Clint Dempsey scored his career-high 11th goal of the season as Seattle Sounders FC (15-8-3, 48 points) downed the Colorado Rapids (8-12-6, 30 points), 1-0, on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field on Saturday afternoon.
Seattle is now unbeaten in its last three (2-0-1) outings and extended its lead for the Supporters' Shield to five points. Sounders FC leads MLS with nine home wins this season, two victories shy of the club record.
The victory also extended Seattle's eight-match unbeaten streak against Colorado at CenturyLink Field, going 7-0-1 and outscoring the Rapids 20-7.
In the 52nd minute, Seattle netted the match's lone goal. Marco Pappa sent a corner kick to the middle of the box, where Dempsey approached the ball and hit a swinging, one-touch strike to the top right corner of the net.
Dempsey's 11 goals marks his career high, and is tied-fifth in MLS. His four game-winning goals leads the team. Pappa has recorded three game-winning assists.
Obafemi Martins nearly added a second tally in the 68th minute but his shot from the top of the box bounced off the crossbar.
Stefan Frei made two saves en route to his eighth clean sheet of the season, which ranks first in MLS this season.
Sounders FC will face Chivas USA on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
Scoring Summary:
SEA- Clint Dempsey (Marco Pappa) 52'
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei, DeAndre Yedlin, Chad Marshall, Zach Scott, Leo Gonzalez, Brad Evans (Chad Barrett 75'), Osvaldo Alonso, Gonzalo Pineda, Marco Pappa (Lamar Neagle 75'), Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins (Andy Rose 90'+2)
Substitutes Not Used: Josh Ford, Jalil Anibaba, Micheal Azira, Kenny Cooper
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Clint Dempsey, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Clint Dempsey, 3); FOULS: 12 (2 tied at 3); OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3 (Marco Pappa, 3); SAVES: (2, Stefan Frei).
Colorado Rapids - Joe Nasco, Christopher Klute, Thomas Piermayr, Marvell Wynne, Marc Burch, Nick LaBrocca, Dillon Powers, Marlon Hairston (Gabriel Torres 60'), Dillon Serna (Charles Eloundou 79'), Edson Buddle, Deshorn Brown
Substitutes Not Used: Clint Irwin, Carlos Alvarez, Davy Armstrong, Kamani Hill, Grant van de Casteele
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Deshorn Brown, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Deshorn Brown, 2); FOULS: 12 (Edson Buddle, 4); OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 2 (Dillon Powers, 2); SAVES 5: (Joe Nasco, 5).
Misconduct Summary:
SEA- Brad Evans (caution) 40'
SEA- Zach Scott (caution) 62'
COL- Deshorn Brown (caution) 84'
COL- Thomas Piermayr (caution) 87'
Referee: Hilario Grajeda
Referee's Assistants: Frank Anderson, Mark Cahen
4th Official: Alejandro Mariscal
Attendance: 38,934
Time of Game: 1:52
Weather: Cloudy and 66 Degrees
