman, Ambroise Oyongo; Patrice Bernier (Adrián Arregui 59’), Marco Donadel, Hernan Bernardello, Dominic Oduro (Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla 67’), Ignacio Piatti; Matteo Mancosu


Substitutes not used:
Maxime Crépeau, Daniel Lovitz, Calum Mallace, Nick DePuy  


Total shots:
 8 (Piatti, 3)
Shots on goal:
 5 (Piatti 3)
Fouls:
 14 (Bernardello, 3)
Offside:
 1 (Mancosu, 1) 
Corner-kicks:
 1 (Donadel, 1)
Saves:
 2 (Bush, 2)
MATCH NOTES

• Sounders FC is now 0-1-1 in the 2017 MLS campaign. Seattle is 2-3-1 all-time against Montreal in regular-season play, including a mark of 1-2-1 on the road, and the Rave Green are unbeaten at Olympic Stadium (1-0-1).
• Midfielder Nico Lodeiro recorded his first goal of the season on a penalty-kick in the 83^rd minute. Defender Oniel Fisher drew the foul in his first appearance of the 2017 season.
• Forward Will Bruin netted the late equalizer for his first Sounders FC goal. The strike marked the eighth time in club history that Seattle has scored at least four minutes into second-half stoppage time during MLS play.
• On Saturday, goalkeeper Stefan Frei made his 100^th regular-season appearance for Sounders FC. He is the eighth Sounders FC player, and the first goalkeeper, to reach the century benchmark.
• Midfielder Harry Shipp made his club debut on Saturday in 72 minutes of action in the midfield. He was acquired in a trade with Montreal in December 2016.